Two students from Wyalkatchem District High School have just returned from a national STEM conference where they quizzed researchers and scientists.
Darcey Brooks and Jasmine Bland were selected alongside 20 other students from around the country to attend the ANSTO Big Ideas Forum in Sydney.
Participants are picked based on their answer to ‘what problem would you like to see scientists solve for the future?’
Darcey and Jasmine picked waste management as their topic of choice.
“We had a lot of questions rolled into one but basically our question was about the waste problem and if we can break down rubbish on a molecular level and fuel planes and cars with paper waste and what we can do with rubbish,” Jasmine said.
“Other people’s questions had a lot to do with the garbage problem and there were a few to do with antibiotics and immunity and global warming.”
The scientists then answered the students questions.
“We got told ideas from the researchers about how they are solving our problems,” Darcey said.
“They have a lot of recycling programs and experiments but said it was something they were hoping to look at more in the future.”
The Year 10 students said they have their own ideas about how to solve the build up of waste.
“We decided that it is more an education thing, that we need to teach people what can be recycled and what they can do with it and what happens to it,” Jasmine said.
“We need to re-enforce it.”
For Darcey it was her first time on a plane, and she said she recommended the trip to the conference to other students.
“Don’t doubt yourself because we didn’t think we would get in at all,” she said.
“A lot of the other students were from private schools and then there was us from a district high school.”
Jasmine agreed.
“Coming from Wylie we didn’t think we were smart enough to be there but the other students really accepted us.”
Both girls said the trip taught them the importance of science when it comes to the future of careers.
“There are so many careers in science,” said Darcey.
“Almost anything you’re interested in can be linked to science.”