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On 2-4 August 2010, UWA hosted a science festival in Malaysia, The Science for our Future Festival. The aim of the festival was to communicate the idea that society needs scientifically literate graduates, and we need them in all areas of the community.

The ideas and presenters were:

We need scientifically literate graduates involved in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases.
Professor Barry Marshall (Nobel Prize, Medicine or Physiology 2005)

We need scientifically literate graduates to restore and maintain a balance within natural environments.
Professor Carmen Lawrence
(Former WA Premier, and former Australia Federal Health Minister)

We need scientifically literate graduates to ensure the sustainability of food supplies for humankind.
Professor Kadambot Siddique (Chair in Agriculture,
Director UWA Institute of Agriculture)

The event was a huge success, throughout the three day festival, more than 3000 students, teachers, alumni and members of the public attended events. Some of the highlights included:

• Gifted science students had the opportunity to lunch at the table with Professors Barry Marshall (pictured above), Carmen Lawrence and Kadambot Siddique, and discuss science issues and their studies.

• The debating of issues surrounding energy, agricultural sustainability and disease with a diversity of social, economic and scientific perspectives forming a large part of the discussions.

• During the festival a demonstrator aspirated maize into a ball of flames to demonstrate the conversion of food into fuel, and then exploded bubbles filled with hydrogen as a segue into alternative fuels and transmitted a disease under UV lights.

• The UWA network of student counsellors, Alumni and members of the public, came to a public forum hosted by the Federal Land Development Authority and the WA trade and Investment Office.

• This program with the Ministry of Education schools was a sea of students wearing festival t-shirts, and will be telecast to all MoE schools throughout Malaysia

• Distinguished UWA Alumni, Ministry officials and others were invited along with UWA staff to a special state dinner with His Excellency Miles Kupta, Australia's High commissioner to Malaysia

• University students from the top research universities in Malaysia, and as far away as Penang (6 hrs bus ride) came to a special tertiary forum to talk research and research careers

Photo's of the events can be viewed at

https://www.flickr.com/photos/52914903@N03/sets/

Source : Shaun Wellbourne-Wood

Media references

Shaun Wellbourne-Wood
Overseas Development Manager
Faculty of Life and Physical Sciences
Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences