The Palaszczuk Government is supporting science projects across Queensland, with $148,000 in funding being provided to schools, community organisations and projects across Queensland as part of the latest round of Engaging Science Grants.
Minister for Science Leeanne Enoch said 15 projects, involving scientists, researchers, schools and community organisations, were benefiting from funding under the latest round.
“These grants are about encouraging more people to get involved in science and expanding the reach of science across Queensland,” Ms Enoch said.
“They also help further the Palaszczuk Government’s commitment towards supporting STEM and the jobs opportunities in this sector.
“We know that employment in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) is growing two times faster than other occupations and we are committed to embracing these opportunities.”
Minister Enoch said there were many incredible projects receiving funding to encourage Queenslanders to get involved in science.
“For example, Goodna State Primary School has received $9,786 for its acclaimed Mutdapilly Koala Offset project, which involved placing remote cameras to gather data on animal movement across the 90-hectare site west of Ipswich,” she said.
“The school has put in a tremendous effort to give all children the opportunity to do hands-on science activities and set them on a STEAM career path.”
Other grant recipients include Gold Coast City Council, which has received $9200 for their Girls who STEAM program, Western Downs Regional Council received $9960 for its Drone Coding Workshops and It’s Rocket Science Adventures has received $10,000 to run a free family fun day at the Rockhampton Showgrounds during ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Science Week next month in celebration the 50th anniversary of the moon landing.
Queensland Chief Scientist Professor Paul Bertsch said this was real hands-on science.
“That’s the point of the Queensland Government’s Advance Queensland Engaging Science Grants program. We want to demystify science – to show that science is exciting. That it’s all about curiosity, experimentation, problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity, and very much working in teams – which is the way most science is done these days,” Professor Bertsch said.
“Getting young Queenslanders engaged with science and innovation by demonstrating to them how science can open up new job and business opportunities is a major focus of the Engaging Science Grants program.”
The Advance Queensland Engaging Science Grants program has awarded more than $1.2 million to 128 recipients over the seven rounds to date.
Other recipients in this round include:
- Bundaberg Regional Libraries received $10,000 for its three-day aerospace science festival.
- It’s Rocket Science Adventures received $10,000 to run a free family fun day in Rockhampton during ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Science Week this year.
- Capricorn Caves received $9,966 to encourage people to become citizen scientists and help discover fossils to add to the site’s 500,000-year-old record of faunal change in Australia.
- Gold Coast City Council received $9,200 for its Girls who STEAM program.
- Isaac Regional Council received $10,000 for its ‘Think Digital in Isaac Libraries for Science Week’.
- Moreton Bay Region Industry and Tourism Ltd received $10,000 for its Welcome to the Whales family-fun event.
- Noosa Library Service received $9,100 for its Inventor Project.
- Pittsworth State High School on the Darling Downs received $10,000 for its Creating Tomorrow’s Scientists Today program.
- The Queensland University of Technology received $10,000 to put together an interactive augmented classroom experience to visualise urban mosquito breeding.
- Springfield Central State High School received $10,000 for their STEAM TEAM Challenge.
- StarSapphire Productions Pty Ltd received $10,000 for its Ground Truth Educational Resources.
- Sunshine Beach State High School received $10,000 for its Advanced STEM Immersion for Girls project.
- Western Downs Regional Council received $9960 for its Drone Coding Workshops.
- Woodfordia received $10,000 for its BioDiscovery project.
