St Rita’s College Year 12 student, Gabrielle, put her future career under the spotlight, attending this year’s QUT Future You STEM Summit. She joined students from Queensland and northern New South Wales at the four-day event in the September school holidays.
It was an opportunity for one of St Rita’s brightest students to experience science, technology, engineering and maths careers alongside researchers and industry experts.
About the Future You STEM Summit
Held at QUT’s Gardens Point Campus in Brisbane, the Future You STEM Summit guides the next generation of leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators. Students focused on career opportunities and jobs of the future, including the technology jobs boom the 2032 Olympics is expected to bring Queensland.
QUT’s STEM High School Engagement program manager, Simone Long, says the Summit attracted high achievers who are smart, motivated and already interested in STEM industries.
“It’s a fun week, giving senior school students a chance to mix with researchers and university students,” Ms Long says.
She says students heard from industry experts visiting QUT for the event.
“The next decade will see Queensland transformed for the Olympic Games.”
Ms Long says a wide cross-section of commercial sectors will benefit and there will be new job creation across all sectors, but especially the STEM industries.
Student selected for summit
Gabrielle participated in the STEM Tasters program. Providing students with a taste of STEM technical skills, she took part in practical lectures and workshops in engineering, health and science.
The Year 12 St Rita’s student says the event allowed her to create connections with other STEM-keen students.
“I was excited and honoured to be accepted into the STEM Summit,” Gabrielle says.
“Working with these peers and industry professionals to solve a complex problem in our taster sessions gave me further experience in the world of STEM.”
Gabrielle was also treated like a real QUT undergraduate. She was on campus at QUT Gardens Point, experiencing university life first-hand.
Following Year 12, Gabrielle wants to study biomedical science or a similar STEM industries course.
St Rita’s students delve into science
St Rita’s Year 10 students Amara and Lili also gained first-hand science experience recently, taking part in the University of Queensland’s Junior Physics Odyssey.
The three-day event consisted of three main topics: Classical Physics, Quantum Physics and Relativistic Physics.
“We thoroughly enjoyed the experience,” Amara says.
She says the Junior Physics Odyssey gave them the opportunity to explore career pathways physics can lead students to.
“It gave us an insight into university life and enabled us to meet like-minded students from around Queensland,” Amara says.
St Rita’s College Head of Science, Ms Isabel Trifaro, says the students should be extremely proud of their program acceptances.
“Immersive opportunities like these are highly beneficial for students,” Ms Trifaro says. “Especially those who want to gain real-world experience and are keen to begin networking in the STEM industries.”
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