Celebrating 40 years of the NYSF

Starting on August 17th and concluding on August 19th, NYSF celebrated its 40th Anniversary by running its second ever STEM Summit and hosting a Gala Dinner in the Great Hall at Parliament House.

Concluding this year’s STEM Summit was our 40th Anniversary Gala Dinner event, a separate dinner held at Parliament House. This event celebrated 40 years of NYSF by inviting our Alumni, Community and Partners to dine with us, join us for announcements and reconnect with their communities.

Key announcements made during the night were the NYSF’s newest Science Patron, Her Excellency the Governor-General of the Commonwealth, Ms Sam Mostyn AC, and a boost of funding provided by the Department of Industry, Science and Resources in conjunction with their announced NAtional Science Statement and their National Research and Science Priorities.

You can read about both our newest NYSF Science Patron and the NYSF's welcoming of the National Science Statement and National Research Priorities.

The Gala begins

Our event started at 630PM, with our guests queued for their seats out the front of the Great Hall.

Welcoming attendees into the hall were 42 pieces of art donated by our esteemed NYSF community, including noteworthy STEM professionals. This art was donated for a silent auction to raise funds for the NYSf Access and Equity Scholarship. Artworks were donated by a variety of bodies within the NYSF community, though special mention goes to the donation of art from Nobel Prize Laureates Professor Barry Marshall and Professor Brian Schmidt. More artworks were provided by alumni from various generations of NYSF, or NSSS as they remember it.

This also included work from 2017 NYSF alum Emily Groves, who now works within the Partnerships and Alumni space of the NYSF, and the Hon Kate Lundy, a current NYSF board member.

This fund is our initiative to increase diversity and audience representation at our events. Across the 2024 Summit, and 40th Anniversary Gala the NYSF and our partners supported 21 participants with this fund additionally bringing 19 of them into the gala, spread across 12 tables.

We're incredibly proud to seat guests from underrepresented demographics on the same tables as esteemed STEM figureheads. Each brings a unique insight into STEM pathways, and their conversations are known to have been insightful and hopeful for both parties.

Our Access and Equity fund is a fantastic way to directly impact and sponsor a participant to a variety of our events. With the reception our programs receive from out attendees, we’re delighted to be able to provide this opportunity for support. You can donate to the NYSF here.

Thank you to those who donated art and support this fund, we're excited to bring more diverse groups to our programs with that help.

Within the hall were two large displays with a rolling video of photos provided by alumni, as well as snapshots of their journeys since the program. In the month leading up to the anniversary gala, NYSF had been in contact with alumni from various years, who generously provided the content that made up this feature.

We’d like to thank those that provided their stories and shared with us what they have been up to, and the photographs that capture the program they experienced.

Staff met with and talked about their experiences with the program, and how it had influenced their decisions to continue within STEM, or to eventually support the program from the inside.

Alumni from different generations met and compared their experiences with the program, honouring the roots while sharing the excitement in what is now on offer.

Our friends from the STEM sector met with the participants they'd sponsored, seeing what future they were nurturing, and sharing back appreciation for that support.

Supporting all of this networking were two additional features to our gallery.

The first of these was a monumental display of 20 different t-shirts from the NYSF since 1984. Since the beginning of the NYSF each Year 12 Program has come with a year-relative t-shirt, updating each year with a new design, and to reflect that year’s partners. Additionally, the display included saleable merchandise and anniversary items.

Shirts on display have been part of this cycle, on sale as merchandise in the past, or as signifiers in the NYSF’s history. As our evening’s theme was ruby, we carried the motif from early NYSF designs that used colour to signify their anniversary events, using it in our event’s peripherals.

Additionally, a photobooth was set up across from the display, where various members of our community came together to grab keepsakes for the night. This photobooth provided keepsakes for our guests, who took photos with eachother to celebrate their time with the NYSF. Each group, or individual, could collect a set of three images printed on the spot.

[Show slideshow]

-- photobooth

Eventually, our guests and their conversations moved to assigned tables, as the nights formalities would commence shortly after 7PM.

Presentations

2001 Alumni, Geoscientist and current Weather Presenter for ABC Breakfast Nate Byrne joined us as the evenings MC, who helped to warm the room and invite people into the hall.

From 7PM the Governor-General Ms Sam Mostyn made her entrance, flanked by art from our Silent Auction. The Governor-General’s arrival was met with pause, and shortly after her arrival, NAte would open our presentations with a Welcome to Country by Aunty Violet Sheridan, followed by a formal welcoming to the anniversary by NYSF CEO Dr Melanie Bagg GAICD.

Our evening was introduced by highlighting our vision at the NYSF.

“As a nation, we punch well above our weight in science and technology. To maintain and grow this, and ensure a prosperous future for our nation, a diverse pipeline of young Australians entering these fields is essential; that’s where we come in.”

As the evening marked 40 years of NYSF, we were proud to stand tall in this space. Melanie's words were reinforced by the Governor General, who echoed the sentiment while also formally announcing her acceptance of NYSF’s Science Patronage.

“To our young scientists, thank you for giving the riches of your intellect, curiosity and determination. Your discoveries, skills and insights underpin all our futures.”

