Here at Foxwell State Secondary College, we are fortunate to be in partnership with inspiring programs which introduce our students to the many facets of STEM.

On Tuesday, our Year 8 GSTEM students travelled to UQ for their end of year celebration with the Wonder of Science (WOS) team.

Students had the honour of meeting Dr Margaret Wegener and Professor Halina Rubinsztein-Dunlop, as well as engaging in scientific discussions with WOS mentors, all of whom are completing their PhDs in different areas of STEM. 

Professor Rubinsztein-Dunlop’s research interests are in atom optics, laser micromanipulation, laser physics, linear and nonlinear high-resolution spectroscopy, and nano-optics. Of particular excitement to our students was her explanation of optical tweezers; a scientific instrument that uses light to move and hold microscopic particles.

Dr Wegener is a Teaching-Focused Senior Lecturer in Physics at The University of Queensland. She teaches aspiring physicists as well as physics courses that service engineering and the life sciences.

Dr Wagener showed the students how physics has helped her understand the fundamentals behind one of her passions, jewellery making.

A big thank you to Robyn Bull, Dr Anita Milroy and the WoS team for this collaborative opportunity. Our students are fortunate to have had this experience.