Science Week an educational experience for all

While writing this editorial, I am listening to radio interviews about National Australian Science Week which aims to promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education nationwide. One young seven-year-old told me that his school calls it STEEM, and the extra E is for the environment, a most important topic.

This event attracts people of all ages and features activities that highlight the importance of scientific innovation. It runs for a week during August and brings together scientists, educators, students, and the general public to explore the wonders of science.

I heard radio and television interviews with primary school children who had travelled with their schools from far western Sydney to the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney and the Australian Museum for the Sydney Science Trail, an interactive program of science talks, nature experiences, and hands-on activities. It was heartwarming to hear the children speak about the importance, and their enjoyment of, this event and how much they learned about science in its many forms. The week serves as a catalyst for developing critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and a lifelong passion for learning.

For the broader community, National Science Week reinforces the importance of science in everyday life and highlights the contributions of Australian scientists to global knowledge.

Community members were invited to attend a family-friendly ‘science bonanza’ at the National Herbarium of New South Wales, Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan. The theme was “Explore species survival.” Visitors could go behind the scenes and discover the world-leading conservation efforts of Botanic Gardens of Sydney scientists in the PlantBank.

More than 1,000 events were held around the country, including those delivered by universities, schools, research institutions, libraries, museums, science centres, and zoos.

While researching Science Week, I found many events catering to all manner of scientific interests, from astronomy to birdwatching. I saw an event in Armidale, NSW, called Future Science Talks, which included a comedy edition. This show features local scientists who have partnered with comedians to infuse humour and laughter into scientific talks. Quite a few pubs run events where researchers come together to give talks on topics such as Dark Matter. Physics is another pub topic. Local physicists and astronomers discuss building the tiniest nano-things and exploring the universe and parallel ones. So, it seems that if you search the Internet for events near you, you may find something of interest in the scientific field.

National Science Week grants are usually open for applications around April. So, if your organisation has something inspiring to offer, keep an eye out next year.

On another note, spring is upon us now, which means that it will be full steam ahead until Christmas, for retailers and the landscape sector in particular. We all hope the season encounters calm weather and no natural disasters. We have had our share over the last few years.

As you will read in this issue, we attended the Nursery & Garden Industry Queensland Expo and are attending The Landscape Expo. Please support these events, they are vital to our industry.

Enjoy the read

Karen Smith and your Hort Journal team