Inspiring Victoria

Game Changers and Change Makers Science Fair
2018-08-18 10:00 - 15:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Corio Library, Cnr Cox Road and Moa Street, Norlane, VIC, 3214, Australia
Celebrate National Science Week with Geelong Regional Libraries.
Join Professor Bunsen Science at Corio Library, for a special Game Changers and Change Makers Science Fair: enjoy a mix of explosive entertainment and child-friendly science education in these super science week shows. Professor Bunsen will explore discoveries made by famous scientists like Faraday, Tesla and Bell.
Show Times

11.00-12.00pm
2.00-3.00pm

Then it’s time to get hands-on with science. Explore natural wonders, experiment with chemical reactions, sound, air pressure and more in our self-discovery Science Fair.

How to have a bee friendly garden
2018-08-18 10:30 - 11:30 | Chiltern Library, Conness Street, Chiltern, VIC, 3683, Australia
Join Indigo Shire Libraries and Beechworth Honey for two interactive talks on How to Have a Bee Friendly Garden.
Participants will have the opportunity to learn more about bees including native bees and what they do. Everyone will discover why bees are in peril and what simple things to do at home to attract them to the garden. There will be time for questions. These talks are for all ages including children. There will be books to borrow, honey themed refreshments and a bee themed craft for children.

Chess for Fun
2018-08-18 11:00 - 12:00 | Thomastown Library, 52 Main Street, Thomastown, VIC, 3074, Australia
Exercise your maths brain with a game of Chess. We have a chess tutor on hand to teach or challenge you. Come and learn some strategies, tips and tricks from our Chess Tutor. All levels welcome.
At Thomastown Library we offer chess classes and tournaments throughout the year. We have scheduled our August chess session to be the closing event in our National Science Week celebrations.

Game Changes and Change Makers STEM Festival
2018-08-18 11:00 - 15:00 | St Margaret’s School, St Margaret's Place, Berwick, VIC, 3806, Australia
We have Rob Gell as our guest speaker and a panel discussion on sustainability and innovation.
We have a STEM Expo involving a number of leading organisations where people can learn about employment opportunities and current innovation in STEM and education. And we will be running 12 workshops in robotics, drones, cyber security, eHealth and geospatial engineering that people can register for and participate in.
Lecture, panel discussion, EXPO and workshops galore. Register to secure your place at this exciting STEM event in Eastern Melbourne.

Hubble Space Telescope Workshop
2018-08-18 14:30 - 16:00 | Clayton Library, 9-15 Cooke Street, Clayton, 3168
Do you like stars, planets, space and galaxies? Do you want to know what a Hubble Space Telescope is? Join Mustafa, an avid and experienced science communicator for a workshop full of fun, surprises and challenges.

Café Scientifique: Pets, Pots, Pints and Parasites
2018-08-18 17:00 - 18:30 | Art Gallery of Ballarat, 40 Lydiard Street North, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia
Join us for this National Science Week event and lively café scientifique discussion with researchers from Federation University who will explore peculiarities, the strange beauty and the threats posed by parasites. Beer brewing will also feature with Federation University researchers showing the audience why “brewing” is a combination of art and science.
Please book online for this free event.
Parasites are a part of everyone’s life; they infect our pets, the meat and crops we eat, and us. They also infect our iconic marsupial wildlife and the fish in our unique oceans and reefs, sometimes with devastating consequences.
Parasites are barometers for the health of any ecosystem; signals that life is out of balance. Australia, like everywhere else, also has a large number of common, human parasites, particularly in our Indigenous communities in our northern reaches. Some of these can be chronic, incapacitating and even life-threatening. Bernard Lee Singleton’s magnificent painting, Gula Guri mayin (which means “Heal the body”), explores themes of parasites and health.
Researchers from Federation University will involve their audience in new and old science stories; describing their research related to human and animal health including vaccine and drug development against parasites.
This Inspiring Australia event is supported by the Australian Government as part of National Science Week and co-hosted by the Art Gallery of Ballarat, Federation University and the Australian Society for Parasitology.

