2021 National Science Week

National Science Week is Australia’s annual celebration of science and technology. Running each year in August, it features more than 1000 events around Australia, including those delivered by universities, schools, research institutions, libraries, museums and science centres.

These events attract a wide audience from children to adults, and science amateurs to professionals. Over one million people participate in science events across the nation.

While some events were cancelled or postponed due to travel restrictions and physical distancing requirements, many moved online or went ahead with a limited audience.

Together with our partners we produced and promoted many events and activities to celebrate National Science Week,14-22 August.

An online Indigenous Science Experience for more than 380 students and teachers at four Logan schools gave the children an insight into the science behind how spears, hunting sticks and boomerangs are crafted and used. The students also learnt about native beehives and bush medicine.

Professor Hugh Possingham, Queensland Chief Scientist, spoke to Brisbane Times and ABC Radio about the importance of scientific literacy, and getting more people engaging with scientists and involved in science-based activities including citizen science projects to increase the uptake of STEM subjects and careers.

Science week events and activities were promoted widely through the media and our Queensland Science Facebook page and What’s happening in Queensland Science newsletter. You can subscribe to our newsletter to keep up-to-date with the latest science news and events.

To highlight the contribution that science is making to our environment we turned the spotlight on the work being carried out by seven young scientists in our department.

These outstanding scientists contribute to a variety of projects that benefit Queenslanders including:

Read about the other four projects on our In the media web page and check out the websites below to see what other fun and informative National Science Week activities took place: