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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2010-11-25 Daily Xml
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SCIENCE INITIATIVES

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (14:37): My question is to the Premier. Can the Premier inform the house—I can't think in here—what the government is doing to encourage the state's young people to pursue further study and careers in science, particularly inspiring those from disadvantaged backgrounds?

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (14:37): I must say, I would like to say what I know, and that is that the member for Bragg is a lot further back in the pecking order than she was 18 months ago. Now, I am very delighted to get this question from someone who I know has a very, very strong interest in science. I thank the member for the question, which I believe is an important one, because investing in the state's young people—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —is critical to developing the state's future leaders in science, industry and the broader community. The government is proud to support opportunities for young people to experience first-hand the wonders and possibilities that science and scientific research can contribute to the world.

Inspired by the former Adelaide Thinker in Residence, Baroness Professor Susan Greenfield, who was here this week—apprised by the member for Waite—the SpiRit of Science: Maurice de Rohan scholarship program started in 2005, and is named in honour of our former agent-general in London, who we had hoped would take up the position of governor of this state. The scholarships enable 10 young South Australian students to visit the world-renowned Royal Institution of Great Britain to attend its annual Christmas lectures.

Students are chosen on the basis of their passion for science and their communication, social and leadership skills. Each group includes a mix of girls and boys, aged 15 to 16, from regional and metropolitan areas, with a priority on the participation of Aboriginal students, girls and young people under the guardianship of the minister. The government is pleased to support the SpiRit of Science scholarships with funding of $50,000 per year since 2005.

This initiative has been designed to maximise the impact on students and their school communities, with students sharing their experience with their school mates and neighbourhood schools on their return to Australia. This year, another 10 students from Craigmore High School, Peterborough High School, Valley View Secondary School, Para Hills High School, Ardrossan Area School, Salisbury High School, Gepps Cross Girls High School, and two teachers from Grant High School and the Australian Science and Mathematics School, will attend the Royal Institution's Christmas Lectures and visit a series of London's key scientific institutions. I understand they will go to the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum.

Past scholarship winners have gone on to be the first in their families ever to pursue university studies in science or science-related fields. One testimonial by a student said that the SpiRit of Science initiative gave them their first proper peek into what the world of science had to offer and became a building block in the development of their scientific aspirations. This is just one example of a number of students who were inspired by the SpiRit of Science program to go on and undertake further study in the sciences.

Building upon the links between the Royal Institution of Australia (RiAus) and the Royal Institution of Great Britain, management of the SpiRit of Science: Maurice de Rohan Scholarships has been transferred from the government to the RiAus. As part of this development, the RiAus is in the process of forming an alumni comprising 50 past students and 10 South Australian high school students to build on the learning outcomes from this important program.

The government congratulates this year's 10 scholarship winners, who leave on 9 December to attend the 2010 Royal Institution Christmas Lectures for young people. I am someone with a passion for science, which is why I did a masters degree in science—political science!

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