You and Your Racist Brain: The Neuroscience of Prejudice
2018-08-18 18:00 - 19:30 | Royal Society of Victoria, 8 La Trobe Street, Melbourne, Vic, 3000, Australia
In large part, racism stems from the human brain’s tendency to engage in prejudice, a process that allows us to make millisecond judgments based on visual information. These preconceived opinions about other people are instinctual — and they have a basis in neuroscience. Why does the brain do this? Can we use what we know about the neuroscience of prejudice to develop methods to combat and end racism?
About the speaker:
Dr Larry Sherman is a Professor in the Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology & the Neuroscience Graduate Program at the Oregon Health & Science University & the Oregon National Primate Research Center. He is the President of the Oregon Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience, with over 80 publications related to brain development & neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis. He serves on a number of national scientific review panels for the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Congressionally-Directed Medical Research Programs, & others.
The Oregon Museum of Science & Industry and Portland Monthly Magazine recognized Dr. Sherman as one of the most innovative people in the State of Oregon. https://rsv.org.au/events/you-and-your-racist-brain/
Co-presented by the RMIT School of Health & Biomedical Sciences and the Royal Society of Victoria.

Jurassic Park 3D in IMAX
2018-08-18 18:30 - 21:00 | IMAX Melbourne, Rathdowne Street, Carlton, VIC, 3053, Australia
Experience Steven Spielberg’s 1993 classic Jurassic Park in immersive IMAX 3D to celebrate National Science Week and all things palaeontology with IMAX and Museums Victoria! This special event screening includes an introduction to the film from Museums Victoria’s expert palaeontologist Dr Erich M.G. Fitzgerald (Senior Curator of Vertebrate Palaeontology).
Hold onto your butts – JURASSIC PARK 3D is an adventure that will have you jumping out of your seat!

Saturday August 18 – 6.30pm
Back for one night only on the world’s largest screen
Presented in stunning IMAX 4K Laser

Monash University Parkville Open Day
2018-08-19 10:00 - 15:00 | Monash University Parkville Campus, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
On Sunday 19 August, Monash Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences will open the doors for our inaugural Open Day at our Parkville campus. Hear about our courses, internships, groundbreaking research and to talk to our staff and students firsthand. Featuring live music, food trucks and activities, this is a day to put in the diary.
The Open Day showcases our courses and demonstrates how fun and inspiring science can be. We’ll have a range of activities including:

Presentations and alumni panels
Drug discovery pipeline
Escape rooms

Our innovative campus tours will include a journey through the drug discovery pipeline. Students will see first-hand how pharmaceutical scientists create, formulate and test medicines in our labs, before learning how it is dispensed in our virtual pharmacy environment.
Food and entertainment
On the day we will also have live music, interactive tours and delicious food outlets operating through the day. Whether you are a future student, a teacher or a parent, this event will have something for you.
In order to make this event more accessible for families, the event conveniently coincides with The University of Melbourne’s Open Day, a short distance from our campus on Royal Parade.

Exciton Science at University of Melbourne Open Day
2018-08-19 10:00 - 16:00 | School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Masson Road, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
Exciton science is a cutting-edge area of science where chemistry, physics and (sometimes) biology meet. It looks at new ways of harnessing light and experiments with how we can make new types of solar cells and protect bank notes with anti-counterfeit light properties that haven’t before been seen.
Come along to the University of Melbourne Open Day and explore some hands-on activities with our researchers that will showcase excitons and light in a way you haven’t experience before.

Science on Show
2018-08-19 10:00 - 16:30 | Melbourne Museum, 11 Nicholson Street, Carlton, VIC, 3053, Australia
Bizarre whales, tiny dinosaurs, fossil insects, and the giants of the Ice Age will appear among the objects of wonder and awe rarely displayed. Museum scientists and special collection items will be on show for this special day.
Watch fossil preparators work to excavate fragile bones and teeth, and learn how museum experts preserve fossils for the centuries to come.
As well as meeting museum scientists, you’ll get a chance to meet research scientists from around Victoria and hear about their latest discoveries on climate change, de-extinction and mystery marsupials.

