Perth RTG Conference Day 2

Professor Lyn Beasley AO, Chief Scientist of Western Australia gave the opening address. She spoke of the WA skill shortage and the priority occupation list, which were largely science, math and engineering related.

Science is learned by doing when carried out safely and ethically and when it works. Science technicians are instrumental in achieving this. She talked about a number of school science student involvements ... science in action... climate, biodiversity, restoration, agriculture (fungus in barley). Currently there is a major radio telescope project to scan the sky using 3 ranges of wavelengths to map a square kilometre array (SKA) of the sky. Developing these technologies will have spin offs into other technologies, eg. SAT navigation.

Lyn's personal pet projects are:
1. microscopes in schools program
2. increasing school laboratory technician support
http://minister.innovation.gov.au/chrisevans/MediaReleases/Pages/InvestingInScienceAndMathsForASmarterFuture.aspx

Students ensure the future and education is key in changing the "culture" of society.

Scott, Karen and Rebecca presented our Calgary contingent powerpoint, which was well received. We started with a tongue in cheek you tube video:

Canaada is Really BIG!

We then went on a field trip: Rocky Relationships, an excusion to Peppermint Grove and Fremantle.