Pia Wadjarri students shoot for the stars on Perth trip to visit CSIRO and Curtin University

Remote Indigenous school students from Pia Wadjarri took a trip to Perth to learn about geology and astronomy with CSIRO and Curtin University. Pia Wadjarri Remote Community School students, from the Wajarri community, made the trip to spend a week in Perth as part of the CSIRO’s STEM Professionals in Schools program. The students toured research facilities, Scitech and Curtin’s Centre for Aboriginal Studies, learning about radio astronomy, space exploration, meteorites, the planets and supercomputers, “It’s been a good experience visiting the actual researchers who work with these rocks,” student Rihanna Schwarze, 15, said. “I’ve enjoyed learning about geology and how they cut the rocks open”. Ellazay Hedlam, 8, said she enjoyed her first visit to a museum, and especially enjoyed visiting the Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre. “I’ve learnt that stars blow up,” she said. Many CSIRO astronomers work on Wajarri Country, where the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory is based, and astronomer Dr Laura Driessen said building a strong relationship with the local Wajarri community is a rewarding and important task. “We’ve enjoyed engaging with the Pia Wadjarri students, either visiting them at school or hosting them at the MRO to see the telescopes,” Dr Driessen said. “Now we have been able to join with Curtin and welcome them to Perth to show them the full picture of how the telescopes on their country are used by astronomers.” “Pia Wadjarri students, Curtin and CSIRO staff have developed a strong bond over our rocks and environment,” Pia Wadjarri Remote Community School principal Susan Trigwell said. “Working together on our two-way science program, our students are developing the skills to be scientists of the future, and further unravel the mysteries of the wonderful Wadjarri world in which they live.”