Skink Link Project Planting
2018-08-19 10:30 - 12:00 | Scotchmans Creek, Raymond Court, Oakleigh, Victoria, 3166, Australia
Help plant 800 indigenous plants to create habitat for the water skink along Scotchmans Creek

About this Event

Be part of the Skink Link Project. We’ll be planting the first 800 plants to create habitat for the Water Skinks. Find out more about this exciting project and the important role you can play in bringing back the water skink and other wildlife to Scotchmans Creek. You’ll learn about indigenous plants and skink link habitat.
Enjoy a social BBQ afterwards.
Wear sturdy shoes, bring a coat

Public Outreach Astronomy
2018-08-19 13:30 - 21:30 | Nangiloc-Colignan District Primary School, Kulkyne Way, Nangiloc, VIC, 3494, Australia
Experience the wonders of heavens above with our mobile astronomical observatory!
Southern Cross Outreach Observatory Project (SCOOP) is a mobile astronomical observatory designed to travel across states and carry out public astronomy activities. It is equipped with computerised telescopes for daytime solar and night time stellar and planetary viewing. SCOOP has also been associated with National Science Week since 2017, carrying out public outreach astronomy interstate.
In 2018, SCOOP is travelling to regional Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia. SCOOP will be set up at Nangiloc-Colignan District Primary School in Nangiloc on Sunday 19 August 2018 from 1:30pm to 9:30pm for solar and deep sky viewing. Members of public of all ages are welcome. Viewing is free.

Science in the Cinema - Fantastic Voyage
2018-08-19 14:00 - 17:00 | Peter Doherty Institute, 792 Elizabeth Street, Parkville, VIC, 3000, Australia
Join our free screening of the 1966 sci-fi classic Fantastic Voyage. A miniaturized crew attempt to heal their injured colleague by traveling through his body. But in 2018, do advances in science and technology mean that science fiction is becoming closer to reality?
The screening of the film will be followed by an expert Q&A session and an interactive demonstration of virtual reality equipment allowing you travel inside a cell.
Our expert panel will include University of New South Wales Associate Professor John McGhee. As Director of the 3D Visualisation Aesthetics Lab, John’s work explores the visualisation of complex scientific and biomedical data using 3D animation and virtual reality technology.
This special event is presented by the ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology together with the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, and is being held as part of National Science Week 2018.
This is a free event, however, registration is essential. Popcorn and water will be provided to all ticket holders.
This film is rated G, however there are some action scenes that may not be suitable for very young children.
Located in the heart of the Parkville medical precinct, the Doherty Institute houses over 700 scientists, researchers, academics, clinicians and graduate students working in infectious diseases and immunology.
The ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology seeks to understand the bio-nano interface to better predict, control and visualise the myriad interactions that occur between nanomaterials and biological environments.

Inspiring Illumination, Creative Curiosity: Dr Ceri Brenner
2018-08-19 14:30 - 15:30 | Art Gallery of Ballarat, 40 Lydiard Street North, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia
Join Australian Institute of Physics 2018 Women in Physics speaker Dr Ceri Brenner as she reveals the beauty behind her work with the most powerful lasers in the world, how she is inspired by the world-changing applications that she and her team work on and the extreme technology she works with.
Dr Brenner will visit Ballarat as part of a national tour; her visit to Ballarat during National Science Week is coordinated by VicPhysics and the School of Science, Engineering and Information Technology at Federation University.
Please book online for this free event.
Dr Ceri Brenner is a plasma physicist studying how the most powerful lasers in the world can generate micro-sized, super-charged particle accelerators that emit highly penetrating, high quality beams of X-rays, neutrons and ions. She’s using this extreme interaction between light and matter to design innovative imaging technology for medical, nuclear and aerospace inspection.
In her talks she introduces high power lasers and the plasma (4th) state of matter and then guides the audience through to the application of the physics as a next generation technology. She introduces her topic in terms of physics concepts that everyone learns at school making it accessible to all. As an experimentalist, there is a strong emphasis on teamwork in her lectures. For student-age audiences she often also includes her career journey as part of the talk and communicates the personal benefits (global travel, intellectual stimulation, feeling of contributing to society) of a career in physics to inspire younger generations. Engagement is important to her therefore animation, demonstration and illustration are key features as well as having Q&A and/or panel sessions.
Dr Ceri Brenner is a physicist using the most powerful lasers in the world to develop innovative imaging technology for medical, nuclear and aerospace inspection. She has a unique role that spans research, innovation and business development and is driving the translation of laser-driven accelerator research into industrial applications that impact our society. In 2017 she was awarded the UK Institute of Physics’ Clifford-Paterson Medal and Prize for her significant early career contributions to the application of physics in an industrial context.
A graduate of Oxford University and PhD from University of Strathclyde, Ceri has established a unique position working in the UK’s Central Laser Facility, in which her passion for application-focused research works alongside pursuing fundamental understanding of extreme condition physics.
She is a highly experienced and popular science communicator and is a strong advocate of physics engagement to reach new audiences within the public, academia and industry. She especially enjoys inspiring the next generation into this exciting profession. Ceri is also an active member of the physics community with leading committee roles within the Institute of Physics and British Science Association.

