Key points
- Don’t forget to use our campaign hashtag #WithSTEMYouCan
- Industry professionals will deliver interactive workshops and presentations.
- Hear from a range of STEM professionals about their career journeys, key learnings, and top tips for being successful in STEM.
#WithSTEMYouCan Careers Expo Schedule
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 9:30 - 10.00am | Schools arrive. |
| 10:00 - 10:10am | Doors open and Welcome to Country by Rhiannon Wright. |
| 10:15am - 1:00pm |
Exhibitor tables open for visiting and workshops running on rotation. Students to break out for lunch within this time. Session 1: 10:15-10:45am Session 2: 10:45am – 11:15 Session 3: 11:20-11:50 Session 4: 11:55-12:25 Session 5: 12:30-1:00 |
| 1:05 - 1:30pm | Panel discussion and close. |
| 1:40pm | Schools depart. |
*Schedule subject to change prior to event.
| Group | 10.15am | 10.50am | 11.20am | 11.55am | 12.30pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group A | Expo Hall | Workshop | Presentation | Meal break | Expo Hall |
| Group B | Expo Hall | Expo Hall | Workshop | Presentation | Meal break |
| Group C | Meal break | Expo Hall | Expo Hall | Workshop | Presentation |
| Group D | Presentation | Meal break | Expo Hall | Expo Hall | Workshop |
| Group E | Workshop | Presentation | Meal break | Expo Hall | Expo Hall |
| Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D | Group E |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macarthur Girls High School | Macarthur Girls High School | Cabramatta High School | Seven Hills High School | Elderslie High School |
| Wyong High School | Al Noori Muslim School | Jamison High School | Corrimal High School | Chifley College Dunheved Campus |
| Colyton High School | Irfan College | Norwest Christian College | Oak Flats High School | Richmond High School |
| Belmore Boys High School | Liverpool Boys High School | Gilroy Catholic College | Keira High School | Camden High School |
| Marian Catholic College | Nepean Creative and Performing Arts High School |
Map
#WithSTEMYouCan
Don’t forget to use our campaign hashtag #WithSTEMYouCan
Workshops
Industry professionals will deliver interactive workshops from 10.10am – 13.10pm. Teachers have allocated students to each of the workshops. Students should refer to their timetable and wristband colour for more information.
Urban Water Cycle – Sydney Water
Throughout the learning experience, students will have the opportunity to build their very own urban water cycle, learn about Sydney Water’s filtration and treatment processes, and investigate the properties of common household products to reveal what is best to bin to avoid pipe chokes and overflows.
Science of Food – Western Sydney University | School of Science
Food Science brings together physical, chemical, biological, human nutrition as well as medical science, and is a key aspect of environmental sustainability, all of which offers limitless career opportunities across the world. Using the chemical and physical properties of food, you can develop new ways to enhance flavour, nutritional and medical value, develop better products and processing as well as storage. You can use this knowledge to enhance more sustainable practices and support optimal dietary intake.
Assessing sugar, acid and water content in food is a critical step to managing the science that surrounds human nutrition and diet selection. Application of this scientific information is critical to help us manage microbial populations that can either value-add or de-value food. Be prepared to use scientific equipment to analyse the food you eat and learn how to use science to support decision making in food production.
Game of drones, from toys to tools, impact on STEM - Aerologix
Empowering students with real-world STEM skills: students learn about drone operation, and how they collect geospatial data to address environmental challenges.
Fire – a burning question – Yindyamarra Walkabouts
Fire has influenced the way Aboriginal peoples live on, with and through their land for millennia. Over this time, Aboriginal peoples have skilfully used fire to adaptively manage their local environments. In this workshop with Yindyamarra Walkabouts, learn about energy transformations through exploring traditional fire-starting methods from across Australia, and how the adoption of traditional fire stick farming methods have been effective in reducing fuel loads, the intensity of bush fires and our carbon emissions.
Detecting Dangerous DNA – CSIRO
DNA is found in all living things. CSIRO is interested in detecting “dangerous” DNA for health and biosecurity purposes: undesirable changes to DNA that makes people sick, or unwanted pests from abroad.
Urban Habitat – Petaurus Education Group
This workshop will engage your students in a hands-on native habitat workshop, where they'll delve into the importance of urban environments and how to find, protect and enhance habitats for native Australian animals in these areas. They will have the opportunity to make bee hotels and learn about the importance of native habitats.
Your Host
Graeme Buckie, Team Leader, CSIRO Education
Graeme Buckie is the team leader of the CSIRO Educational Resource Studio and creates a range of resources for teachers. He has previously worked on a number of CSIRO Education and Outreach projects, including the Generation STEM Community Partnerships Program, CSIRO Digital Careers, Bebras, CyberTaipan, Farmbeats for Students as well as developing the CSIRO Educational Datasets resources, STEM X teacher workshops and CREST.
Prior to joining CSIRO, he spent over a decade teaching computing and software development in both primary and secondary settings in a number of NSW public schools. He has a particular interest in building student awareness around developing technologies and supporting teachers to build data literacy skills, enabling their students to improve their critical thinking skills and decision making.
Panelists
Career paths are never linear, even if they may seem that way from the outside. At this panel discussion, you will hear from a range of STEM professionals about their career journeys, key learnings, and top tips for being successful in STEM.
