Northern Territory Science Week Community Grant Recipients

by National Office
9 July, 2024

This year’s Northern Territory National Science Week Community Grants round was absolutely outstanding.

Congratulations to all the Community Grant Recipients!

Darwin

BirdLife Top End

Building Community Capacity for Shorebird Monitoring in Darwin/Garramilla

BirdLife Top End work with the community to increase the participation and capacity of local volunteers to monitor migratory shorebirds in and around Darwin/Garramilla. A workshop covering the theoretical scientific knowledge about shorebirds and survey methods, and field surveys to train volunteers in monitoring techniques, identification skills, and data collection.

Menzies School of Health Research

Petri Dish Pioneers: Cultivating young minds in the field of microbiology

Menzies immerse budding young scientists in the invisible world of microbial science, facilitating interactions with Menzies School of Health Research staff and students to foster an understanding of methodologies used by scientists.  

Let Plants Be

Discover and Sketch Botanical Adventures

An exciting journey into the world of plants, blending education with creativity, and focusing on the biodiversity of the Top End’s native flora. Each participant will receive their own botanical journal—a special diary to document observations and preserve discoveries. The workshop starts with a virtual walk, during which children will learn to recognize various native plants and understand their crucial roles in the ecosystem. Participants will also be guided on how to accurately sketch these plants, enhancing both their artistic and observational skills.

Virtually Inspired – a Journey through Art and Science With Masters

This arts-based educational workshop combines the aesthetic elegance of art with the meticulous precision of science. Participants will take a virtual journey through the scientific illustrations and artworks of prominent figures such as Leonardo da Vinci, Maria Sibylla Merian, Georg Dionysius Ehret, Elizabeth Blackwell, and Franz Bauer, among others who significantly advanced the field of scientific illustration.

Mitchell Street Childcare Centre

Little Scientists

Preschoolers can learn circuitry? Yes, they can! In this Little Scientist workshop designed appropriately for little hands, kids will be introduced to electric circuitry and tools guided by our simple-to-follow instructions and activities.

Amazing XR

Outback to Outer Space

Darwin City Public Library: Monday 12 August 3 to 5 pm

Casuarina Library: Tuesday 13th August 3 to 5 pm

Two inspiring Virtual Reality events at 2 separate locations: Darwin Library and Casuarina Library. The “Wander” VR app is similar to google maps and gives a 360 view of the area you choose.

For this project, we will virtually visit Ubirr Rock and experience 360-degree photographs of a scene atop Ubirr Rock in outback NT. If participants feel fit enough…they can actually (virtually) climb the rock along the walking trail. Mission ISS is a virtual reality application that takes the VR user into outer space to experience life as an astronaut. During the experience you will learn facts about living on board a space station. You can watch short information videos (within the VR app) of astronauts overcoming challenges of living in space (like how they wash their hair). You can see the toilet on the space station as well. You can take a walk into space (outside the space station) and learn how to manipulate the controls to complete a docking maneuver.

City of Darwin Libraries

Science Week STEAM Zone – Fossils and Bones 

STEAM Zone is a fun and engaging session that explores different Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Maths educational themes. Fantastic Fossils and Bones will be on discovery at City of Darwin Libraries this Science Week.

Beyond

NL Wild

Backyards, Country and species discovery: How citizens can become scientists

After discovering a new wasp species in Leilyn, Lucy and Nick worked with Jawoyn elders to find a First Nations name for it. The collaboration continues with celebrations and ongoing community involvement.

A Jawoyn/Nitmiluk afternoon tea gathering will showcase specimens of the newly discovered wasp species from Leliyn, further enhancing relationships and paving the way for partnerships between Western Science and First Nations Science. An initiative in schools on Jawoyn Country aims to motivate and provide resources to schoolchildren in Katherine, empowering them to discover new species in their local surroundings. This program focuses on engaging youth. 