Lego Mindstorms Robotics
2018-08-19 14:30 - 16:00 | Malvern Library, 1255 High Street, Malvern, VIC, 3144, Australia
Children will build a LEGO® EV3 Mindstorms robot, then code and test their solutions based on real-world challenges.
Presented by Bricks 4 Kidz®.
Suitable for children aged 8+ years. Children under 12 years of age must be supervised by an adult.

ITEC Australia Competition
2018-08-20 07:00 - 2018-09-23 22:30 | VIC
International Youth Technology and Engineering Challenge (ITEC) Australia is a national competition consisting of primary and secondary-school students only in partaking in a coding/programming competition, also consisting of creating your own Virtual Reality content.

A FREE competition to enter: the aim of ITEC Australia Competition is to teach primary and secondary-school students how to code/program and create their own VR content. Of course, not all students will know how to code, and this is great, because this is what we want to teach them. If some students DO know how to code, there are always more challenging tasks they could complete…such as our Augmented Reality (AR) VIVID colouring packs.
This competition will give students the opportunity to apply technical knowledge in practice. Some of the benefits include:

Nurtures interest in Science and Technology
Enhances students’ ability to learn, think and execute
Students will be working on our 3D program and learn to code easily; our 3D program is one of the most advanced programs in the world
Free to enter
Makes learning enjoyable and fun
Awards and recognition for the winner(s).

To get involved in this competition, you will need to register online with their name and email address. Please note that each student is required to use their name and email address (if students don’t have email addresses, they are required to use their parents’ email address).
For more information call to Eni Xhebro (Head of Marketing) on 0451 049 772.
ITEC is a collaborative effort of countries including: Australia, Canada, the UK and the US. We are looking for young talent in Australia in the intelligence era, which is focused on innovative thinking.

Public Outreach Astronomy: Mildura
2018-08-20 13:30 - 21:30 | SRS Benetook Farm, 1022 Benetook Avenue, Mildura, VIC, 3500, Australia
Experience the wonders of heavens above with our mobile astronomical observatory at SRS Benetook Farm, Mildura.
Southern Cross Outreach Observatory Project (SCOOP) is a mobile astronomical observatory equipped with computerised telescopes for daytime solar and night time stellar and planetary viewing.
SCOOP is travelling to regional Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia for National Science Week. SCOOP will be at SRS Benetook Farm in Mildura on Monday 20 August from 1:30 to 9:30pm for solar and deep sky viewing.
Members of public of all ages are welcome. Viewing is free.

