Education

Women on Mars

Women on Mars was an event at the Sydney Opera House, run as part of National Science Week in August 2017. It involved a group of scientists talking to students in years 9-12 from over 30 different schools in Sydney, over two inspiring sessions. Guest scientists in the first session included UNSW marine ecologist Professor Emma Johnston, UNSW geology PhD student Tara Djokic, UNSW astrophysics student Kirsten Banks, and UNSW aerospace engineering student Solange Cunin.

The second session involved NASA’s Mars 2020 mission Program Scientist Dr. Mitch Schulte and University of Queensland cosmologist Professor Tamara Davis. Break-out activities with the students were organised between the two sessions, including one that involved driving ‘Mawson’ – the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences’ resident Rover.

The event was also supported by Inspiring Australia and was live streamed on the UNSW Science YouTube channel so that students from other schools could participate remotely. Collectively, YouTube videos from this event have been watched over 1300 times!