For the second consecutive year, Australian and French Year 10 students participated in term 3 in the development of a science project of their choice during the enrichment hour. The projects are divided between two research areas: biology and physical sciences. Topics include the mission of the French Navy's polar patrol vessel, L'Astrolabe, which supplies the French Antarctic and Austral Territories (TAAF) and the French Polar Institute's (IPEV) Dumont D'Urville station in Antarctica.
At the end of the term, the different groups presented their project to a jury made up of two representatives of the French Embassy, Australian scientists and teachers.
Two projects were selected and the students of these groups won a trip to Hobart in Tasmania.
During this trip, the winners were able to:
- Visit the Australian Antarctic Research Division (AAD), and meet Dr Dick Welsford, who showed us the world's only Krill farm in the laboratory, the logistics and equipment warehouses of the researchers, but also to watch a 3D film made in Antarctica.
- Visit the University of Tasmania and meet Dr LANGLAIS and Dr MONGIN, Research Scientists at CSIRO and Dr LANNUZEL Senior Researcher as well as French PhD and post-doctoral students. Each of them presented the object of their research in the fields of oceanography and biomarine. The students in turn presented their projects.
- Visit Mawson's Hut, a replica of a hut built in 1911 in Antarctica during the expedition by an Australian team led by Mr MAWSON,
- And finally visit the French polar patrol boat L'Astrolabe, a partnership between the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF), the French Polar Institute (IPEV) and the French Navy, and meet its commander, Mr CECCALDI. This ship makes rotations between Hobart in Tasmania and the Dumont d'Urville station in Antarctica, in order to supply the base and transport passengers.
These exchanges were particularly enriching.
We thank the teachers Mrs SIAKIMOTU and MICHEL for supervising the project, Mrs CORNOLTI and Mr GREIG for accompanying the students during this trip.
But also very warmly the teams of the French Embassy, Mr BOISSENIN of the cultural service and Messrs PETITDIDIER, ARNAUDON of the defence mission, whose services accompanied the pupils and paid for the cost of the trip.