Inspiring science minds
by Rebecca Gill
Part
of National Science Week, UniSA’s Science At The Lakes (SATL) on August
11 is a free event designed to get kids excited about science.
With more than 1000 students from 30 South Australian schools taking part, this year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever. A host of science-based activities will be accessible to children from primary to lower secondary ages at UniSA’s technological hub at Mawson Lakes. But it’s not just the kids having all the fun. UniSA students also get behind the event, creating lots of exchanges between the young and the not-so-much-older.
One of the most popular events on the schedule is robot designing and racing, provided through UniSA's Robotics Peer Mentoring (RPM) program. PhD candidate Aaron Mohtar, the longest serving RPM student member, said peer mentoring has continually provided him with insight and practical skills.
"The kids love learning how to program their robot to do whatever they want, something they thought was out of their reach before participating," he said.
International student Mohammad Khazab has been involved with RPM for one and a half years, and one of his favourite projects was supervising groups of students in making doorbell alarms.
"It’s a great opportunity to apply what I learn in University to real world projects. When teaching the kids, you have to understand the principles very thoroughly, so this kind of experience is excellent for developing my leadership and communication skills," Khazab said.
Other SATL workshops include Commuting without Polluting, where researcher Dr Peter Pudney will show off UniSA’s solar and electric cars, informing students about the benefits of sustainable energy. Students will also get the chance to ride in TREV, the electric commuter car that can operate for hours without being charged. A hands on flora and fauna workshop will also be held at UniSA's brand new Ecocentre.
To view a full SATL program, visit http://www.unisa.edu.au/scienceatthelakes/
The RPM Peer Tutor Program is open to all UniSA students who have completed at least one year of study at university. Please visit http://www.unisa.edu.au/mentor/default.asp for more information.