WAFTUS

WAFTUS – Science Challenge

On Thursday, April 4 the first workshop for Science mentoring program WAFTUS (Wilkins Public, Ashfield Public, Fort Street High, Tempe High, and Summer Hill Public along with UTS) took place at Fort Street High School in the school library during periods 1 and 2.

Selected Year 10 students from both Fort Street High and Tempe High attended this mentoring information and training session. Associate Professor Mary Coupland (School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences) from UTS and Dr Nural Cokcetin, (pronounced Chock-chetin), a microbiologist doing research with medical uses of honey (also from UTS) were the guest speakers for this session along with the primary school teachers from Ashfield Public, Summer Hill Public and Wilkins Public.
Dr Cokcetin’s presentation on the uses of honey for medical uses was very interesting and informative.  Students from both high schools were captivated by the work of Dr Cokcetin and the benefits that her work has brought to the field of medicine where, everyday medication sometimes fails to treat vulnerable patients.
The second workshop and training session will be on Thursday, April 11 at Tempe High School. During this session, high school students will revise the aspects of Science Investigation and address their communication skills with children who are much younger than they are.

The mentoring program starts in Term 2, spanning 10 weeks, and focuses on developing a Science research project where Year 10 students from both high schools will mentor the primary school students from grades 3 – 6 at Wilkins Public, Ashfield Public and Summer Hill Public in designing and carrying out a scientific investigation.

Ms Jamble