#STEMLikeAPatsGirl Conference 2024

On Saturday 17 August, St Patrick's College Townsville will present its eighth annual #STEMLikeAPatsGirl Conference - the only event of its kind in North Queensland. It is a day devoted to empowering and engaging girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. The event is open to all girls, aged 10 to 15, from North Queensland who have an interest in STEM. Entry is free, with morning tea and lunch provided.

In 2024, the College will once again partner with leaders in Tech, Engineering, Mathematics, and Science, to deliver a jam-packed experience with hands-on activities and explosive workshops.

We have two VERY exciting Guest Speakers this year from the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

2024 Workshop Information:

Detecting the Unseen: Dark Matter, Black Holes, and Gravitational Waves

How do you learn about stuff you can't see? In this workshop, you will learn about dark matter, black holes, and gravitational waves. You will discover how Australian scientists are at the leading edge of this research, creating the most sensitive detection devices in the world. As well as a variety of hands-on activities, you will use virtual reality to travel to space to learn how we detect black holes. Back on Earth, you will investigate dark matter mystery boxes and test how lasers help us probe the unseen Universe.

Forensic Anatomy

Human bones have been discovered in the outback. Your job as the forensic anthropologist is to provide the police with as much information about these bones as possible.

• What bones are present?

• Can you work out if they were an adult or child, a man or a woman?

• How old were they when they died?

• How tall were they?

• Are there any distinguishing features of the skeleton that can help the police identify this person or how they died?

• Did they die a natural or violent death?

This workshop will investigate just how much information our bones can tell us. We will explore the anatomy of bones including their microscopic structure and have access to an anatomy app to increase your knowledge of the human skeleton.

Swallowing Solutions: The Gulp Workshop on Dysphagia Management

Speech pathologists work with communication and with swallowing (same muscles!) Like breathing, swallowing is essential to everyday life. Humans swallow at between 500-700 times a day, around three times an hour during sleep, once per minute while awake and even more during meals. In this workshop, you will explore the anatomy and physiology of swallowing and the technologies used to help diagnose and manage dysphagia. You will have the opportunity to undertake clinical assessment of swallowing function reviewing x-rays and use the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) audit tool to measure the viscosities and consistencies of various fluids and foods.

Get a Buzz Out of Physiotherapy

This workshop will allow you to explore the lesser-known side of physiotherapy, where you’ll discover that the human body functions as a complex combination of plumbing, chemical and electrical circuits. Applying your science skills to the human body, you will be required to test and interpret a friend’s musculoskeletal and nervous systems using a variety of clinical tools. Following your assessment, you will learn how to use this circuitry to reduce pain through the application of electrical stimulation to our skin!

Note: This workshop requires parental permission as the team will be using transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) which has a list of contraindications, precautions and sensory requirements that need to be assessed prior to using.

Junk Pile Engineers

Fair testing projects will challenge and develop students’ understanding of the physics, chemical sciences and technology behind rocketry and space flight. Students will use their inquiry skills to discover, experiment and find solutions to scientific problems through engineering, design and problem-solving challenges, including making a rocket from recycled material and then launching the rocket.

S'Mater Patient Care

This workshop will provide STEM students with a walk through experience of the patient journey through a simulated hospital setting. This journey includes the surgery process, immediate post operative care on acute wards by nursing staff and allied health professionals, all the way through to discharge home and follow up rehabilitation. This rehabilitation experience encompasses innovative telehealth solutions where students will understand basic anatomy concepts and work with physiotherapists to deliver care from hospital to home all through a technological link.

Marine Debris; Not All Flotsam and Jetsam

In this workshop, STEM students will identify some major issues with waste management and how it contributes to marine debris. They will look at debris pathways, environmental impacts, and how manking a change at the supermarket or home makes a massive difference for marine debris. Students will spend time sorting and counting marine debris items from around Queensland, contributing to the Australian Marine Debris Initiative and showing the importance of obtaining quality, unbiased data.

Sustainability Innovation Challenge

In this workshop, STEM students will complete a 90-minute program with activities focusing on innovation in sustainability and using design thinking and project-based learning strategies. Key elements include empathising with local community needs, defining local and global problems using the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and coding and prototyping solutions for learning and well-being using our Environmental Sensor STEM tool. This program supports development of critical and creative thinking, technology use, and practical problem-solving.

Survival of the Fittest - Can our wildlife survive us?

Wild animals are built to survive, but will they be able to survive the threats we have created? In this workshop, students will explore some of the biggest threats to Australian animals and will discuss how we might be able to minimise some of these threats in the future. By examining live animals, students will see up close how animals have adapted to survive in one of the harshest environments on the planet. They will also be able to see why the animals are so susceptible to some of the new threats humans have created. In this workshop, STEM students will have the chance to touch and hold some of Australia's most amazing aniamls and they will be inspired to save them.

Staying Alive!

In this two-part workshop, students will explore the applied science underpinning the chain of survival in cardiac arrest, as well as trauma management and patient extrication. As a group, you will learn the theoretical concepts behind the chain of survival then move on to skill application. CPR, defibrillation, intravenous cannulation, and airway management will be covered. In the trauma section, you will learn how to apply limb splints, cervical collars, and extricate a patient from the ground into an ambulance.

It's Rocket Science - Boeing Aerospace and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

In this exciting STEM workshop, we will get your future aerospace professionals hands-on by building an air-propelled rocket. This will be constructed from a card stock tube, and folded fins assembled with cello tape. This lightweight construction, with a compressed air launch system, means they pose no threat to people, places, or property and can be done indoors in the event of inclement weather. In partnership with our friends from Boeing Aerospace and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, we are delighted to include some aerospace-themed lucky door prizes, including a jumbo Lego Set.

Crime Scene Investigation

Have you ever wondered exactly how evidence is detected and collected at crime scenes? This workshop will give you an insight into the world of forensic crime scene examination. You will learn from real crime scene examiners, about forensic evidence, such as fingerprints, blood, DNA, and shoe impressions, and the tools and techniques used to locate, detect, record, and collect evidence. With your newfound skills, you will then use evidence from a crime scene to identify the suspect. Will you find all the evidence? Do you have what it takes to be a crime scene examiner?

Each participant will receive a t-shirt upon arrival. Please make sure you provide us with the participant's t-shirt size; noting the shirts are a small make.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Saint Patrick's College, 45 The Strand, Townsville, Australia