High Schools - Visits to Flinders

Flinders Faculty of Science and Engineering has a range of activities available and we are happy to tailor visits to your needs. Visits to Flinders are informative, friendly and as interactive as possible. Please create your own program by choosing a combination of activities. Activities can include:

• Practical sessions that link to the curriculum (and may include scientific equipment not available in Schools);
• Interactive tours of our facilities;
• Current students talking about their experiences at Flinders;
• Information sessions on career path options in Science and Engineering;
• Presentations on our current research and degree programs; and
• much more.

Please note that activities are dependant on availability and some activities may only be available on specific days or may have booking deadlines. We recommend booking early to avoid disappointment.

Contact the Faculty of Science & Engineering by phone on 8201 2632 or by e-mail to discuss a visit.

Further information on activities can be found below:

Practicals / Workshops

• Biology
• Chemistry, Physics and Earth Sciences
• Computer Science, Engineering & Mathematics

Presentations / Tours

Practicals / Workshops

Biology

Enzyme Activity Assay

Duration: 1 hour

Dates: This activity is only available between 23 June to 4 July (bookings close 6 June - book early to avoid disappointment)

Year Level: Yr 12

Syllabus: Demonstrates SACE Stage 2: M5, M85 and Assessment Component 3: Practical Work "Enzyme Practical Activities"4

Students will do colour-change based assays enabling them to assess enzyme activity, observe substrate specificity in action and determine the effect of destroying enzyme 3-dimensional structure.

Explore Biodiversity: An Interactive Campus Walk and Outdoor Practical

Duration: 30 minutes - 1.5 hours

Year Level: Yr 9-12
Syllabus: Demonstrates SACE Stage 1 Area of Study 3: Ecology and SACE Stage 2: E102 and Assessment Component 3: Practical Work "Ecosystems"4.

Explore and learn how biodiversity has been restored at Flinders, the adaptations our native animals have made, the necessity for restoration ecology and its positive effects. Optional Experiment: Transects will be used to observe the abundance of introduced vs native plant species.

Marine Biology and Ecology

Duration: 1 hour

Dates: This activity is only available between 22-26 Sept (bookings close 5 Sept - book early to avoid disappointment)

Year Level: Yr 11/12

Syllabus: Demonstrates SACE Stage 1: Area of Study 2: Physiology, and Area of Study 3: Ecology6. Demonstrates SACE Stage 2: E1, E2, E3 E47.

Handle real samples! Students will learn how to calculate a biodiversity index, used by all environmental scientists, based on the marine organisms they isolate. Students will also observe what features enable the critters to adapt to their niche environment.

Marine Biology

Duration: 15 minutes

Year Level: Yr 10-12

Meet ocean critters - learn about their role in nature, and here is the School of Biological Sciences. In this interactive session students will learn about (i) marine animal physiology and (ii) aquaculture.

Microbiology

Duration: 1 hour

Dates: This activity is only available between 22-26 Sept (bookings close 5 Sept - book early to avoid disappointment)

Year Level: Yr 11/12

Syllabus: Demonstrates SACE Stage 1 Area of Study 1: Cellular Biology6 and Stage 2 Assessment Component 3: Practical Work "Cells"4

Handling of micro-organisms. Students will do microscopy, Gram staining and macro- and microscopically observe environmental samples they will collect on-campus.

Microbiology

Duration: 15 minutes

Year Level: Yr 10-12

Microbes under the microscope - investigation of bacteria that glow in the dark. How and why do we use them?

Plant Biodiversity and Physiology

Duration: 1 hour

Dates: This activity is only available between 22-26 Sept (bookings close 5 Sept - book early to avoid disappointment)

Year Level: Yr 10/11/12

Syllabus: Demonstrates SACE Stage 1 Area of Study 2: Physiology6 e.g. structural adaptations

What pollinates flowers of different species and why? Students will learn how to deduce this based on the shape, colour and odour of flowers of different plant species. Involves observation, data recording, dissection and microscopy of flowers.

Principles of Gel Electrophoresis

Duration: 1 hour

Dates: This activity is only available between 23 June to 4 July (bookings close 6 June - book early to avoid disappointment)

Year Level: Yr 12

Syllabus: Demonstrates M163 and Assessment Component 3: Practical Work "Electrophoresis"4

A staple of Biotechnology, this technique is used to separate DNA molecules. Students will use pipettes and the latest electrophoresis apparatus.

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Chemistry, Physics and Earth Sciences

Green Energy: Solar Energy and Hydrogen Fuel Cells

Duration: 1.5 hours

Year Level: Yr 9-12

The science and practicalities of solar energy and hydrogen fuel cells are examined in this program using solar/hydrogen fuel cell model cars. This activity is appropriate for chemistry, physics and general science classes.

Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Duration: 1.5-2 hours

Year Level: Yr 9-12

Following an introduction on nanoscience and nanotechnology, participants undertake a variety of activities that give an overview of the applications of nanotechnology to the following unusual materials: ferrofluids; liquid crystals; LED's; memory wire and hydrophobic surface coatings.

Groundwater

Duration: 1.5 hours

Year Level: Yr 8-12

Around 20 percent of the freshwater used in Australia comes from beneath the ground yet we know little about it. This activity looks at the science and issues behind groundwater storage. Students use cross-sectional models to trace the flow of water and contaminants in aquifers below the Earth's surface.

Forensic Science

Duration: 1.5-2 hours

Year Level: Yr 9-11

A body lies slumped against a table. A cup is found split at its side. Are the crystals in the cup poison? Was it the cause of death? How can one tell? This program has students consider how one chemical substance can be distinguished from another. A variety of analytical methods are used to determine just what the substance is and if it was the cause of death.

Laser Light

Duration: 1.5 hours

Year Level: Yr 8-10

In this workshop we use hand-held lasers and fibre optics to make a microscope; send voice messages across the room; work out the size of some really small objects and calculate the wavelength of light.

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Computer Science, Engineering & Mathematics

Robotics

Duration: 2 hours

Year Level: Yr 9-12

Students learn principles of robot navigation and programming by using mobile robots to solve a variety of challenges such as 'Robot Golf', the 'Flinders Advanced Robotic Projects Agency Grand Challenge' or RoboCup Junior Soccer Training.

Example Activity for Robotics: FARPA Grand Challenge

Duration: 2 hours

Year Level: Yr 11-12

This workshop is similar to the DARPA Grand Challenge, but on a smaller scale!

The DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) Urban Challenge features autonomous ground vehicles conducting simulated military supply missions in a mock urban area (http://www.darpa.mil/grandchallenge/index.asp).

The 'FARPA' (Flinders Advanced Robotic Projects Agency) Laboratory Challenge features autonomous robots that will navigate a course within a real laboratory area. You will learn fundamental navigation methods and use intuitive graphical programming tools to autonomously guide your team's robot over the course.

Information Technology - Arborist Program

Duration: 45 minutes

Year Level: Yr 9-12

It's the year 2020, and a group of Flinders University scientists have succeeded in mapping the complete genome for apple trees. To help understand the effect of different genes on the tree's final shape, the scientists have developed a simulation program named Arborist that allows them to see the consequences of varying the genetic parameters. You have been hired as a research assistant to help in the project. In this exercise, you will use the software simulator to "grow" trees with various characteristics and hence explore key tree properties.

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