Dr Thomas Jefferies - Microbial Ecologist, Western Sydney University
Dr Thomas Jeffries is Senior Lecturer in Microbiology at Western University. His research focuses on soil microbiology and computational biology. He also studies the intersection of microbiology and history. He is the secretary of the NSW-ACT branch of the Australian Society for Microbiology.
Dr Stephanie Lynch, Postdoctoral Researcher, Phage Australia
With a passion for infectious disease research and a non-linear journey into STEM, Stephanie brings a unique perspective to careers in science. After initially studying Animal and Veterinary Bioscience as a pathway to veterinary medicine, Stephanie discovered a passion for microbiology during her Honours year, leading to a PhD focused on bacteriophage therapy for animal infections.
Now a researcher at the University of Sydney and Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Stephanie works on using phages—viruses that infect bacteria—as a cutting-edge alternative to antibiotics in tackling drug-resistant infections. Stephanie is passionate about mentoring students, breaking down traditional career expectations, and highlighting the many exciting directions a science degree can lead.
Hazel, Risk Analysis, Schneider Electric
Hazel is a 20-year-old trailblazer and risk analyst at Schneider Electric, leveraging her analytical mind to drive business outcomes in data centre risk management. She joined the corporate world just a week after completing her HSC exams! She's now pursuing Actuarial Studies at UNSW and has represented Australia and New Zealand at the Paris Global Innovation Summit.
Hazel empowers young women to pursue STEM careers, breaking down gender barriers, and is an ambassador for 'Making Her Mark' and 'Beacon Foundation'. She's also a fashion enthusiast, working at fashion shows to honour her love for design. Recognised by 7 News Australia and awarded the University of Adelaide STEM Award in 2024, Hazel inspires hundreds of high school students to pursue STEM while embracing their individuality.
Dr Caroline Lee, Senior Research Scientist, CSIRO
Dr Caroline Lee is a Senior Principal Research Scientist working in Farm Animal Welfare and Behaviour research at CSIRO. She completed her PhD at The University of Sydney in 2002. Dr Lee has a strong track record in assessment of farm animal welfare and is the inventor of virtual fencing technology for cattle. Dr Lee has published over 130 journal papers.
Her H-Index is 45 and she has over 5900 citations. Dr Lee is an Adjunct Professor at the University of New England. She represents CSIRO on the Management Committee of the OIE Collaborating Centre for Animal Welfare Science and Bioethical Analysis, the National Animal Welfare RD &E Strategy Management Committee and is a member of the Regional Animal Welfare Strategy. She regularly contributes to committees involved in the development of Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines.
Interactive Presentations:
Students will participate in one interactive presentation. The sessions are designed to spark curiosity, encourage exploration and showcase diverse pathways.
| Session | Presentations |
|---|---|
| Session 1 — Cherry Agustin |
A Career in Radiation Therapy: The role of radiation therapists in Cancer Treatment — Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre Westmead & Blacktown Cancer and Haematology Centre This presentation will showcase the role of radiation therapists (RTs) in cancer treatment. RTs provide patient care, use the latest technologies and work in a team. If you have a desire to make a real difference in people’s lives, then consider a career in radiation therapy. |
| Session 2 — Dr Stephanie Lynch |
Time Travel Through STEM: Interactive Careers Panel for High School Students — Phage Australia Time Travel Through STEM is an interactive "choose your own adventure" where you decide how the story unfolds! The story will start in Year 10, and the choices you make as an audience shape a journey through unexpected twists, university paths, and career surprises—proving there’s no one way to succeed in science. Vote as a group to steer the adventure and discover how your interests today could lead to a future in STEM |
| Session 3 — Farheen Amjad |
From Lab to Launch: STEM Entrepreneurship 101 — Oratel Passionate about science, technology or engineering—and dreaming of your own startup? In this interactive session, you’ll learn how to turn a technical idea into a viable business: from validating problems to pitching to investors and building a minimum-viable product (MVP). |
| Session 4 — Zachary Shepherd |
From Procrastination to Professional — Schnieder Electric What if procrastination wasn’t just a bad habit—but a clue? In this thought-provoking session, we’ll explore how the things we turn to when we’re “wasting time” might reveal what we truly enjoy and value. By reframing procrastination as a compass, we’ll uncover how it can guide us toward meaningful and fulfilling career choices. We’ll also bust some common myths about what a career should look like, and instead offer practical tools and tips to help you take those first steps with more confidence and less pressure. This presentation is all about easing the stress of those big, scary questions: What do I want to do? What if I make the wrong choice? What are my options? Because your future isn’t decided in a single moment of panic—it’s a journey you get to shape, one step at a time. |
| Session 5 — Joan Nguyen |
Craft your Science Career — Western Sydney University Options to make your degree unique include selecting subjects from another science or medical science discipline as a double major or individual subjects. Choose from the broad range of subjects available across the University to create a program to suit you. Subjects available include business, psychology, communications, data science, computing, engineering, health, law and humanities. Pursue your interest in a research future by taking research subjects, preparing you for a career in science research or higher degree study. Prepare for a teaching career by enrolling in a Bachelor of Science (Pathway to Teaching Primary/Secondary) which has a minor comprised of four Masters of Teaching subjects — reducing the time to achieve your teaching qualification by six months as part of your undergraduate program. With leading-edge technology and sustainable and technology-enabled learning environments, you will gain the knowledge and skills that employers are looking for and essential for your future career. |
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