World Science Festival astounds in Townsville stop

Townsville students have blasted off into the wonderful world of science at the Queensland Museum Tropics on the weekend.

World Science Festival at Queensland Museum Tropics. Belgian Gardens State School students Olivia Ryan and Lashontaie Masso Paul get hand-on experience with robotics at the World Science Festival. Picture: Evan Morgan

Townsville students have blasted off into the wonderful world of science at the Queensland Museum Tropics on the weekend.

World Science Festival Queensland returned to Townsville last Friday with this year’s focus firmly on Robots and Rocketry, exploring the cutting-edge wonders of STEM through interactive exhibits and hands-on activities.

Queensland Museum CEO Dr Jim Thompson said World Science Festival Queensland continues to captivate audiences with stimulating STEM activations that inspire awe in our universe and the exciting possibilities of tomorrow.

“This is the 10th year of the World Science Festival in the state, and we’ve been coming back to Townsville nearly every year,” he said.

“The aim is pretty simple at the World Science Festival. It’s really just to encourage kids to study science, to show them what science can offer them in terms of careers and jobs in the future.”

World Science Festival at Queensland Museum Tropics. Belgian Gardens State School student Lashontaie Masso Paul gets hand-on experience with robotics at the World Science Festival. Picture: Evan Morgan

He said the biggest takeaway for students was that science can open to door to so many future possibilities.

“People often see science as you ending up in a lab, in a lab coat, and that’s not the case. There are so many different jobs that you can get from science.

“I really encourage kids to follow a science career that they really love. It’s something that I did myself, and people used to say, ‘what job are you going to get from that?’

“I’d say, ‘I don’t know, but I don’t care’. You end up in different places, so I think it’s just a great way to live your life.

Member for Mundingburra Janelle Poole said she never had these opportunities such as the science festival when she was at high school.

“This (event) opens up a whole another world for our young people in the in the STEM fields,” she said.

After Townsville, World Science Festival Queensland will travel to Chinchilla, Ipswich, Toowoomba and Gladstone.

Originally published as World Science Festival astounds in Townsville stop