Girls in Physics Breakfast
2018-08-21 07:30 - 09:30 | New Horizons Building, 20 Research Way, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
At the breakfast students from Years 10 to 12 will share a table with two or three young women who are either in the early stages of a career in physics or engineering, or are at university as an undergraduate or a postgraduate. The students have a chance to ask questions about their careers and what study at university is like. Students will be seated with students from other schools.
There is also an address by a prominent scientist, who will talk about her area of interest at a level appropriate for the audience. The speaker is Dr Ceri Brenner, the Australian Institute of Physics (AIP) Women in Physics lecturer for 2018. Dr Brenner is speaking as part of her national tour. Her topic is ‘Pressing FIRE on the most powerful laser in the world’.
Dr Brenner is a physicist with UK Research and Innovisation. She uses the most powerful lasers in the world to develop innovative imaging technology for medical, nuclear and aerospace inspection. She has a unique role that spans research, innovation and business development and is driving the translation of laser-driven accelerator research into industrial applications that impact our society. Her website has information about her research and her outreach activities.
Abstract: When we press FIRE on the most powerful laser in the world, we deliver a packet of light that is a thousand billion billion times more intense than the sunlight you feel at the beach! That’s super intense! But what makes these lasers really super is that we’re using them to turn research into real applications that will improve our future. From igniting a miniature star on earth to keeping our power stations working for thousands of years with clean fuel, to designing micro accelerator beams for detecting and zapping away cancer or even taking a snapshot photo of a jet engine at full speed!
As an optional add on to the breakfast, at no extra cost, there is a 90 minute tour of the nearby Australian Synchrotron as well as activities on Careers in STEM. There is a limit of 6 students per school to maximise the number of schools that can participate.
This event is supported by ANSTO, Vicphysics Teachers’ Network, the Victorian Branch of the Australian Institute of Physics, FLEET (Future Low Energy Electronic Technologies) and the Federal Government’s Inspiring Australia – Inspiring Science program.

Knowing what the weather's going to do
2018-08-21 14:00 - 15:30 | Court House, CEACA, 38A Downey Street, Alexandra, VIC, 3714, Australia
Join Dr Robert Dahni, a retired meteorologist, and improve your weather awareness through a better understanding of weather forecast information. Knowing what the weather’s going to do will help you to make better decisions in your weather-impacted activities.
Improve your weather awareness and make better decisions in your weather-impacted activities. Knowing what the weather’s going to do is not rocket science with the wealth of weather information readily available on the internet. Learn where to access, and how to better understand, the most reliable weather information, especially for regional Victoria. You can do it, and you will better know what the weather’s going to do…

Edison Robot Code Club: 4 week class
2018-08-21 16:00 - 17:00 | Ballarat Library, 178 Doveton St N, Ballarat, Victoria, 3353, Australia
Learn to control an Edison robot using EdWare coding Langugage: Use the EdWare graphical programming language to make Edison drive and turn, detect obstacles and sounds, sense and track and respond to lights. If you have used Scratch at school, EdWare will look familiar.
EdWare is a hybrid graphical robot programming language for the Edison robot. EdWare combines the ease of drag-and-drop graphical icons with increased functionality from text-based entry. The result is a robot programming language that is easy to learn and offers a robust next-step in coding education.

Science Extravaganza
2018-08-22 18:00 - 20:00 | Horsham College, High Street South, Horsham, VIC, 3400, Australia
The Science Extravaganza showcases the different areas of science and engages primary and secondary aged children as well as parents in sciences related phenomena and events through displays, demonstrations and activities.
The Horsham College Science Team present the annual community Science Extravaganza.
The event showcases the different areas of science and engages primary and secondary aged children as well as parents in sciences related phenomena and events through displays, demonstrations quizzes and activities.
This year’s theme of Change Makers and Game Changers is cause for staff to break out the costumes and brush up on their history as they become many of the important scientists over the ages.

Yaapeet's Native Plants - Changes Over 30 Years
2018-08-24 09:30 - 15:00 | Yaapeet Primary School, 4 Woods Street, Yaapeet, VIC, 3424, Australia
How well do you know the native plants in your local Nature Reserve?
Get to know Yaapeet’s native plants – on the Nature Reserve on the east of the town/school boundary from an historic collection (made in 1988) and a walk/survey to be made today.
For National Science Week, Yaapeet PS is bringing back Rod Newnham its local expert, botanist, former park ranger and YPS parent (who made the original collection), from 30 years ago to inform and inspire us to notice and know our local native plants.
We have recently rediscovered the well-preserved plant collection made by the school with Rod in 1988 and will to use them to see changes since then.
The morning will be spent with the school children preparing with Rod for the afternoon, when the community will be invited to come on a guided walk into our Nature Reserve (beside the school) and see what is there and discover what may have changed.
If you can’t be there, we plan to prepare a display from these two samplings (1988, 2018) for the school centenary in October.
The Royal Botanic Gardens is interested in this 1988 collection – if we can identify the species of each plant sample. For this we need Rod’s help, and to direct any preparation needed for their final resting place.

