230 Medals for 115 primary and secondary schools.

Throughout December, the home of applied science in Sydney is helping school Principals reward their students for efforts in subjects that will shape the future for Australia.

The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) Science Medals are given out to celebrate and encourage success in science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects (STEM).

Some 230 medals will be awarded to 115 primary and secondary schools across Sydney and New South Wales.

ANSTO scientists and staff personally present medals to students, to reward their enthusiasm for, and excellence in, STEM at the end-of-year school awards ceremony.

“The ANSTO medals are all about getting young people excited about science, technology, engineering and mathematics,” said Rod Dowler from the ANSTO Discovery Centre.

“They are given to students with an aim to get them to really think about the applications and outcomes of science, challenging them to look more broadly at where STEM could take them.

“At ANSTO we operate some of the world’s best instruments for science, including Australia’s only nuclear research reactor, OPAL.

"Here, hundreds of Australian and international researchers work on the big issues: improving human health, understanding the environment and looking for new discoveries to support Australian industry.

“We know that science these days has no limit – and the ANSTO Science Medal program aims to extend students’ thinking about what a career in science could actually mean to them.

“We want to reach out to young, curious kids and spark their interest, helping them realise the possibility of their future in STEM,” said Mr Dowler.

ANSTO encourages people of all ages to get involved in science, and welcomes more than 15,000 visitors each year to the main campus at Lucas Heights, to see science in action. 

The popular school holiday science programs are also a good way to keep kids active and learning something new over the holiday periods.

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