The Kids Research Institute Australia’s inaugural Kalgoorlie STEM Festival drew more than 600 children and was warmly embraced by the local community over two exciting days at Curtin University’s Graduates Hall.
Each morning featured engagement activities with local primary schools, where children eagerly explored STEM hands-on – from examining golden flecks in rocks and exploring UV exposure to building craft ships and testing how their creations might fly – collecting goodies in bright orange ‘The Kids’ knapsacks along the way.
Afternoons offered a mix of sessions: community engagement on Wednesday and experiment workshops on Thursday, giving children and families the chance to dive deeper into science and health. For many, it was their first excursion of the year; for others, it was the “best excursion ever.”
Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) researcher Shakayla Walley said seeing students’ faces light up while absorbing health messages made the festival especially rewarding.
“Sharing health and medical science with regional students – who often only see mining or trade pathways—was really special. I could see some envisioning themselves in our shoes one day,” Ms Walley said.
“These events help ensure our science and research community reflects the broader community, paving the way for the next generation of scientists from diverse backgrounds.”
Ms Walley was one of four researchers on the ground, with The Kids partnering with Curtin Medical School Rural Health Campus, Gold Industry Group, Museum of the Goldfields, Northern Star Resources, and Engineers Australia.
The festival was made possible thanks to the generous support of Curtin University, the Australian Government, Inspiring WA, and ATCO Gas, which provided student transport to and from the event.