September 2020

While it was disappointing we were unable to run the Oliphant Science Awards Open Day this year, it gave us the opportunity to develop a Virtual Open Day!

The OSA website will host lists of prize-winning and highly commended entries for each category along with photos, videos and reports for each entry! We're excited to be able to celebrate more widely the enormous effort students put into their projects and provide inspiration for future entries!

Starting from today, Tuesday 1 September, we will be releasing the results for one category per day on the OSA website at 5.00pm! So keep an eye on our Facebook page and the OSA website for more. 

Check out the SASTA Blog for a round-up of National Science Week activities and photos from schools around the state. If you have anything you would like to contribute please get in contact with us!

You can also see some videos and resources from a couple of activities we ran in the SASTA office here!

And don't forget you can use the filters on the Blog page to find everything National Science Week related!

Don't forget to check out Fake News Friday and Talking Science Tuesday on the SASTA Facebook page.

FAKE NEWS FRIDAY | THE LANGUAGE OF FOOD
Do you have a good activity that looks at food labels?

TALKING SCIENCE TUESDAY | FIGHT FOR PLANET A
Did you watch the series? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

The Early Career Teachers Conference is aimed at teachers in their first five years of teaching science/STEM or those who are new to a specialist science or STEM role. This is an opportunity for early career and pre-service teachers to engage in interactive learning activities that will deepen your understanding of the science content and will give you the skills and resources to engage your students in learning.

Visit the website to view the program and to register!

Many of the problems we face in our world today
will not be solved by today’s adults, but by the
students in our classrooms. Whether it is inventing
a better way to distribute clean water, repopulate
endangered species, or traveling and colonizing
Mars; our students will be the ones leading the way.

The workshop presentations aim to cover a range
of the content and pedagogies of the Australian
Curriculum: Mathematics, Science, Design &
Technology, and ICT. Find out more here.

• Physics & Psychology | 5 September
• Chemistry | 12 September

All attendees must register to attend the event before the cut off date and bookings must be made via the website. All details are available here. 

• Biology | 4 September
• Physics | 11 September

These workshops provide an opportunity for teachers to discuss assessment and the application of the performance standards to samples of work, as well as to have invaluable professional input with their own student samples. More information available here.

This year's Oliphant Science Awards Presentation Ceremony has been postponed to 13 November. Prize-winners in this years' competition will be contacted via their School Coordinator and invited to attend the ceremony in the coming weeks.

Defence Science Technology (DST) is the Australian government's lead agency responsible for applying science and technology to safeguard Australia and its national interests. As one of Australia’s largest employers of scientists and engineers, DST delivers expert, impartial advice and innovative solutions for Defence and national security. DST supports every aspect of Australia’s national defence capability. If a soldier eats it, wears it, thinks it, uses it or has to fight against it, there’s every chance that DST has done the research behind it.

DST research also has many civilian applications. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, DST engineers designed and manufactured adapters to convert passive respirators into active breathing-assistance devices.

Opportunities abound for students to use their STEM skills at Defence after finishing high school. There are many options to complete placements and join a STEM workforce working at the cutting-edge of research. If you think that a career as a Defence scientist or engineer may be for you, then take a moment to explore Defence’s talent pipeline programs and placement opportunities. Details of these, including paid short-term summer vacation placements or longer cadetships, can be found on the Department of Defence website.

Find an Engaging Australian Scientist!

Would you like to connect with outstanding scientists who are passionate about communicating their science? The Young Tall Poppy Science Awards are run by the Australian Institute of Policy and Science (AIPS) to honour up-and-coming scientists who combine world-class research with a passionate commitment to communicating science. The awards have been running since 1998 and we now have over 800 Tall Poppy alumni across Australia. You can search for a Tall Poppy Scientist using keywords such as Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth Sciences, Space Science and more by simply typing your keywords into the search bar on the top righthand corner of our website. 

If you find a Tall Poppy you’d like to connect with contact us at outreach@aips.net.au and tell us what you’d like to arrange with that Tall Poppy and we’ll see what we can organise. Please note that our Tall Poppy alumni are all full-time scientists and may not be available for all requests.

Each month we will be adding to our Website of the Month blog post, you can check it out here. 

Schools should receive a copy of the 2021 SASTA Booklist via email this week. This includes availability, ISBNs, cover images and sample pages (where possible). You can also download a copy of the list here. Keep an eye out in the mail for the Resource Catalogue later this month!

The SASTA SACE Stage 2 Trial Exams will familiarise teachers and students with the SACE Stage 2 exam format and teachers will be able to use the resource as a stand-alone assessment tool or to develop exam preparation skills. Copies can only be ordered by emailing Rebecca at office@sasta.asn.au Trial exams will be delivered via email once payment is received.

South Australian Science Teachers Association
249 Henley Beach Road Torrensville SA 5031
P 08 8354 0006  F 08 8354 0008  E office@sasta.asn.au
www.sasta.asn.au