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The STEM Tour 2024

Year 10 students, Poppy and Georgina, have written a summary of Wenona’s amazing STEM Tour of One Tree Island.

In early July 2024, we were selected to participate in the week-long STEM Tour along with 17 other Wenona girls, which granted us the privilege of travelling to One Tree Island in the Southern Great Barrier Reef.

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Wenona’s STEM Tour occurs every two years and is attended by Years 10 and 11 STEM enthusiasts. The destination, One Tree Island Research Station, is owned by the University of Sydney and is located in a scientific zone, which means it can only be entered with a permit. Due to its exclusivity, only a few high school students are able to visit the island’s magnificent mid-shelf reef, so the opportunity for us to do so was truly exceptional.

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The wonders of nature we witnessed were spectacular. One Tree Island Reef is particularly special, as it is protected from tourism and fishing, so it is a good example of a natural, healthy Australian reef. However, it is still expected to change over time in response to rising sea levels and temperature, which made our visit a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We will never forget excitedly pointing out turtles, octopi, whales, sharks, rays, fish and corals to our friends, in awe of their wondrous adaptations and behaviours. We even participated in a night-time snorkel, observing the way reef dynamics change in the dark!

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In the lead-up to the trip, we attended an excursion to the University of Sydney, during which we were shown prototypes of marine research devices and attended a lecture on the effects of sea level rise on coral. This was an intriguing and exciting introduction to the marine research being undertaken by PhD students, Kate Whitton and Ratneel Deo, which we assisted with while on the island. Our understanding of Kate and Ratneel’s thesis goals was further developed by their engaging ‘Science Byte’ lectures, as well as the lessons on coral types we received from Professor Webster of the University of Sydney. To support the research, we:

  • Conducted reef flat quadrant and storm block surveys
  • Used drones to observe shoreline dynamics and storm and cyclone rubble deposits
  • Serviced wave rider buoys that monitor wave dynamics
  • Took 360o images of the island to document the landscape.

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Participating in the research gave us a great sense of fulfilment and accomplishment. Although we contributed to long-term projects, our efforts also had an immediate, observable effect, such as the development of One Tree Island’s post-bleaching impact assessment and understanding of its GPS error. Furthermore, assisting with the behind-the-scenes work of remote scientific research allowed us to learn from inspirational researchers and gave us an insight into the rewarding opportunities that a career in STEM can provide.

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Another perk of the trip was the connections we formed with the other girls on the island. We were brought together by our interest in STEM and became part of a strong community of ‘STEM-inists’. We enjoyed spending time singing, laughing and ‘STEM-ing’ together. These friendships will undoubtedly help guide us in our STEM journeys.

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We owe a huge amount to the wonderful staff and people who supported the STEM Tour, including the island station managers, Ruby, Heinrich, and their son Lukas. Their expert guidance in an environment foreign to many of us was invaluable and we were all inspired by the wisdom they shared.

We are immeasurably grateful to Ms Lemon for checking in on us from back home and our parents for their enthusiasm and generosity in the lead-up to the trip. We wholeheartedly thank Dr Thompson and Mr Vertucci for accompanying us and working tirelessly to organise the STEM Tour, as well as approaching our time on the island with a contagious sense of excitement and joy.

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Finally, the professional and scientific insights of the University of Sydney staff who accompanied us: Professor Webster, Kate Whitton and Ratneel Deo, fostered a sense of purpose and curiosity in our group. These talented researchers, along with our time on One Tree Island, have inspired many of us to consider pursuing careers in marine science and STEM more broadly.