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Year eleven student Emily Cook has a passion for science.
I really love how science is always changing.
Everything in our whole world is based on science.
So whether you change your mind away from science, you know,
there's always something else you can do and base it on science.
Emily is one of the first cohort of year eleven students
enrolled in 2014 at the new select-entry
Elizabeth Blackburn School of Sciences.
Like Emily, the school too has a passion.
It exists to teach high performance students about
science technology, engineering and maths.
Each year the school will enrol up to a hundred year eleven
and year twelve students with a passion for science.
Well we're really excited about finding a pathway
for young people to be engaged in science.
We're looking for passionate scientists.
We're looking for those young people that have got
chemistry kits at home or are into geology or astrophysics
or mathematics, computer science.
If they're really keen in those areas we want to develop
that enthusiasm and take them on a pathway or a
journey right through to the end of university.
The unique school is the result of a partnership between
University of Melbourne, University High School
and the Victorian Government.
It's named after Australia's first female Nobel Laureate
Elizabeth Blackburn who had a message for the students.
Science itself, that's what matters.
I hope you will also have exciting journeys in science as
you pursue your school and then your careers in science.
Co-located at the University's Bio21 Institute and
University High School it is a stone's throw away from
the Parkville precinct which has research institutes,
hospitals and the university not far away.
Such proximity to some serious scientific powerhouses
means the school can provide every student with access
to a scientist mentor for extended research study.
So the intention is to use the young scientists,
already trained scientists, within these organisations to
mentor the year eleven and twelve students and expose
them to what scientific discovery is all about and the excitement
that comes form making new discoveries and also informing
them on how this impacts on society.
And not only will the new school support
advancements in the development and delivery
of science education it will also provide training opportunities
for trainee teachers interested in science education.
The Graduate School of Education has an extraordinary
partnership with the University High School and has had
for six years and it's been a fundamental component of
the development of our innovative master of teaching program.
I see the science school as not just a training facility of the
next generation but it's also what I would call a science
education laboratory so we can investigate different teaching
techniques and see what is effective.
The school students will use the building as a living
experiment with direct access to the data generated
by a geothermal system fitted to heat and cool the building.
The first intake of students say the experience
at the school has been rewarding.
I just love how everybody is like-minded.
Whether you're struggling in a subject
you've got a friend who can always help you out.
The teachers, they're so passionate about the subject.
It's just really great.
For more information visit bitly.com/ebss2014.