Prime Sci

Save the date! Follow PrimeSCI! on Humanitix to receive alerts for our School Holiday Science Workshop Program.

🔗 https://events.humanitix.com/host/primesci-swinburne-university

📍 Monday 29 & Tuesday 30 June 2026
PrimeSCI! Synchrotron School Holiday Workshops
@ ANSTO Australian Synchrotron

📍 Wednesday 8 – Friday 10 July 2026
PrimeSCI! School Holiday Science Workshops
@ Swinburne Hawthorn

🔬🚀 Looking for something fun and educational these school holidays?

Join our friends at the National Communication Museum (NCM) in Hawthorn from 26 June – 13 July for a fantastic range of STEAM workshops for young people aged 8–16!

📍 National Communication Museum, Hawthorn
🕙 Workshops run 10am–4pm

🎮 Design video games
🤖 Code mini robots
🖨️ Create and print your own 3D designs
🧠 Build science, technology, engineering, arts and maths skills through hands-on activities

⭐ FREE VCES PROGRAM ⭐
Prototype to Product: 3D Design Challenge
📅 Wednesday 1 & 8 July
👧🧒 Ages 10–12
💲 FREE for Victorian Government School students

Participants will design and 3D print their own creations while developing innovation, engineering and entrepreneurial skills through a real-world challenge.

Find out more and book:
https://ncm.org.au/events/school-holidays-at-ncm

🌙🚀 Ready to take on a Moon Mission?

Join the Swinburne Youth Space Innovation Challenge 2026 and step into the role of a future space explorer for an immersive day of science, innovation and teamwork!

📅 Thursday 2 July 2026
🕘 9:00am – 4:00pm (registrations from 8:30am)
📍 Swinburne University of Technology
👩‍🚀 Suitable for Year 9–12 students

During this exciting one-day challenge, students will:
🌕 Explore past and future Moon missions
🏗 Design and plan a lunar base
🤝 Work in teams to solve real-world space challenges
🔬 Meet researchers and experience cutting-edge technology
🚀 Take part in a high-energy Moon survival challenge
🌌 Discover future careers in space and STEM

Lunch is provided.

A limited number of funded places are available for students who would not be able to attend without financial support.

🎟 Register now:
https://events.humanitix.com/swinburne-youth-space-innovation-challenge-2026

For more information:
https://www.swinburne.edu.au/collaboration-partnerships/school-programs/workshops-and-programs/space-innovation-challenge/

Attend a Swinburne University of Technology study area info session!

https://www.swinburne.edu.au/preference-swinburne/

Don't miss your chance to learn all about your future study area at Swinburne at one of our on-campus events:

🎨Design and Fashion Info Session
📅Tuesday 23 June, 5pm to 7pm
📍ATC101, Hawthorn campus

🎬 Screen and Media Info Session
📅Wednesday 24 June, 5pm to 7pm
📍ATC101, Hawthorn campus

Walla News Education Week Special Episode 42 🎬 WallaNews – Education Week Special! 📚✨Join us as we look back on an exciting term filled with hands-on learning, science experiments, wildlife encounters...

Happy 100th Birthday to Sir David Attenborough!

In August 2012, Sir David Attenborough visited the Monash Science Centre, toured the Wildlife of Gondwana exhibition curated by Professor Patricia Vickers-Rich and reviewed the Labrats science projects.

For our PrimeSCI! School Holiday Program families who have attended one of Ralph Sinclair's physics workshops, this post from the Stawell Historical Society tells the story of his unique talent in Competition-level Boomerang Throwing!

HIS BOOMERANG DOES COME BACK

Little did the students at the Stawell Tech. School in 1965 know that their newly
appointed science teacher, Mr. Ralph Sinclair had a hidden secret. He was a former
Australian Boomerang Throwing Champion, having won the title in 1963.
Boomerang throwing is a highly developed art and the thrower scores points by
sending his boomerang outside a circle and returning it. A “bullseye” is achieved
when a thrower has a boomerang return to himself whilst still standing in the marked
circle.

In January 1966, Mr. Sinclair took a team of seven throwers to Rosebud for the
Australian Junior Boomerang Throwing Championships.
In a closely fought final, 17 year old, first year apprentice baker and pastry cook from
Stawell, Graham Carr, reached the pinnacle of this somewhat different hobby by
being crowned Australian Junior Champion. The art of boomerang throwing swept
through the Tech. School and the community like a disease with many students
becoming adept at the sport, throwing their boomerangs that they had made
themselves, under instruction from Mr. Sinclair, in all the open spaces and parks
around Stawell. Night flying was particularly spectacular with lighted flares being set
into the boomerangs.
As a coincidence, at the time of the championships, the then Prince Charles was
studying at Geelong Grammar’s Timbertop Campus. Graham was asked to make 3
boomerangs which were given to Prince Charles which he took home with him when
he returned to Buckingham Palace.

📸 | Science teacher Mr. Ralph Sinclair demonstrating the art of boomerang throwing to his students and teacher Miss Dot. McGonigal