Science News

Engaging Science in the Real World

Late last term Science students in Year 12 Physics and Year 12 Science Extension had the wonderful opportunity of returning to in-person excursions.

Year 12 Physics students visited iFly (indoor skydiving) to examine the forces acting on falling objects such as drag force. Students measured their own terminal velocity and calculated the forces acting on an object in free fall. After a few tries, students discovered both the joy of free fall and that they needed about 150km/h upward windspeed to keep their bodies suspended mid-air. They considered factors such as mass, gravity, surface area, drag and air density to help them quantify their terminal velocity. This excursion was part of their Depth Study into Terminal Velocity, where students dive (or free fall?) more deeply into the physics involved in such situations.

Additionally, Year 12 Science Extension students made great use of SCEGGS’ central location to make an early morning visit to the 2022 Science & Research Breakfast Seminar Series held at NSW Parliament House by The Office of the NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer. Students watched an engaging scientific presentation by Professor Hala Zreiqat about how nanomedicine, materials science and 3D printing can be used to help with bone regeneration especially for large bone defects. Professor Hala Zreiqat is a trailblazing scientist and a wonderful role model for aspiring female scientists. She has been awarded 4 patents and has 4 more as provisional patents, as well as attracting over $18 million in funding from various medical funding agencies.

Clare Crawford said “It was an incredibly insightful experience to hear Professor Zreiqat speak about her work in engineering human tissue, and to hear about the future path of biotechnology. Listening to the seminar, I was able to gain a better understanding of both the biological field of study she was presenting, and the experience of pursuing a career in a scientific field. Having the opportunity to attend Professor Zreiqat’s seminar was wonderful, and I really enjoyed learning about her specific field of research as an enhancement to the coursework we cover at school. I would highly recommend taking the chance to go see a future speaker at the seminar series!”

Excursions such as these help the girls see how real science experiences can help them to better connect the theoretical concepts and ideas that they learn in the classroom with how they can help today’s society continue to make progress.

Mia Sharma
Science Teacher