Australian not-for-profit organisation DeadlyScience has launched an initiative to give First Nations students living in remote and rural communities the opportunity to engage with hands-on science learning, Emily Campbell writes.
Children living in the rural community of Robinson River in the Northern Territory recently piloted a new science kit exploring the chemistry of soap-making and hygiene as part of the new DeadlyLabs project, run by DeadlyScience and pharmaceutical tech company Merck.
Striving for STEM education equity
The soap-making chemistry kit was the first in a series of DeadlyLab kits, with future kits to explore physics, biology and more.
Kamilaroi man Corey Tutt OAM founded DeadlyScience in 2019 to help create STEM equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners.
As a young person, he developed a love of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects but found little encouragement for First Nations Peoples to pursue careers in STEM.
Regional and remote schools were often critically under-resourced, so Corey wanted to ensure these students received the same high-quality STEM learning experiences as those in urban areas.
Corey worked two jobs so he could purchase and send resources to some of these disadvantaged schools before the charity was established.
DeadlyScience has since grown to be Australia’s leading First Nations STEM charity, working with more than 800 schools and communities nationwide.
The first scientists
The organisation acknowledges that First Nations Peoples have used science for over 65,000 years and that the first scientists passed on the lessons of the land, sea and sky to the future scientists of today through stories, song and dance.
Corey believes that DeadlyScience has a cultural responsibility to our first and future scientists.
“By providing these children with experimental kits, we will promote interest and engagement of science during early learning and create pathways for upcoming scientists to emerge from these rural communities,” he said.
Corey said local Elders had full autonomy over the DeadlyLabs pilot project in Robinson River, which the Garawa and Gunindiri Peoples developed with support from DeadlyScience and Merck.
“DeadlyLabs is the next step in giving Indigenous learners more opportunities to learn and play with science from an early age and highlight career pathways for upcoming scientists,” Corey said.
“The Elders want to pass down their knowledge of the value of cleanliness.
“We’ve had the privilege of listening to and learning from the principal of Robinson River School, as well as two Indigenous Elders, Aunty Patsy-Anne and Aunty Susan,” he said.
Following the pilot, DeadlyScience and Merck are refining the chemistry lessons and activities based on results and participant feedback.
The plan is to expand distribution by sending the DeadlyLab Chemistry kits to more students and their communities.
Sparking interest in science
Rebecca Lee, Managing Director Life Science and Country Speaker at Merck ANZ, said the company was excited to be involved in the DeadlyLabs project and spark children’s interest in science.
“The science of soap-making is a fun way to explore and address the serious topic of staying healthy,” Rebecca said.
“This is important as Australian Institute of Health and Welfare statistics show that some life-shortening infectious diseases like rheumatic heart disease are more prevalent in regional and remote areas.
“As a science-based organisation, we know the value of testing ideas, gathering data and measuring impact, so we’re particularly pleased to be part of an initiative that is both doing and studying the impact of Indigenous science education,” she said.
Each DeadlyLabs kit will contain an at-home or in-class experimental kit, which will be made accessible to younger scientists, lower literacy groups and underprivileged communities.
DeadlyScience plans on gathering data to measure the impact of the program, too.
“This project will be the first to collect culturally appropriate metrics on science education in Indigenous communities,” Corey said.
To find out more about DeadlyScience and the DeadlyLabs initiative or to donate to the organisation, visit their website at deadlyscience.org.au