Joanne Voisey, 21 September, 2022
QUT is helping to connect Indigenous students to science by facilitating real-world learning experiences in workshops, laboratories, and on Country. Working in partnership with Murgon State High School, QUT academics and student ambassadors share their knowledge and experiences in a program that embeds Indigenous perspectives in the school’s science program.
QUT has also committed equity funding so students can get out of the classroom and learn on Country with excursions to Heron Island, and in the H2 Laboratory at QUT’s Kelvin Grove campus.
In June 2022 QUT students, Sara Sheather from Widening Participation and Dr Joanne Voisey, Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Science, took QUT’s Extreme Science Van to Murgon State High School to deliver hands-on science workshops to junior students. Students participated in a variety of activities including creating an earthquake factory using their very own tectonic plates and exploring data science with board games.
QUT staff and students also offered career pathway planning sessions to senior students interested in science. The QUT student ambassadors from the Oodgeroo Unit, a program dedicated to supporting Indigenous achievement at QUT, were able to share their real-life experiences and learning journeys with the high school students.
Funding of $12,000 from QUT’s equity program enabled a group of 27 Murgon State High School students to travel with their teachers to Heron Island. The students from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island studies, Biology and Earth and Environmental Science experienced the opportunity of a lifetime.
The students connected with Country, and put learning into action, exploring the history and culture of the land from the traditional owners of this sea country the Gooreng Gooreng, Gurang, Bailai and Taribelang Bunda peoples. They considered practices to maintain the reef just as the Traditional Owners did, to successfully manage and care for sea country.
Many discussions and yarns were had around the lessons that students had learned from land and nature, and Knowledge was shared through art and objects. Students not only took away data for their assessment, but also memories to keep for a lifetime, and a deeper understanding and respect of country.
In September Murgon students travelled to QUT for two days to experience life on QUT campus. This was made possible by joint funding from QUT equity Widening Participation, the School of Biomedical Sciences and the Faculty of Science and Engineering.
One of the highlights was a visit to the H2 labs where the student's experienced hands-on microbiology activities. These included culturing bacteria on their hands before and after washing; looking at different bacteria under the microscope, an insight into health through urinalysis. They also had lunch with the Oodgeroo Unit and visited accommodation options on campus.
Special thanks for their involvement in the program must go to:
Sara Sheather, Widening Participation officer
The QUT Oodgeroo Unit and Uncle Cheg for Welcoming the students to Country
Wendy Ashcroft Student Engagement Officer, QUT Faculty of Science
AJ Lee, Cale Burge, Cassidy Gilders and Taylor, QUT Student Ambassadors
Erica Marshall, Head of Department for Science and Maths, Murgon State High
QUT Biomedical school academics: Joanne Voisey, Elise Pelzer, Francesca Frentiu, Eva Hatje, Tony Parker, Masroor Shariff, and Wai Soon Eng.
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