Marist Regional College STEM Coordinator, Ms Ann Burke invites student across the College to avail of a range of STEM opportunities which will happen over the course of this year. Some of these opportunities are outlined below:                                                 

Lunch-Time STEM Demonstrations: McAuley Centre and Chanel Centre (limited spaces, so get in early when events are advertised!). Demonstrations will be advertised, via MEL & notice boards, with one event per cycle. The first demo takes place in Chanel Discovery Centre on Thursday 16 Feb (Day 8). 

STEM Club: 3 – 5pm on Thursday afternoons offers an opportunity for students to share afternoon tea and then explore issues of interest and conduct an Inquiry Project to present in Science Fairs and Research Awards. Students learn how to: establish a good research question, set up a fair test, carry out investigations in a controlled environment, write up the findings, create a poster and speak to an audience about the findings. Venue: Room 40, and afternoon tea is provided. Note to parents: students need to be collected after STEM Club (5pm). 

STEM PEER TUTOR Program: Lunch time tuition in Lab 40, offered by selected highly capable students to assist peers who want to achieve at a high standard. Tutorial teams are arranged in pairs and tutors offer their tutee 45 minutes of rich-learning-time each week. 

STEM in the Community: Marist STEM students will work with community organisations and local experts to help solve community issues. These include: Dr Perviz Marker, our local expert in Little Penguin Colonies, Waterwatch Tasmania, Landcare, Burnie City Council, and more. 

STEM Competitions: All year groups will be encouraged to enter local, state-based, and national STEM competitions. Marist students have a history of success in these events. They include the Science Teachers’ Association of Tasmania Science Talent Search, Marist Science Fair, UTAS Science Investigation Awards, BHP Students Awards, RACI Titration Competition, Bragg Science Writers’ Prize, and so many other opportunities.  

 Introductions: 

Marist Regional College welcomes Nichola Williams (Year 11) to the role of Student STEM Coordinator for 2023-2024. Nichola joined STEM Club in Year 8 and feels that she has gained greatly in building confidence, developing practical skills and research capacity in the laboratory, and building strong friendships with like-minded peers. Over her years in STEM Club, Nichola has been a multiple award winner for research in local and state competitions. Nichola now wants to inspire, support and mentor younger students as they follow their dreams in the STEM field. 

Congratulations on your appointment, Nichola, and every success in the role!

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A very warm Marist welcome is extended to Nithush Sheyamalan (Yr 12) and Gethmini Wijewardhane (Yr 12) who have been appointed to the positions of PEER Tutor Coordinators for 2023. Nithush and Gethmini are two highly capable students across many STEM subjects. They will act as tutors themselves while they also support Ms Burke in management of the program and the support of all tutors and tutees involved. 

Thank you for accepting your roles, Nithush and Gethmini, as we all look forward to an effective, explicit teaching and learning space in the Peer Tutor program in 2023!  

Ms Ann Burke 

STEM Coordinator