Science

The Science Faculty commenced the academic year with the aim to continue to build strong links between classroom Science and the community to increase student interest and optimise learning. Staff have engaged students in many fields of Science not only through classroom exploration and guest speakers, but incursions and excursions until we entered lockdown. Early in the academic year, Physicists joined the Australian Institute of Physics Day at Luna Park; Ruby Moir, STEM Captain, attended the National Youth Science Forum and participated in the ‘Superstars of STEM’ evening; selected Year 11 Chemistry students participated in The University of Melbourne Chemistry Olympiad Examination Training; Year 10 Biologists accessed the credibility of scientific evidence with Professor Paul Wood, Monash University; Year 7 students investigated sustainable gardening at the Royal Botanic Gardens; and the Years 7 and 8 Honours Programs commenced. Despite our absence from the laboratories at St Catherine’s School in Term 3, staff have endeavoured to engage students in the virtual world of experimentation. Pre-recorded laboratory investigations and virtual high-risk experiments have enabled students to understand and explain scientific concepts. Again, we faced the challenge of running Science Week online and this year our STEM Captain, Ruby Moir, presented assembly. The restrictions of lockdown did not stop students from participating in challenging online competitions such as the Big Science Competition, RACI International Chemistry Quiz and the Science Olympiad Examinations.

Big Science Competition

Of the 33, Year 9 students who registered for the competition 42% received a Credit or higher certificate. Olivia Hargrave, Rhea Werner and Charlotte Wood were awarded a High Distinction Certificate and Nadia Mohamed and Qing Chun (Joanna) Yang were awarded a Distinction Certificate. Of the 64, Year 8 students who registered for the competition 23% received a Credit or higher certificate. Chloé Favaloro and Yau Yin (Nicola) Liu were awarded a Distinction Certificate.

RACI International Chemistry Quiz

In August, Science students participated in the online RACI International Chemistry Quiz. The Quiz attracted entries from schools across Australia, Asia, England, Canada and Switzerland. The aims of the Quiz are to promote and encourage an awareness of the nature and relevance of chemistry amongst secondary school students. All VCE Chemistry and interested Years 9 and 10 students participated in the Quiz. Congratulations to the following students for their outstanding efforts:

Year 9 Candidates

Rhea Werner and Qing Chun (Joanna) Yang received High Distinctions; Tianyi (Lydia) Hu and Sienna Rigg received Distinctions; Angelina Chumbley, Jixuan (Jennifer) Gao, Olivia Hargrave, Nadia Mohamed, Alice Molnar and Tszki (Lily) Zhang received Credits.

Year 10 Candidates

Keyue (Karen) Deng and Tahlia Guzzardi received High Distinctions; Jemima Wilcox received a Distinction; and Christina Wu received a Credit.

Year 11 Candidates

Paula Chen and Madeleine (Maddie) Hooker received High Distinctions; Ciara Jenkins, Mikayla Lee, Sophie Simons and Wing (Mavis) Yau received Distinctions; and Charlotte Myer and Yui Hay (Hazel) Wong received Credits.

Year 12 Candidates

Emily Dziedzic and Jessica Yang received High Distinctions; Ruby Moir received a Distinction; and Alicia Livolti and Clementine (Cece) Newton-Brown received Credits. Gloria Meng received a HD Excellence Award for an outstanding performance. A High Distinction certificate place the student in the top 10% in the state, a Distinction certificate represented the next 15% and a Credit represented the following 15%.

Science Olympiad Examinations

Paula Chen, Madeleine Hooker, Ciara Jenkins, Sophie Simons and Lan-Tian Yen-West completed two-and-a-half-hour Chemistry National Qualifying Examinations in August. All students attained a Credit certificate placing them in the top 25% of students. This year several Years 9 and 10 students participated in the Junior Science Olympiad examination. Tahlia Guzzardi, Rhea Werner, Olivia Hargrave, Jemima Wilcox and Ava Colosimo attained Distinction Certificates, placing them in the top 10%. Keyue (Karen) Den, Christina Wu and Chloe (Coco) Butterfield attained Credits. These activities and the resulting achievements are a result of the collaborated skills of the Science Faculty staff, Mr Fiachra Barry, Mrs Kelly Brady, Mr Stephen Brown, Mrs Anita Fernando, Ms Sue Macgeorge, Mrs Virginia Midgley, Ms Thuy Nguyen, Ms Wendy Stevens and Miss Megan Vu, who have all encouraged students to use communication, experimental exploration and problem-solving skills to increase their awareness of, and interest in, Science and guide them on their way to becoming scientifically literate citizens.

Ms Vanessa Jackson-McRae

Head of Science