Toyota Community Trust | Science Gallery

First Nations STEM Excursions program

The three year program has in-person and digital components to increase accessibility. Our target is 1,000 student placements from Years 8-12 per year across the entire program (digital and in-person). We will target a minimum of 10 schools in the west (preference given to schools with ICSEA less than 1,000). Teacher attendance will help broaden understanding of STEM career pathways and build confidence in embedding Indigenous perspectives into teaching. This program aims to:

Develop and deliver genuine curriculum-linked First Nations STEM learning programs for high school students through hands on-workshops and facilitated exhibition visits; led by First Nations Peoples and delivered by young people (First Nations and non-First Nations tertiary students).
Provide real-world STEM career aspirations for students from Melbourne’s west and students from disadvantaged areas throughout Melbourne and Victoria, and teacher engagement.
Build professional development and improve graduate attribute outcomes for tertiary students studying in STEM (First Nations and non-First Nations) by providing training as Learning Facilitators and paid-work opportunities. Graduate attribute outcomes include: critical-thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, communication, professionalism and leadership readiness, ATSI cultural competency.

Science Gallery Melbourne is part of the University’s innovation precinct – Melbourne Connect. Science Gallery Melbourne is a dynamic new model used to engage the younger generation into STEM disciplines. It focuses on inspiring the minds of young Australians aged 15-25 with science and art and harnessing the passion of young people into real-world learning opportunities and career pathways.
Science Gallery Melbourne has hosted three pop-up exhibitions in the lead up to the new building opening in 2021:

BLOOD was held in August 2017 in the Frank Tate building at the University of Melbourne
PERFECTION ran in September 2018 at the Melbourne School of Design, University of Melbourne
DISPOSABLE popped up in August 2019, in locations all over Melbourne. (TCT grant $60K brought this to the west)

Science Gallery Melbourne - University of Melbourne