Budding Biologists Take Theory To The Laboratory

Illawarra Mercury

Wednesday August 20, 2008

By KATELIN McINERNEY

A GROUP of Illawarra high school biology students had the chance to put theory into practice yesterday as part of National Science Week at the University of Wollongong.

Year 11 students from Oak Flats, Lake Illawarra, Dapto, Kanahooka, Warilla and Albion Park high schools donned their safety glasses and lab coats for the first of three science enrichment days run jointly by the faculties of science, engineering and education and Shellharbour area science head teachers.

Students took part in a series of workshops, including a seminar on dating techniques by Dr Zenobia Jacobs, whose work was integral to the recent landmark study on the extinction of Australia's prehistoric megafauna.

Co-ordinator Dr Melissa Thompson said the event was the first of its kind in the Illawarra, targeting areas of the senior science curriculum to strengthen students' knowledge and expertise.

"There is really good interest from high school students wanting to pursue science at university, but many of them have not taken the right subjects in high school," Dr Thompson said.

"The enrichment days are about encouraging students who are unsure whether they will need science in the future to do science and maths anyway."

Dapto High School students Steven Cox and Morgan Thompson jumped at the chance.

"It is great because you get to see first-hand how it all works," Steven said.

"And you get to share ideas with students from other schools."

© 2008 Illawarra Mercury

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