Whether you’re in school or at home, educating to the curriculum, or just looking for some science fun, we’re certain there’s something for you this National Science Week.
Australia’s National Science Week is back for 2022 and this year’s line-up includes hundreds of In-person events across Australia. Plus, there are more FREE online events than ever before – and that means more chances to get involved. Don’t miss out on Australia’s biggest celebration of all thing’s science – you can even check it all out from the comfort of your own home.
Here are some of our top picks for 2022:
SCINEMA International Science Film Festival
1-31 August
SCINEMA is the largest science film festival in the southern hemisphere. We are passionate about showcasing the best in science cinema from around the world.
Over 60 films made this year’s official selection to choose from, ranging from experimental animations, shorts, and TV shows, to feature documentaries. But SCINEMA has also made it easy – there is a range of playlists that do the selections for you depending on your mood.
It’s sure to inspire the young, satisfy the curious, explain the baffling and ask the impossible.
You can host your own SCINEMA Community Screening for free during the month of August in support of National Science Week!
Whether it’s at your school, library, in your local pub or even in your lounge room, you can host your own public or private event. All you need is a screen, computer, access to the internet and an audience (popcorn optional).
There are even education playlists and teacher resource if you’re looking to dig deeper.
Hit play for more information about SCINEMA International Science Film Festival and register to host a screening here.
Science Alive!
6-7 August
Science Alive! really is all kinds of awesome and the largest of its kind in the country. Join us for a fun family day out and discover how science and technology influences our everyday lives.
With over 80 exhibitors including all the big names in science and technology, experience interactive and dynamic displays, plus spectacular science shows and performances for all ages. There’s something to spark the curiosity in all of us.
There’s no better event to experience first-hand all fields of science and technology.
National Science Quiz
7 August
Join us for a fantastic night of science and fun with The National Science Quiz.
Hosted by Charlie Pickering from ABC-TV’s The Weekly and joined by some of Australia’s top scientists with our special guest team captains, comedian Lawrence Leung and ABC weather presenter Nate Byrne, each team will battle it out for the honour of being this year’s National Science Quiz champions.
While our teams discuss and ponder their quiz answers – our live audience can also play along for the chance to win a $500 cash prize.
Also live-streaming via The National Science Quiz YouTube channel so you can play along at home to win $250 cash prize. Why not get a team together and make a night of it?
Launch Into National Science Week with Street Science
12 August
The countdown has begun for Street Science’s launch into National Science week event.
Communities from around Australia are being asked to join Street Science on 12 August, for an exclusive online event to launch into National Science Week.
Participants of the event will be entertained by the team at Street Science; enjoying one of their award-winning shows, Forces & Flight, followed by a hands-on rocket building workshop, culminating in a massive, nationwide, simultaneous rocket launch.
I Love Science Game Jam
12-14 August
Have you ever wanted to explore making games for science education? Share knowledge of your favourite scientific field through your own game. This is a great time to put your thinking cap on and make a game with scientific meaning.
This Game Jam will run over the weekend both on site and online. On day one, the signature prompts* for the jam will be revealed. You’ll then be shown examples of fun educational games and introduced to simple game making concepts and tools. After a guided brainstorming session, you’ll start making a prototype of your very own game.
Age: 18+ & 13-17 with parental/guardian supervision
The Big Brain Experiment – 5 Mini Missions into the Mind
13-19 August
Is pain just in the brain? Can you improve your memory? How fast do your neurons fire?
All these questions (and more) are answered in The Big Brain Experiment, where students and teachers all over the country conduct experiments on their own brains (without a degree in Psychology or Neuroscience!).
All up there are 5 different brain experiments (or mini-missions into the mind). Do just one or do them all.
Each mini-mission explores a different aspect of the brain and each comes with its own fun class experiment, complete with easy to follow videos explaining what to do, the science and some teacher tips.
They are each designed to take 30 – 60 minutes and require very little that wouldn’t already be in a classroom.
Recycling with AI/ML & The Stained-Glass Cookie Experiment
13-21 August
A transformational journey into STEM fun: Girls Day Out in STEM (GDOS) this year is all about glass. Cinderella has come into the 21st century and is recycling those glass slippers. Glass is moving from a passive role in bygone eras to a functional role now. This is the Age of Glass.
Are you interested in how technology and sustainability can be combined? Meet Courtney and Sophia, Software Engineers at Google, to learn about AI/ML and how we can all use it to sort our rubbish.
After all that fun recycling with AI/ML, you’ll also get the chance to be a modern scientist and simulate glass recycling with our stained-glass cookie experiment. The best part is that you can chomp, chomp, chomp on your finished experiment (the cookies) after the results have cooled down. Then share the best moments of your transformational science journey to put on our social media.
Be part of something big, big, big this National Science Week. Any girl can join in the fun. You just need your parent’s permission to register.
Butterfly Botany: The science of butterfly food
15 August
Through Butterfly Botany: The Science of Butterfly Food, the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary at Kuranda aims to grow participant’s love and interest of science and in particular botany.
One of our knowledgeable guides will take you on virtual tour of our sanctuary, including the main aviary with 1500 butterflies, our breeding lab with thousands of caterpillars and show you our emergence cage where the butterflies can safely emerge from their chrysalis.
After the tour there is the ability to ask our guide questions about the butterflies and our hungry caterpillars.
BrightMindz Academy: Online science trivia
16-21 August
We are bringing together our Online Science Trivia for the Young Australian Students once again this year. The idea behind this event is to inculcate the abilities to question facts, find answers to the unknown and develop a love for science. This event will encompass a five day daily quiz about a particular theme.
Students will be encouraged to find facts and research about the topics. All participants will be awarded a participation certificate for their efforts.
Students from Year 2 and above eligible to participate
The National STEM Communicators Challenge: Hidden Mathematics at Work
21 July – 21 August
Did you know that secret mathematics is hiding in plain sight, making our lives easier and more efficient?
This is a competition open to the general public, in which participants submit a short video on the theme Hidden Mathematics at Work. You can participate as an individual or as a team.
Submit your video and help uncover the secret by exploring the ways in which maths is at work in our everyday lives. There are prizes to be won!
See our website for more details about the competition, including submission details, example videos, and some classroom activities that help participants develop their science communication skills and plan their video entries.
The school theme for National Science Week in 2022 is Glass: More than meets the eye. It is based on the UN International Year of Glass. It will celebrate the many roles that glass plays in our lives – from phone screens to optical fibre to glassware in labs – plus investigating glass as a part of our sustainable future. The uses for and intrinsic nature of glass in science make it a suitable topic for investigation across all strands of science education.
Download this year’s teacher resource book here
