Science teachers and students are rejoicing – Australia’s peak science facility, the $200 million Synchrotron, in Clayton, is now just an internet connection away.
La Trobe, Curtin and James Cook universities have formed a partnership to introduce Freely Accessible Remote Laboratories (FARLabs), which allows students and teachers access to the Synchrotron and their other world-class laboratories from electronic devices.
The system, launched last year by La Trobe University, is now linked to 100 Victorian schools.
FARLabs program leader Dr David Hoxley said the system was designed for secondary schools. “In essence, we’ve refurbished every participating school’s phsyics department with a new suite of equipment,” Dr Hoxley
said.
“To do this physically would have cost millions of dollars. We’ve done it ‘virtually’, and it’s an incredibly cost-effective solution.”
Science writer for the program Cathay O’Connell said an undewrstanding of science was important, irrespective of your career.
“A big publication by the office of chief scientists at the end of 2011 identified that Australian students were turning their backs on science,” Mr O’Connell said.
“It’s important to develop an interest in science because so many jobs out there . . . are going to be technological.”
Students can do nuclear, environmental and structural science experiments using the system.
Visit www.farlabs.edu.au to register for free.