Space for Girl Guides and Scouts
2018-08-24 20:00 - 21:30 | Briars Astronomy Centre and Observatory, 450 Nepean Highway, Mount Martha, VIC, 3934, Australia
The evening aims to build awareness of the Australian night sky and help troops of Girl Guides and Scouts of any age in the journey towards their Outer Space/Astronomy badge/achievement award.
If you belong to an adventurous troop of Girl Guides or Scouts of any age who are seeking to navigate their way amongst the stars and who are working towards their Outer Space or Astronomy badge/award, then this focused evening of stargazing, navigating the night sky and big question answering is for your group.
Your Group Leaders can book your troop with the Mornington Peninsula Astronomical Society at their registered observatory on the Mornington Peninsula, south east of Melbourne. There your group will be walked through the key requirements of the achievement award, followed by practice outside under the night sky with telescopes and binoculars.
Please note that only official Group Leaders can book on behalf of their troop. Bookings by individuals in the troop, or by other members of the public, are not possible.
The observatory is marked on Google Maps and on the Melways at map reference 151/E1.

STEMPOWERED: An Exhibit of Women in STEM accompanied with High Tea
2018-08-27 14:00 - 16:00 | Banyule Nillumbik Tech School, 61 Civic Drive, Greensborough, VIC, 3088, Australia
Who are some of the great women working in STEM in Victoria? What fields are they in? How did they get there? How is their work making a difference in our world? Learn about Victoria’s Women in STEM with high tea.
Her Place Women’s Museum Australia presents an exhibition where STEM, education and community come together. The exhibition features videos and unique artifacts and will tour to the 10 new Tech Schools being rolled out across Victoria in 2018–19. It profiles 10 women working in fields as diverse as games development, wearable tech, environmental science, cancer research, food waste, genetics, biotech, nanotechnology and mathematics. Nine of these women have been selected and presented by Her Place, with a different 10th woman profiled by each of the Tech Schools. The exhibition is accompanied by a range of education programs, community events and industry participation.
As part of this afternoon event, high tea will be served. Bubbles on arrival, ribbon sandwiches, smoked chicken & brie tart, prosciutto and asparagus quiche, scones with cream & jam, berry cheesecake, white chocolate tart, macarons, percolated Jasper coffee and tea selection.
The exhibit is a collaboration between Her Place Women’s Museum Australia and the Department of Education and Training, with support from Inspiring Australia and The Royal Society of Victoria.

Diversity Game Changers in STEM
2018-08-30 17:30 - 20:00 | Monash University Parkville Campus, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
How do we create a more diverse workplace? What can we do to make inclusion a priority in science? Why is it important to increase diversity and inclusion in STEM?
This event brings together speakers prominent in advocating for diversity and inclusion in STEM to explore how we as individuals can create positive change. We hope this event will increase awareness of issues faced by minority populations or groups and inspire all to embrace an inclusive culture.
The panel of speakers will share their inspiration for positive change for diversity in STEM, followed by a Q&A panel discussion. We welcome you to continue the dialogue over refreshments at the networking session.
Doors open at 5.30 pm for a 6.00 pm start.
This event is organised as part of Monash University’s Diversity and Inclusion Week.

