Page 3 - Journal 2018B FINAL

In this edition we celebrate just some of the people important to SASTA and to science teaching in SA.
Since the last edition of this Journal, our long serving Executive Officer (EO), Greg Cole, has retired. In these pages, Greg offers some reflections on his career – a theme that Vanessa Fay also takes up in her President’s report. She also welcomes Kate Dilger as SASTA’s new EO and I would like to take the chance to echo that welcome here.
Our SASTA Patron, Dr Leanna Read, has also recently passed on the baton as SA Chief Scientist and in this edition Dr Read gives her insightful thoughts on science education. Also, Monica Oliphant AO, Patron of the Oliphant Science Awards, explores this exact same topic albeit from an earlier era. Monica recently uncovered a copy of a speech given in 1962 by Sir Mark Oliphant on the topic of science education. The paper makes for a fascinating read. Monica provides an extract of the paper here and should you wish to read further, the full paper can also be found on the SASTA website.
While on the topic of the Oliphant Science Awards, this edition
is loaded with reports from the Awards. For my part, it gives me much pleasure to reproduce in these pages for you just some of the high quality and considered images submitted by pupils in the photography section of this years Awards.
A further highlight in this edition is the inclusion of several articles that take on the theme of teaching STEM. We also hear from Hilary Jones, Education Specialist at the Royal Institute
of Australia as she gives an overview of the resources and programs made available from the Royal Institute of Australia (RiAUS).
For those of us who have been contemplating having pupils create infographics but don’t know where to start, Glen Arthur gives an overview of the success his students have been having with this growing medium.
This has been my second turn at editing the SASTA Journal. Thank you for your encouraging feedback from the first (Space Science) edition. It gives great pleasure to be able to report on
just some of the many goings on of SA Science educators.
Brent Banham SASTA Journal Editor
Acknowledgements:
Thank you for the assistance and/or contributions from the following in compiling this edition: Vanessa Fay; Hilary Jones; Andrew Stanley; Dr Leanna Read; Monica Oliphant AO; Glen Arthur; Greg Cole; Kate Dilger; Karla Pobke; Holly Bosman; Jesse Kasehagen; Lou Washington; David Agostinetto; Paul Ridge; Eliza Spray; Zahra Pirvali; Amber Washington; Dr Matthew Verdon; Cat Stone; Feresh Agahi Pizzaro; Marcus Roberts; Rhys Bassett; Josina George; Charlotte Steven; Elly Bowman; Kevin Lozada.
Contents
Greg Cole: Farewell Epilogue
Ruminations from the outgoing Chief Scientist for South Australia
Sir Mark Oliphant and Education
2018 Oliphant Science Awards Photography Category Infographics
STEM Conference
SASTA Psychology Summer Conference
Exploring Critical and Creative thinking: Dream, Design and Develop
Hosting the Asian Physics Olympiad in Adelaide, 2019
Resources and programs available through Royal Institute of Australia
Cultivating a new approach: STEM teaching and learning in our schools
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The cover photograph of a tendril from a Passiflora edulis (passion fruit) vine was one of a number of images submitted by Rhys Bassett, St John’s Grammar School, as part of his photography entry themed on the Golden Ratio in Nature in this year’s Oliphant Science Awards. Rhys’ entry attained a high commendation in the Year 9-10 category.
Number 02 / 2018
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