On Friday 10 and Saturday 11 August, YWCA Canberra Clubhouse kicked off National Science Week by hosting a stall at Science in ACTion at the Old Bus Depot Market.

National Science Week is Australia’s annual celebration of science and technology. Running each year in August, it features more than 1000 events around Australia. These events attract a wide audience from children to adults, and science amateurs to professionals. Over one million people participate in science events across the nation. Established in 1997, National Science Week provides an opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of Australian scientists to the world of knowledge. It also aims to encourage an interest in science among the general public, and encourages younger people to be fascinated by the world we live in.

Science in ACTion is an interactive science fair that is a free event for science enthusiasts of all ages. Over 50 stallholders from local Science Technology, Engineering, and Mathematic (STEM) organisations came together to engage the community with hands on activities that showcase how science is used in their work every day.

Over the two days 10,000 people attended Science in ACTion! At our Clubhouse stall we had several interactive and exciting activities on offer for the community to engage with our Korg Kaossiliator Pro + Synthesiser was a huge hit!

It was great to see that so many people interested in what the Clubhouse stall had on offer, this could be because we offered art and music, in addition to the traditional STEM activities. During the day we challenged people to try and mix and layer different beats to create different moods.

People also had a challenging (and at times frustrating) time trying to solve a couple of puzzles we had available. We even had our Oculus Rift, some of our 3d prints, and artwork on display too. Even with our limited space, we had tutorials on how to drive a Sphero SPRK+ coding robot. Everyone who came by our stall was fascinated by the potential for fun and learning that the Clubhouse has to offer, and that it is a free program!

Overall, participating in Science in ACTion was a great opportunity to celebrate National Science Week, promote the Clubhouse, and engage more with the STEAM community in Canberra!

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