Astrophotography Workshop
2018-09-08 12:30 - 22:00 | Briars Astronomy Centre and Observatory, 450 Nepean Highway, Mount Martha, VIC, 3934, Australia
A day and evening that introduces you to the concepts of night sky photography and then you get to try it. Suitable for those who have some familiarity of daytime photography and who are keen to expand their horizons into the night and put into practice what they learn.
This astrophotography workshop will be canvassing and introducing concepts that will assist both the amateur and professional photographer.
The afternoon will have an array of lectures given by experienced and acknowledged astrophotographers. Practical hands-on sessions will then be held during the evening at our registered Observatory.
Topics include an introduction to wide field astrophotography, time lapse photography, aurora photography, deep sky imaging, image processing and more. Weather permitting, attendees will be able to use some of the Society’s premium equipment for some deep sky imaging.
Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided during the day, then a BBQ and refreshments will be supplied to gear you up for the night ahead.
Remember to bring your camera and tripod for the practical component.
Please dress appropriately for being outdoors and on a grassy or uneven surface. You may bring a small torch (red globe or covered in red cellophane).
The observatory is marked on Google Maps and on the Melways at map reference 151/E1.
Drving directions
The venue is in regional/rural Victoria and is entered on the east side of Nepean Highway. Drive carefully through the park, with the possibility of wildlife on the road after dark. You will travel about 2 km along a sealed road, over three cattle grids, past a visitors’ centre on your left and vineyard on your right, up the hill then straight ahead through an open gate. Do not turn left to Josephine’s restaurant. Travel past the righthand side of the Shire Nursery, with the Park Ranger’s house on your right, then the observatory is 100 m further along on the left.

AstroLight Festival at Scienceworks
2018-09-08 18:00 - 22:30 | Scienceworks, 2 Booker Street, Spotswood, VIC, 3015, Australia
Scienceworks comes alive after-hours for AstroLight Festival with special guests, fun science activities for all ages, and a whole field full of telescopes for stargazing!

Meet experts from the European Space Agency and Australia’s space industry.
Experience hands-on activities, and ideas to blow your mind from over 20 astronomy, light, and space science organisations.
Explore virtual space travel for yourself with Opaque Space’s award-winning virtual reality experience Spacewalk.
Enjoy Planetarium and Lightning Room shows.
Satisfy your hunger with intergalactic treats served up from food trucks and the café all night.

Speaker program includes:

International Space Station flight controller Andrea Boyd and former astronaut trainer Dr Gail Iles discussing human spaceflight and possibilities for our species going beyond the Earth.
Andrea Boyd and aerospace engineer Dr Naomi Mathers will talk about the new Australian Space Agency and the important role that Australia has to play in this accelerating industry.
OzGrav researchers Debatri Chattopadhyay, Lucy Strang and Hannah Middleton will enlighten you as they talk about spaghettification, gravitational waves and other exciting developments in astronomy.
Short and sweet talks in the Energy Lab, covering Indigenous astronomy, the discovery of baby planets, how scientists use light to make the regenerating cells of a zebrafish fluoresce, and more.

Tickets: $12 – 25, and can be purchased from the Musuem Victoria‘s website.
Join the Facebook event or read more about all the activities on the AstroLight blog.
Image credit: Stewie Donn

Campfires & Science at Plenty Gorge
2018-09-15 15:30 - 18:30 | Plenty Gorge Parklands, 25 Linacre Drive, Bundoora, Victoria, 3083, Australia
Love camping? Love science? Get involved!
Campfires and Science is a new and growing community of people who head outdoors, light a campfire, and share knowledge. We lead regular, free events in wild places to support scientific fieldwork and provide hands-on training in the research methods that help us to best protect the environment. Welcome to citizen science!
This special event at Plenty Gorge, hosted by the new Whittlesea Tech School, will teach participants how to monitor wildlife numbers using a range of methods, including collecting DNA samples from the environment that can tell us the range of animals that live there. We’ll also be hearing from two scientists telling us about their work and sharing the special knowledge they’ve attained through years of study and exploration.
Bring your family and friends for a great afternoon and evening in one of Melbourne’s wild places!