Taminmin Community Library, Litchfield Council

Students vs Seniors – Barramundi Tales

Taminmin Library’s monthly intergenerational program brings together older members of the community and rural youth. For Science Week 2024 the library invites both generations offsite for a science and fishing themed event. Participants share knowledge around knot tying technique, Be Crocwise tips, knowledge of the barramundi species, its biology and breeding cycle and sustainable fishing practices.  

Species Survival – A VR experience

Taminmin Community Library is partnering with PaRBA’s (Palmerston Regional Basketball Association) Level Up Gaming for Science Week 2024. Using the gaming group’s up to date equipment and technical expertise, the library will be able to offer virtual reality experiences that instigate contemplation and empathy from members of the rural community, in particular regarding the survival of diverse species on our planet.

Roper Gulf Regional Council

The deadly world of worms and other creepy crawlies

A enGROSSing study into the world of parasites. Barunga, Beswick and Jilkminggan kids are collecting faecal samples from their dogs and analysing the samples with a microscope. Community learn about the dog health programs, what the treatments we’re giving actually do, and what is transmissible to people and how to mitigate those risks.

AMRRIC – Animal Management in Rural and Remote Indigenous Communities

Keep ‘em Alive! – Dogs, Cats, and our Native Species

This Tiwi Islands school education program involves students in the learning and knowledge behind the connections between human, animal, and environmental health, and the individual actions that pet owners can take that lead to improving One Health outcomes for remote communities in the Northern Territory.

ASRAC – Arafura Swamp Rangers Aboriginal Corporation

Using both way science to understand the role of Bulukminy, the file snake (Acrochordus arafurae) and demonstrate its unique biology and importance in culture

Among the incredible biodiversity of the Arafura Swamp, we find the fascinating File Snake (Acrochordus arafurae). This snake is quite unique on its biology, been completely aquatic and harmless. In our region, one of the local names for File Snakes is Bulukminy and they are very important culturally and as a source of bush meat. The ASRAC rangers, Ramingining School

Learning on Country and Charles Darwin University deliver a Both-Way Science Project with the Bulukminy.  A field trip during Science Week with rangers, teachers and students, will share knowledge of the snake’s biology and cultural importance. Harvested animals will be sampled and samples will be taken to the CDU lab, where first nation students from northeast Arnhem Land will assist analysing the sample for nutrients. The results will be printed as posters and sent back to Ramingining school and community. 

Alice Springs Town Library and Children’s University

Exploring Optics and Sound

A series of activities for children to explore among the scientific topics of Acoustics and Optics.

Jawoyn Association Aboriginal Corporation

Surveying Ngarrmirngan/Red Lily Lagoon for birds and other wildlife with Mangarrayi community and Rangers

Mangarrayi Land Management and Community Development Advisory Committee and the Mangarrayi Rangers along with youth will conduct a survey for birds and other wildlife at Ngarrmirngan/Red Lily Lagoon in the dry season of 2024 using binoculars and field guides. We will then collate information on all birds and other wildlife observed to create a beautiful poster for the community.

Culture Tech

Nature’s Custodians: Science and Culture for Conservation

A two-day workshop designed to engage school-aged students and community members of Nawarddeken Academy focusing on the theme ‘Species Survival – More Than Just Sustainability,’ emphasising the importance of biodiversity and the interplay of scientific and traditional Indigenous knowledge in conservation efforts. Day one includes hands-on workshops, including building native animal habitats and planting native flora and a bush garden with support from Bininj rangers. Day two is all about collaborative project design, where participants develop and present conservation-focused projects. There will also be guided by workshops on creating their own citizen science project and planning with conservation technology currently in use across the IPA.

Megafauna Central

Brushes with the past: Unveiling the Late miocene with Peter Schouten

Renowned artist Peter Schouten will join Senior Curator of Earth Sciences (and fellow palaeo-artist) Dr Adam Yates to discuss palaeo-art. These two experts will share the methods they use to put flesh, fur, skin and scales on long extinct creatures and re-imagine their environments. They will share how research impacts on depictions, and what limitations there are in reconstructing the past.