Regional Science Exchange (REx) 2024

This year saw two fantastic groups of Regional Students join us for their three week exchange. In Term 2 there were over FIFTY applicants, and in Term 3 there were 28, making the REx coordination team’s job just that little bit harder. With so many applicants, but only a few available spaces, JMSS were treated to a total of 24 new (albeit temporary) Year 10 students from all over Victoria. 

These REx students and their very generous JMSS student buddies (and homestay families) explored Metro Melbourne (with trips to the AFL, the Melbourne Museum, IMAX and more), hung out at Monash University (taking part in a series of science incursions and enjoying lunch at the campus centre), and fully immersed themselves in life at JMSS (taking part in our awesome JMSS Year 10 electives, regular studies, and more).

Our Exchange students also took part in their own Extended Experimental Investigations (EEIs) - looking at the antimicrobial properties of various Australian Native plants. This year’s Term 3 cohort were especially lucky as they were part of our very first REx EEI Virtual symposium - where they presented their research to their families, friends, and home school in the Emerging Sciences Victoria (ESV) Studio. This symposium was produced as an alternative to the JMSS Science Exhibition Night where our JMSS Year 10 Students (and our Term 2 REx students) presented their EEI’s. You can check out their conference abstracts below!

This year’s REx students were yet another group that will be missed greatly by their new found JMSS friends, and we hope that one day, we may see them again at Monash doing their Undergraduate or Postgraduate Studies!!

~ Abby Goff