1998 School Magazine

Girls 6rammar ^^chuol ;!artsbane 1998

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they attend a two-week program in Canberra in January aimed at encouraging and assisting students in their discovery of career opportunities. Katherine Mendra <12R) and Elmna Car lisle (12E) attended the forum this year. Because of her contribution to the January 1998 forum, Katherine was one of 22 students invited to attend an overseas event. Katherine travelled to Canada to play an ambassadorial role at the Canada Wide Science Fair which was held over one week in May Alexandra Gillies (11B) and Kate MCCrossin <11G) have been selected to attend the CM National Youth Science Forum scheduled for January, 1999. Katherine Mendra has been invited to attend the 1999 forum as a member of staff. The Steme"'s Science Experte, ,ce - This school is held each January and is offered to students entering Year Ten. it is a chance for students to enjoy some of the wonders of science and technology and discover their uses in a modern world Tertiary institutions across Australia are involved in the pro- gram, with seven campuses in Queensland offering places to Year Nine students who are perfonning well at school. Priority is given to Rotary-endorsed applicants. During the program, students are addressed by keynote speakers, and participate in workshops, forums, and laboratory sessions. They travel to research laboratories, manufacturing plants, and explore other places of scientific and technological significance. Lindsay MCGrath (9R), Arma CIOuston (90), Victoria Ling (90), Genevieve Thornson (9E), Sandra Turk <9G), Katherine See <9B), Elizabeth Francis <9H), Rosie Downing <9G), Ieniiifer Davis <9M), and Kalelyn Peffer <9B) have been offered places for the summer school being held next January QUEENSL, .IVD YOUTH SPACE FORUM - REPORT BY LOUISA YOUNG The Queensland Youth Space Forum was held at the Queensland University of Technology from 20-22 July, 1998 Fourstudentsfrom BGGS - SusanJeime (12B), Claire Humphries <10L) Tammy MacGinley (TOB), and Louisa Young (10L) - attended. Fifty students from around the state were selected to attend this inaugural forum After registration and some ice-breaking games on the first day, we toured the Ansert facilities at Brisbane Airport. There we saw wl}ere all the planes are maintained and we were allowed to go into the cockpit of planes and see the controls and instruments. This was really interesting because it gave us a better insight into how complex the design of planes really is in the afternoon we toured MITEC, a company dealing in sophisticated communication systems, where we were given a talk about their recent master oscillator project. Then we went on to the MCLeod Country Golf Club where we launched different types of model rockets On the second day we attended many hands-on workshops related to space law, X38

amberIey where we saw an F-111 and different flight sirnula- lots. We were allowed to go inside the simulators which was particularly exciting. We were then given a talk about aviation medicine. On our wayback to QUTwe stopped at the hypersonic shock funnel at the University of Queensland. We also talked to Dr Paul ScullyJones who was the first Australian astronaut to go into space. All that was left was the barbecue dimer and farewell at Southbank. We really enjoyed the Space Forum because not only was it interesting but it also provided students from around the state with a special interest in space with the opportunity to meet and discuss matters of mutual interest SCXENCE COMPETTTrONS: Jinten, @tto",, I Yo""g Physicists To"Hmme"t - The first weekinJune saw a team offIve YearTwelve girls from Brisbane Girls Grailunar School representing Australia at the 11th inter- national Young Physicists Tournament <1YPT) held in Doriaueschingen (Germany). The school was given the OPPor- minty to send a team to Germany due to our strong connections with OUT partner school The girls in the team to represent Australia in this compeli- tion were Georga Cooke <12E), Emma Canisle <12E), Rebecca Fadey (12H), Cairnn Mariey <12R), and Vivien Stewart (12G) who was the team captain The IYPTis a team competition'for Physics students in their final year of school. The girls competed in a team and as a team The tournament has been running for ten years with most participants coming from European and Scandinavian countries <0ne team from each country and two from the host nation) This year eighteen teams competed The organisers are keen to encourage an Australian quali- fying tournament in the future to ensure Australia's continued participation. I believe this competition proved to be a very valuable experience for our students and will soon establish itself as an important vehide for student enrichment in Senior Physics Rio Ti, Ito A"str"It@" Scie"ce 04, ,,!@fads - The Biology, Chemistry, and Physics Olympiads are international con}pen- lions held annually. xii extension program of education is offered to students in Year Eleven who show an exceptional interest and ability in one or more of the sentor sciences. Formal teaching is supported by homework, tutorials and mastery tests designed to encourage and assist students to study in depend- ently. The Olympiads provide students with the opportunity and stimulus to further their skills, knowledge, and interests through national and international examinations and programs of accelerated learning Each year the school's top Year Eleven science students are invited to train and sit for external examinations administered in October. The top achievers on these tests are then invited to attend training schools which act as precursors to the salection of the Australian team. Last year, Katherine Mendra (12R) was one of the top forty students selected for extra training at Gritfith University for. the Physics Olympiad. in the Biology Olympiad, Vivien Stewart <12G) was awarded a silver certificate and Alma Palmer <12H) received a bronze certificate

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