Last year 1.9 million people participated in 1657 registered National Science Week events and activities – the largest number of participants and events in the festival’s history.
This year you can do everything from deep sea diving, beer science, a quantum road trip, paint with a UV torch and even discover more about space junk.
Today kicks off with the official launch of National Science Week at Parliament House. Here, prominent Australians will share, ‘What excited me most about the future of Australian science.’
Those speaking include the Hon Ed Husic MP, Minister for Industry and Science, The Hon Richard Marles MP, Deputy Prime Minister and co-founder of Parliamentary Friends of Science, The Hon Karen Andrews MP, co-founder of Parliamentary Friends of Science, Jo White, Director of Questacon, Senator David Shoebridge, Greens science spokesperson, Jas Chambers, chair and co-founder of Ocean Decade Australia, Enrico Palermo, Head of the Australian Space Agenc, The Hon Paul Fletcher MP, Shadow Minister for Science and Professor Mark Hutchinson, Director, Centre for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, President STA.
Marking the launch of National Science Week, the 3M State of Science Index, which annually measures public attitudes to science, is releasing a report which shows 93% of Australians believe positive outcomes can be achieved if people stand up for and defend science.
The report also says 92% want business to take action to defend science, 92% of Australians say STEM professionals can help us solve the problems of tomorrow and 88% of Australians see the connection between science and its role in improving their life.
Here’s a guide to what’s happening around Australia
- Canberra: What gets you excited about the future of Aussie science? The official launch of National Science Week at Parliament House.
- Canberra: First Nations food and medicine in the National Museum’s garden.
- Sydney: An Aussie astronaut, art therapy, deep sea science, space junk and Sky Country.
- Hobart: Taste the science of experimental beers with three independent breweries and two thirsty scientists.
- Melbourne: DARK MATTERS exhibition – can art make the invisible universe visible?
- Brisbane: A science fair for sick kids in The Children’s Hospital.
- Adelaide: Plants in space and the Botanic Gardens, Ngarrindjeri weaving, Indigital augmented reality, and more at a First Nations science festival.
- Perth: Finding aliens, love, energy, innovation, and the bottom of the ocean at The Anti-conference.
- Darwin: Paint with a UV torch at ‘Sea of Light’, a light installation at MAGNT.
National: A band of physicists go on a road trip to explain quantum and dark matter