In 2021, the Western Australian Coordinating Committee held its first ever Medium Tier Grant Round, to find and fund worthy initiatives for its inaugural National Science Week science festival.
Four amazing initiatives were successful and have been awarded up to $10,000 from a $30,000 funding pool. These events will run 14 to 22 August 2021 across the Perth Metro Area.
Introducing the events of WA's Food for Thought science extravaganza!
Smart Farm Ag-tivities Murdoch University
Date: 21 and 22 August 2021 Location: Curtin University Sports Stadium
The future of farming in WA: what technologies are being used in WA farming now and into the future, and how might they form the basis of a career pathway?
Smart Farm Ag-tivities is a fun, educational STEM event presented by the community, for the community. This free event consists of a range of agricultural automation activities and talks presented by students, academics, and industry professionals, and will showcase the important role of robotics, data, and automation in agriculture today and into the future.
This event aims to inform you on the important role of automation in modern farming in WA and promote hi-tech agricultural careers and an interest in agriculture more broadly. The event will also promote the involvement of the community in STEM learning and skills development.
Food is Life Switch your thinking, City of Gosnells
Date: 14 to 22 August 2021 Location: Public buildings in the Cities of Armadale, Belmont, Kwinana, Perth, Wanneroo and Stirling, Town of Victoria Park and Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale
Food is Life is a series of eight workshops help you learn how to grow your own fruit and vegetables.
Running from Wanneroo to Kwinana, the events help households discover the fundamentals of food production, exploring concepts like how soil holds carbon; how fertilisers affect water quality; and how nutrients move through soils to produce fruit and vegetables. Apply these ideas in practice to maximise your yields, reduce waste of fruit and vegetables, and consolidate the science behind food production.
An interactive science/engineering workshop building solar ovens will provide a hands-on activity to learn about how materials transfer heat and the sun's energy can be harnessed. Fruit and vegetable sharing and storage will also be explored.
Fighting Food Waste City of Cockburn
Date: 14 to 22 August 2021 Location: OTTEY Community Centre, Coolbellup Hub, various schools
Did you know: one third of all food produced is lost or wasted (around 1.3 billion tonnes of food), costing the global economy nearly $940 billion each year? If food waste was a country, it would be the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases after the USA and China!
The City of Cockburn’s Fight Food Waste Forever program aims to educate the community about avoiding, reusing and recycling food waste, so it does not end up in landfill where it emits harmful greenhouse gases.
Through interactive education sessions, workshops and tours, this program aims to provide necessary information and tools for you to take positive action to reduce food waste and recover this resource. Inspire your creativity and innovation to solve the food waste problem in your home, school, business and in your broader community.
WA Museum National Science Week program WA Museum Boola Bardip
Date: 14 to 22 August 2021 Location: WA Museum Boola Bardip
Why is biodiversity important, and what methods do we use to support food security?
WA’s new museum Boola Bardip National Science Week program creates thought-provoking conversations that tackle the big questions about our food environment!
Across the whole feature week in August, National Science Week at WA Museum Boola Bardip includes:
Food for Thought Tours – Daily STEM themed tours of the Boola Bardip galleries
Q&A with Charles Massey - Author of the Call of the Reef Warbler: A New Agriculture A New Earth, as featured on Australian Story, investigating regenerative farming.
An In Conversation panel - A fascinating mix of scientists, chefs, environmentalists, and captains of enterprise to debate Food: Different by Design.
A Museum Lab Polliniser – Incorporating hands-on learning with the importance of biodiversity and pollination in food production, and in meeting the future food needs of the world.
A Museum “Schools Lab – Contributing WA’s STEM skills growth by demonstrating the scientific method, with an eye to your future career path.
Congratulations to all recipients. We can’t wait to see it all unfold in Food for Thought 2021 – WA’s National Science Week science festival!
FOOD FOR THOUGHT acknowledges the Whadjuk people of the Noongar Nation as the traditional custodians of the land on which we Fringe and pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.