November 2, 2015

European Space Agency engineer to inspire Australia’s next crop of innovators

More than 900 primary and high school students will converge on UOW on Wednesday 4 November for Australia’s largest science fair.

The annual UOW Illawarra Coal Science Fair will host special guest Warwick Holmes, an engineer and passionate science communicator who worked on the European Space Agency's Rosetta mission to Comet 67P. Warwick will speak to students about the challenges of landing on asteroids and the importance of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills in space travel.

Colin Cortie, Schools Liaison Manager from UOW’s Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, said the event, now in its tenth year at UOW, aims to spark an early interest in STEM, which is essential for Australia’s future workforce.

“It’s imperative to get kids interested in STEM early because STEM is such a big part of our current lives and also our futures. In 20 years it will be these young scientists who will be curing cancer, planning trips to Mars, and dealing with environmental problems caused by climate change.”

Colin has a PhD in science from UOW and . His research focused on how fats, or lipids, in our cells cause free radical damage, a process which is associated with cell damage and leads to ageing and a variety of diseases such as Alzheimer’s and cancer.

With a father who is a scientist, Colin has had an interest in science for as long as he can remember and is now keen to spark curiosity in other youngsters. He has been working with a number of other UOW students to help the young students participating in the Science Fair bring their ideas to fruition.

“Our team of UOW science students has been visiting schools to help plan, setup and judge projects for the Science Fair. The team always enjoys the visits, and so do the kids! The research ideas are always so diverse, from investigations into dog behaviour to rocket engineering. This year there will be more projects on show than ever before.”

Troy McDonald, Illawarra Coal’s Asset President, said the company is delighted to continue its support as major supporter of the Science Fair.

“We are pleased to be involved with this initiative which encourages young people to explore the exciting world of science, and develop their interests and talent in a field central to a variety of industries including our own,” Troy said. “Each year many of our own employees volunteer as judges in the Science Fair, and are continually impressed by the high calibre of work presented, and the enthusiasm of the young scientists.”

Last year, more than $3,000 in cash prizes were awarded to students for a variety of projects that looked at antibiotics and the development of E. Coli resistance, which washing up liquid works best and how long fruits and vegetables last in various environments.