MP4 Interview with Ruth Carr Director CSIRO Education Outreach

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Ruth Carr: We need to make sure that every young Australian has the skills they need to face the challenges of the future and we need to make sure Australia remains globally competitive. If we don’t do this, we’re going to fall behind. For the past couple of decades, we’ve seen a decline in student participation, literacy and interest in STEM, particularly around subjects like advanced maths, physics and engineering. It’s becoming quite concerning and we’re working really hard to reverse that trend.

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 There is so much untapped potential in Australia. We want to see more young women engaged in STEM, more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students engaged in STEM and students from regional and rural and low socio-economic advantaged students also. 

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We need to show students the possibilities that are available to them. We need to make STEM real, and we need to make STEM relevant to them. For around 40 years CSIRO has delivered high quality STEM education programs aligned to the curriculum. Each year about 160,000 students take part. 

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As the National Science Agency, we can put cutting edge science into the hands of young Australians to build a strong and diverse STEM capable workforce that Australia needs now and in the future, and it starts with schools. 

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STEM Together will target underrepresented students from Years 5 to 10, especially our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, our young women, our students from regional and rural areas and those from low advantage areas. 

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It’s not about being top of the class, it’s about connecting students with STEM and increasing their confidence, capability and connection with it. 

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Look we know not every student is going to become a scientist but with STEM Together, every student will leave with STEM capability, transferrable skills like perseverance, like creativity and like problem solving. 

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STEM Together will upskill teachers so that they’re confident in teaching STEM. We’ll show students what STEM in like in real life and we’ll reward our students’ interest in STEM with prizes tailored specifically to them. 

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Winners of Future Shapers get to design their own prize. Even though students that aren’t super interested in STEM we can find something that they will love. For example, those students that love music, we could show them how AI is used to generate music or give them a bit of tech that they could play with. 

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Look we’re here to recognise those who support our students also, like our teachers, our Elders and our community group leaders and they get to shape their prize too. Nominations are open now so go to our web site, csiro.au/STEMTogether and apply now we would so love to hear from you.