The 2024 grants illustrate Australia’s love of our wildlife, a growing value for Traditional Knowledge, and our fascination with our technological future.
Thirty-two grants were awarded this year, with many featuring or being led by Indigenous scientists and organisers.
Several of the funded events and activities will take place in remote and regional areas. The range of topics explored by grant recipients reflects the diversity of Australian science, from space experts and plant biologists preparing to grow food on Mars through to ecologists and zoologists fighting to save Aussie species.
Successful Grants – Tasmania
West Coast Space Fair (WCSF)
Secret Lab Pty Ltd
Meet a meteorite. The West Coast Space Fair will bring telescopes, real meteorites and 3D-printed replicas of the moon’s surface, astro-scientists, and even a Planetarium show to the West Coast of Tasmania. The Fair will visit the towns of Strahan, Queenstown, Rosebery, Zeehan, Tullah, Ulverstone, Burnie, and Devonport. The Fair features a free and family-friendly stage show for the public, exploring the wonders of space and Australia’s participation in space sciences, as well as the real-world benefits of those activities. It also explores Australia’s and Tasmania’s unique space curiosities and historical aspects, such as the science of Aurora Australis and the ‘Darwin glass’ created more than 800,000 years ago when a meteorite hit Mount Darwin.
Maker Technology and Innovation Fest (Burnie)
University of Tasmania
Make things in Burnie, a traditional industrial city that’s transitioning to modern manufacturing. The MakerX Festival is a one-day event that invites Burnie locals and visitors to take part in science-based activities, demonstrations, and exhibits that explore agriculture and food technology; explore digital futures including gaming, robotics, and artificial intelligence; and engage with Aboriginal Culture and Knowledge as the First Inventors.
MakerX will showcase the region’s innovative use of technology in STEM-related fields that are contributing to social, economic, and environmental development. Hosted at the newly refurbished Makers Technology and Innovation Hub, this event will engage school-aged and adult participants in a variety of activities that showcase how STEM is improving the lives of people.
Beaker Street Festival 2024
Beaker Street Ltd
Learn and laugh with science comedy from Dr Karl, explore TMAG after Dark, sample a Future Foods menu, see the entries in the Beaker Street Science Photography Prize, or chat with one of 150+ roving scientists.
Beaker Street Festival is an annual celebration of science and art in lutruwita/Tasmania, introducing Australia’s public to exciting scientific minds and ideas. Centred around the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) and nearby venues, the week-long Festival features fascinating talks and hands-on workshops presented by top local and visiting scientists, interactive science/art installations, photography exhibitions, live music and performance, Tassie food and drink, and 150+ Roving Scientists to chat with.
Young Tassie Scientists – Taking Science Around Tasmania
University of Tasmania
Mythbusting stress, tracking space junk, tracking tabby cats, brewing superior chemicals, and working to ensure no child has to study on an empty stomach. These are just some of the research topics of last year’s Young Tassie Scientists (YTS), a group of 30 early-career researchers who volunteer their time to share their passion for science with audiences across Tasmania. New recruits are trained each year.
Students and the broader public will get the opportunity to meet these bright young scientists as they travel around the state throughout August. They support a variety of public Science Week events and provided in-school visits along the way, with a focus on reaching regional, rural and island communities state-wide. They highlight local science and career opportunities through engaging interactive presentations and hands-on activities related to each scientist’s discipline and cover a range of topics.
To see all the successful recipients around the country, follow the link below: National Grant Round Recipients for 2024 – National Science Week