Jess and Juris following the conclusion of the vote of thanks.
We had the pleasure last Thursday, 11 July, of Jess Howieson telling us about her experience with NYSF back in January (5th to 15th) as our Club’s sponsored participant, based in Canberra.
As a vibrant and confident speaker, she regaled us with many a brief sketch of her life on the course in the many and varied activities she had the opportunity to attend. She had two generations of her elders present in the room, with a proud Rotary history going back, if I remember correctly, three generations.
We have come to expect nothing less from NYSF speakers. They invariably find the experience life-changing, hearing from leading science figures in Australian industry and academia in an atmosphere of camaraderie and exploration.
It was clear from the outset that Jess’s mum was a very important inspiration for her to develop her keen interest in science. The whole family seems to be immersed in science-based careers, so in many ways, this seems to me to be a natural progression.
Jess spoke about NYSF in glowing terms, describing its mission as a not-for-profit organisation that inspires young Australians to pursue studies and careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), emphasising its importance in our communities.
The course was structured around particular types of activities with somewhat mysterious descriptions: Staffies, Floor Groups, Constellations, Whoovo and Buddies. Listed in reverse order of Jess’s favourite activities, they were:
13. Floor group games
12. Staffie Riddles
11. Questacon!
10. Mulligan’s Flat
9. Drawing Lizards
8. Our Rooms
7. Guest Speakers
6. Career Day
5. Trip to Canowindra
4. The Food
3. Specialist Lectures
2. DNA Profiling Experiment
1. The People
As you can see, the more social and intellectual the activities, the more Jess enjoyed them!
Thank you, Jess, for giving us a very interesting and enjoyable peek into your aspirations and into the future of our society!
Juris
