National Science Week 2013

A week-long community celebration of science across Australia will take place from 10-18 August for National Science Week.

The festival was officially launched today by Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Kim Carr at the Questacon in Canberra. It will feature a record 1700-plus events and is expected to engage more than 1.4 million Australians throughout the week.

“Individuals can even become scientists for a day by taking part in the online citizen science project, Explore the Seafloor; already thousands of Australians have tagged more than 27,000 underwater images to help scientists with their important work on the effect of climate change on Australia’s oceans,” said Senator Carr.

Australian Academy of Science President Professor Suzanne Cory, said: “National Science Week encourages people of all ages to get hands on with science. [It] aims to increase the science literacy of all Australians. Its importance is underlined by recent evidence that Australia’s science literacy is in decline.”

The festival is coordinated by individuals and organisations on a voluntary basis, with support from the Australian Government through the Inspiring Australia program, and national partners, CSIRO, the Australian Science Teachers’ Association, and the ABC.

For more information, visit the National Science Week website or download the National Science Week app from the App Store.