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Budding scientists attend expo at USC
From extracting the DNA of peas to solving a cattle duffing case, more than 260 students from across the Coast will put science into practice at an expo at the University of the Sunshine Coast this week.
The Year 5 and Year 9 students will test their skills over two days in USC’s state-of-the-art laboratories as part of the annual PICSE Science and Technology Expo.
PICSE – the Primary Industry Centre for Science Education – is a national partnership of universities, schools, industry and government.
About 155 Year 5 students will attend the University tomorrow, Tuesday 8 June. Their topics include weather and climate change, crime-busters, cool chemistry and robotics.
They will investigate how human activities are changing our climate and affecting the environment through hands-on experiments on renewable energies, insulation, sea-level rises and more.
On Friday 11 June, about 110 Year 9 students will explore cloning and gene testing, the forensics of a criminal case involving the stock squad and the consequences of poor food hygiene at a fictitious wedding.
USC PICSE Project Officer Marina Fitzpatrick said the expo aimed to engage students in science subjects through primary, secondary and tertiary education to broaden their career options.
“It’s the third year that the University has hosted this regional event which continues to go from strength to strength,” she said.
“It’s popular with teachers and students because it provides exciting, relevant investigations that inspire students to the possibilities of science.”
The PICSE national hub at the University of Tasmania is led by Associate Professor David Russell.
– Julie Gatehouse