The Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (DISER) is celebrating the 25th National Science Week this week (14-22 August) by organising events through its portfolio Agencies.
DISER said more than 1,600 activities were planned around Australia to mark the Week, which promoted and encouraged interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and communicated its relevance in everyday life.
“The first National Science Week (or National Science Festival as it was called then) was piloted in 1997 with 200 events,” the Department said.
“Since then, it has become Australia’s largest annual celebration of science and technology, reaching its highest number of events in 2017 with 2,157 events,” it said.
“Last year, event organisers found innovative ways to stage online events, following lockdown restrictions due to COVID-19.”
DISER said this trend was continuing for 2021 and would allow people to participate in a wide range of formats, from in-person events to virtual tours, webcasts, DIY experiments and competitions, despite pandemic restrictions.
The Department said it was supporting the Week by coordinating committees in each State and Territory; organising events through the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Geoscience Australia, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) and the Australian Space Agency; organising events through partnerships with other organisers; providing speakers to events; promoting the week through social media and web channels; and providing grants.
It said some highlights of the Week included Questacon’s DIY Science 2021; a webinar from the National Youth Science Forum featuring Chief Scientist of Australia, Cathy Foley; and the Australian National University’s Building the Universe, Brick by Brick which is to see a model of the universe built with Lego.
Further information on events can be accessed on the National Science Week website at this PS News link.
