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More than 100 Indigenous students from 30 schools around the State will get a glimpse of future study possibilities at The University of Western Australia next week.

UWA's annual Year Eight Discovery Days will be held on campus from Tuesday November 22 to Thursday November 24.

The School of Indigenous Studies will welcome around 35 students per day to participate in activities and learn about the University campus and environment.

Ray Garrett, the School's Senior Project Officer, said the Year Eights would undertake a ‘Mines to Metals' exercise at the University's Edward de Courcy Clarke Earth Science Museum and visit the Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics to look at the Swan River model or build an electric motor.

"They'll also try their hands at short film-making at the Arts Multimedia Centre and after lunch will visit Sport Science to test their reactions and fine motor skills.  Current UWA Indigenous students will provide instruction and supervision," Mr Garrett said.

"The Discovery Days have been running since 2000 and are well supported with students travelling from Bunbury Catholic College, as well as Northam, Katanning and Mandurah Follow The Dream programs.  Students from the Association of Independent Schools of WA Future Footprints program will also participate.  Many of these students enjoy the opportunity to meet like-minded students and find out more about the University's Outreach Program for Indigenous students."

After the Year Eight Discovery Days, students can apply to attend UWA's Year Nine to 11 Science Camp in July 2012.  It is expected that around 75 per cent of the University's 2012 Indigenous enrolments will have participated in the UWA Outreach program during secondary school.

Around 22 Indigenous students have graduated as doctors from UWA and there have been 43 lawyers as well as a male dentist.  UWA's first female Indigenous dentist, Chantel Thorn, is graduating this year.  She is the WA NAIDOC Scholar of the Year and has participated in Outreach.  Other Indigenous students have graduated with Science, Arts and Architecture degrees.

Media references

Ray Garrett (Senior Project Officer, UWA School of Indigenous Studies)  (+61 8)  6488 4603
Michael Sinclair-Jones (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 3229  /  (+61 4) 00 700 783