Global Citizen Science: Can Citizens Deliver and Make a Difference?
2018-09-17 14:00 - 16:00 | Royal Society of Victoria, 8 La Trobe Street, Melbourne, Vic, 3000, Australia
We are witnessing an explosion of Citizen Science activity as technology makes it possible for citizens to take part in science and deliver unprecedented levels of quality data across the globe. Now more than ever, successful programs are needed to drive change and encourage Governments to actively engage across the planet with the Citizen Science Community.
This talk and the associated discussions will explore whether we are ready to take the next step as Global Citizen Scientists and develop the integrated programs that will prove the value of Citizen Science at the global level. It will also explore the leading role that Australia could play in that process as the lessons learnt in running Citizen Science Programs on the Australian Continent are shared with the global community.
With support from UNEP and the Wilson Centre in the US, the Citizen Science Global Partnership (CSGP) was agreed at the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA3) in Nairobi 2017. Citizen Science Associations have emerged in Australia, Europe the USA and Asia and discussions are underway to set up Associations in Africa and South America. CSGP is planning sessions on Citizen Science in Dubai at the Eye-on-Earth Symposium in October 2018 that will take part in parallel with the UN World Data Forum as the value of unconventional data sources is increasingly recognised by National Government. CSGP will also be present in Nairobi at UNEA4 in March 2019 at the highest-level environmental decision making body on the planet.
Martin Brocklehurst has been at the forefront of activity to bring the global citizen science community together to develop global programmes that have the potential to provide data and information that can be used to:

Empower citizens to manage emerging risks to their health and wellbeing;
To provide information to Governments that can be used to justify policy shifts to deal with emerging global problems such as poor urban air quality and invasive species that bring new diseases and disrupt existing ecosystems;
Track progress against the UN Sustainable Development Goals; and
Provide health professionals with levels of detail on disease and disease vector carrying species, at a speed and accuracy that will enable scarce resources to be targeted with a precision not possible using conventional scientific approaches.

About the Speaker:
Martin Brocklehurst is the Chair of the European Citizen Science Association Policy Working Group and Coordinator of the CSGP Delegation to the UN World Data Forum in Dubai in October 2018. He is visiting Australia in September to meet with policy-makers, share his experience and discuss all aspects of utilizing Citizen Science to achieve policy outcomes.
Martin is a founding instigator of the European Citizen Science Association (ECSA) and the Global Mosquito Alert Consortium. He is Chair of the ECSA Policy Working Group and has significantly raised the profile of Citizen Science and its potential value to governments and global institutions, working with UNEP and Citizen Science Associations around the world. Martin is an acknowledged leader of the Citizen Science movement and has developed working relationships at the highest level globally to promote the value of Citizen Science and the data it can deliver to the UN Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Martin is also a national expert on Waste and Resource Management and the UK National Representative on the ISO and CEN/CENELEC Ad Hoc Groups to explore what additional standards are needed to promote the Circular Economy and previously he was the Technical Advisor to the Parliamentary Environment Audit Select Committee, “Growing a Circular Economy; Ending the throwaway society” as well as adviser to the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) on the same topic.
Martin has taken on environmental advisory roles for a wide range of organisations including NGO’s, Public Sector Regulators, Trade Bodies and the UK Parliamentary Audit Committee. For 13 years, he was a senior public-sector regulator, in developing and delivering UK Environmental Regulations, pioneering new approaches to regulation. For 14 years, he was a senior health safety and environmental manager in business recognised for delivering outstanding performance for multi-national oil companies. Independent Environmental Consultants (2011-18), Executive Manager UK Environment Agency (1998-2011), Senior HSE Manager Gulf Oil, Chevron and BP (1984-1998).
Martin’s specific interests in Citizen Science and the SDG’s relate to:

Invasive species and in particular tree diseases;
CS Global Mosquito Alert and linked CS health monitoring;
CS Air Quality monitoring and linked CS health monitoring;
CS projects on Resource Efficiency and the Circular economy;
CS projects relating to litter monitoring on land and programmes to reduce plastic litter into the marine environment from land; and
CS in supporting programs to understand and reduce the decline in natural ecosystems.

Presented by the Victorian Chapter of the Australian Citizen Science Association in partnership with the Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, the Royal Society of Victoria, the United Nations Association of Australia Victorian Division, the European Citizen Science Association and the Citizen Science Global Partnership.

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