Science News
Celebrating Women in STEM
Last Friday, a group of seven aspiring women in STEM had the great privilege to go to Casey Tech to celebrate women and diversity in STEM.
We had the great honour of hearing from Dr Mary Cole, a pioneer in biological farming and soil microbiology. She told us about her journey in the STEM field and gave us advice on how to persevere and gain respect in a male-dominated field.
We also had the opportunity to network with other proud women in STEM whilst having a scrumptious morning tea. They shared with us their unique experiences and gave us valuable insight and advice into the industry.
To conclude the excursion, we participated in a workshop called "The Light Side of the Universe", led by astrophysics students from Swinburne University. Within the workshop, in total we did four activities, our favourite one was using VR to navigate through the solar system. Other activities included observing the sun, badge-making and creating a pocket solar system.
Overall, we all came out of Casey Tech inspired and empowered to work on our dreams of establishing ourselves in the STEM workforce.
By Sadia Afroz and Esther Siu – Year 11
Unit 1 Biology
Units 1/2 Biology students conducted an experiment to observe the effect of the surface area to volume ratio on diffusion rate. To do this, they submerged blocks of agar jelly with varying surface area to volume ratios and a pH indicator, in acid. They then recorded the amount, in millimetres, that the acid penetrated each of the blocks.
The experiment highlighted the importance of a large surface area to volume ratio for cells to survive, as blocks with a higher ratio experience higher rates of diffusion. The increased rate allows more efficient transfer of nutrients and excretion of waste products in cells, which is essential for its survival.
By Dhiira Slade - Year 10
University of Sydney International Science School – as outlined on MS Teams in Week 7
From 6 – 19 July 2025, 110 science students from across Australia and around the world will gather at the University of Sydney for the Professor Harry Messel International Science School. The Science school offers two weeks of inspiring science – and it’s absolutely free!
The program is offered to students in Years 11 or 12 in 2025. The program offers students hands-on experiments, lab tours, seminars and workshops designed to develop skills, give the brain a workout, and collaborating with the other students from around the country. The program features activities from across the breadth of STEM.
Applications close Friday 4 April 2025
For more information, visit the University of Sydney’s website: