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STEM Aboriginal Learners Congress Report
Posted on October 28, 2024
Last term two of our brave students ventured into Adelaide on Kaurna land to attend the 2024 STEM Aboriginal Learners Congress at the Adelaide Convention Centre. This was a remarkable experience, with many moving, exciting, and deeply interesting moments. Here are some highlights from the congress that showcase the courage and enthusiasm of our students, as well as the captivating and inspiring nature of STEM.
The 2024 STEM Aboriginal Learners Congress showcased the legacy of Aboriginal knowledge in the STEM fields. Open Access College and South Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students ARE cultural innovators, 65+ thousand years in the making!
Impactful Speakers: It was an extraordinary sight to see so many young learners gathered together to connect their own cultural identities with Aboriginal STEM knowledge and to explore other cultural understandings along the way.
Tiahni Adamson, a Kaurareg woman, spoke on Day 1 to a room of students and teachers from hundreds of schools and nations across South Australia. Tiahni is a Wildlife Conservation Biologist, lead community engagement officer at climate change solutions company CH4Global, and was a youth dialogue member for the Uluru Statement from the Heart. The SA Young Australian of the Year is an advocate for Indigenous participation in STEM careers and received a well earned loud and energetic applause after her speech. Among the many insights she shared, she emphasised that her successes were not due to her natural academic abilities, but rather her persistence and determination to keep trying after each setback. She also quoted Dr. Seuss, which deeply resonated with the students:
“Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is you’er than you.”
Her inspiring journey left a lasting impression on all who attended.
Diving into Engaging Sessions: The congress offered a variety of engaging sessions that explored the intersection of technology, tradition, and culture. Our students had the opportunity to delve into the science behind inventions like the woomera and weaving, as well as participate in hands-on activities that showcased the principles of aerodynamics and space exploration. Anakin, who travelled a significant distance to attend, showed remarkable bravery in actively engaging with students from other schools during the Space Exploration session on Day 1 and the woomera and weaving session on Day 2. Zara, in her first face-to-face event with Open Access College, showed exceptional courage, resilience and a willingness to embrace new experiences across BOTH days. Especially when her teachers had a little boogie with her at the end of the second day when Dem Mob played for the entire congress!
Memorable Interactions: Students and educators had the chance to interact with professionals and mentors in the STEM community, fostering connections that could potentially shape their future career aspirations. The yarn session with Vince Scott, a proud Dunghutti/Thunghutti man, on Day 1 provided valuable insights into the importance of cultural identity in education. We had question after question from the group talking with Vince about what he does, how he got there and his family.
Inspiration and Influence: The congress serves as a catalyst for sparking interest in STEM disciplines and shaping future career aspirations. By integrating traditional wisdom with modern science, students were encouraged to embrace their cultural heritage and contribute to cutting-edge advancements in technology and engineering. On the second day, our group had the chance to delve into aerofoil design and study the principles of flight through planes and boomerangs with Boeing. As a delightful bonus, Anakin's father shared valuable insights about the construction of the boomerang, its lift and its path before we said our goodbyes.
Student Feedback:
“I enjoyed the congress and I would definitely recommend the experience to other future Aboriginal students even if they don't know if STEM is something they want to do. I was nervous and excited at the same time at first. The workshop where I had to construct a spear thrower from the materials we were given was interesting. Overall the experience was fun and I am happy I went and thank you Yasmina and Tracey for being around to supervise and support us.” – Anakin
Notes:
Welcome to Country was given by John Lochowiak on Day 1. He is a proud Wati initiated Kaurna, Ramindjeri and Narungga man. Wati: meaning he has undergone a cultural initiation process signifying his connection and responsibilities to his heritage and community.
Acknowledgement of Country on Day 2 was given by Antony Yates who has ties to the Northern suburbs of Adelaide and Gomeroi Country.
Links:
AIATSIS Map of General Location for Larger Groups: https://aiatsis.gov.au/explore/map-indigenous-australia