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Issue 2: July 2022

From the Editor

Welcome to Term 3, and the latest edition of CSIRO Education and Outreach updates.

CSIRO is a proud partner of National Science Week, which runs from 13 to 21 August 2022, with the schools theme Glass: more than meets the eye. CSIRO Education and Outreach is preparing curriculum-aligned lesson plans for primary school teachers. The learning activities focus on glass and its role in the circular economy and are available on our website. 

Continuing our focus on all things glass, in the upcoming edition of Double Helix magazine, we've got breakthroughs in glass recycling and 'unbreakable' glass to report on. To access the National Science Week teacher resource or find events near you, visit Home - National Science Week. 

Registrations for round two of the Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge - which will run from 22 August to 4 September 2022 - are now open.

Finally, we're excited that round 1 of the CyberTaipan Cyber Security Challenge gets underway on 19 August 2022 ... competition is sure to be fierce!

Young Indigenous Women's STEM Academy

Seeking applications from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander females with interests and aspirations in STEM. 

By joining the Academy, students will be mentored by a dedicated CSIRO Academic Coordinator and participate in a range of STEM activities, STEM camps and work placement opportunities.

Students will receive individualised support, access to a brokerage fund and other resources from high school through to university and onto graduate employment.

Visit our website for further information and to apply for the Academy.

This program is delivered by CSIRO in partnership with CareerTrackers and proudly funded by the National Indigenous Australians Agency.

Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge

Computer Science

Round two: 22 August - 4 September 2022

Bebras is an international initiative aimed at promoting computer science among school students. The Bebras challenge is open twice a year to Australian Students in Years 3-12, and engages students' computational thinking and problem solving skills in a fun, interactive environment.

Register now

Bringing machine learning and AI into the classroom

Teacher working on a laptop and making notes

Using Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is fast becoming an essential skill for today’s students. Many jobs are already working with these innovative systems, from farming to firefighting, and from healthcare to business.

This 1-hour session from the Digital Careers team will give educators a crash course introduction to these important concepts and provide resources, activities, guides, and curriculum-linked ideas on how to bring them into the classroom.

Participants will also see some of the real-world cutting-edge tech being developed at CSIRO, getting a sneak peak into what future careers could look like for the students of today.

Session 1: Monday 8 August 2022
3.30pm AEST
Register now

Session 2: Thursday 17 August 2022
3.30pm AEST
Register now

STEM Professionals in Schools: We're celebrating 15 years!

Find out more and register today

A volunteer program that facilitates partnerships between STEM professionals and teachers, STEM Professionals in Schools has facilitated thousands of partnerships all over Australia since 2007, inspiring countless students by showcasing the wonders of STEM and how it can be applied in industry settings and potential career paths. The program is ready as ever to create new partnerships!

Generation STEM Careers Expo

Western Sydney

#WithSTEMYouCan

On 15 June, more than 400 Year 9 and 10 students attended Generation STEM’s inaugural careers expo at Sydney Olympic Park. Students asked questions, discussed education pathways and learned more about the varied STEM career options available to them.

Learn more about the expo

NASA GLOBE Land Cover Challenge 2022

Land Cover in a Changing Climate: 26 July to 26 August 2022

NASA scientists and others use satellite data to document what is on the land (land cover). This information is essential in hazard analysis and for monitoring the impacts of climate change. The images collected over time may indicate where change to land cover is occurring. Using the GLOBE Observer app to show evidence of land cover change, can be especially helpful in monitoring and analysing the Earth’s surface.

CSIRO Publishing

The Encyclopedia of STEM Words

CSIRO Publishing has recently released a new title, The Encylopedia of STEM Words, with a free poster download.

New Education Resources page

CSIRO Publishing has a new webpage with educator resources for our books and Double Helix magazine.