“And for all these reasons, and as I wish you the very best as you place science at the centre of your world of possibilities, I am honoured and excited to accept the National Youth Science Forum’s invitation to serve as Patron”.

The Hone Ed Husic, Minister for Industry Science and Resources was introduced to the stage following the Governor General. He brought an extensive praising of Australian efforts in research and science, with an announcement of boosted funding for the NYSF, and other STEM focused programs being run in Australia.

“I am very pleased to announce the Government is boosting funding for the NYSF by an extra $1.8 million over four years. This means more young people from a wide range of backgrounds will be able to access STEM education and careers.”

“This brings the total government support for this program to more then $5 million. The new funding is part of the Government’s $38 million boost to STEM programs,” said Minister Husic.

This announcement comes in conjunction with the National Science and Research Priorities published just days before our Gala, which highlighted the importance of STEM opportunities being provided for future generations.

The Science and Research Priorities are published by Chief Scientist of Australia Dr Cathy Foley AO, who was in attendance that evening, who has supported the NYSF as a keynote speaker, webinar host and frequent event attendee, including the STEM Summmit 2024 which she both presented during and networked within.

Our spotlight of the evening was for more than just the announcements we'd been excited to share, but one to honour the alumni that have substantiated the programs we run, and exemplified their value. A special invite ot Vaishnavi Muddam to speak was met with gratitude, and acceptance.

“NYSF taught me that being a scientist isn’t just about working in a lab; it’s about thinking critically, embracing challenges, and asking, “How can I make a difference?”

Alumni were represented throughout the entire evening, though it was critical that a recent participant could speak on behalf of the NYSF during the proceedings. Vaishnavi’s experience reflects the last few years of the program, where even in a limited environment, we still endeavoured to bring forward a rich offering of STEM to our participants.

Vaishnavi attended the program in 2021 and has since taken on a Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) – Science at ANU, and stepped into the role of Executive Director for ANU Fifty50. We’re grateful that Vaishnavi joined us this evening.

Presentations stopped briefly to organise a photograph with all alumni that had joined us to celebrate the NYSF.

We were then joined by Retired Air Marshall Warren McDonald, the CEO of our major partner Lockheed Martin. Warren reflected on the valueable education that inspired his family, and the importance of programs such as NYSF. We’re thankful for your time and support to the NYSF, and your help in introducing more youth to STEM each year.

The Hon Paul Fletcher MP, Shadow Minister for Science and the Arts joined us after Warren McDonald, sharing reflections on the important of science, and a hopeful path forward to those pursuing a career in STEM.

“I do want you to be confident that your work or future work as scientists is enormously respected and valued across the political spectrum.”

We thank Mr Fletcher, Shadow Minister for Science and the Arts for sharing the passions witnessed from various scientists and researchers he had met, and for how optimistic he is for future scientific careers. We appreciate your support in helping to grow the NYSF.

"The NYSF is our nation's landmark STEM program - not jsut because of 40 years, but that's certainly worth celebrating, but because it has a really strong track record of getting diversity of different people into the program, men and women, city and regions, and bringing them together in a way that creates opportunity."

Patricia Kelly, Chair of the NYSF Board was our final speaker and used the time to thank the partners and sponsors that support the NYSF. Particular thank yous go to our major partners in Lockheed Martin Australia, for their continued support of the Program, and to The Australian National University and University of Queensland for routinely offering us a space to run our programs.

We are further thankful for all our supporters that offer themselves for our STEM visit during the Year 12 Program, offer spokespeople from Industry to present STEM in its breadth, and to those that support us financially, allowing the NYSF to run our programs year after year.

Concluding the Gala

With these thanks provided, our proceedings concluded. For the next hour and a half, the floor would be open for our guests to continue building connections.

Our final event for the night was between 9 and 930PM as the silent auction kicked into a frenzy. MC Nate Byrne provided updates on timings and funds raised over the microphone as our guests could be seen deciding within themselves if they’d commit that bit more for a piece on display, or creating competition between each other over particular pieces of art. Most importantly, by the end of the 30 minutes the auction fund had raised to 8.9k, as final bids were locked in - spiking substantially from the start of the night.

Our team was on standby to help collect the pieces won by guests in attendance, and the night started to wrap up in its celebrations.

We want to thank everyone that joined us for the evening, and celebrating our 40th Anniversary with us, with a further congratulations to the winners in our silent auction.

We'd like especially to thank all the Year 12 Program Alumni that came and celebrated with us. The list is exhaustive, and each of you represent the NYSF so well. Thank you to:

• Aadya Mishra
• Alison Shield
• Alicia Moore
• Anneliese Joy
• Bienna Chow
• Catherine Sinclair
• Catherine Wheller
• Christopher Harris
• Christopher Hatherly
• Danielle Johinke
• Deanna D'Alessandro
• David Snowdon
• Elizabeth Wotten
• Emelia Naumov
• Emily Foot
• Emily Groves
• Emma Pilgrim
• Felix Pountney
• Harishan Nirumalan
• Hannah Hitch
• Hannah Vardy
• Isaac Charles
• Isaac Kozlovskis
• Isabella Naylor
• Jackson Wilde
• Jack McKee
• Jessica Dawson
• John Allen
• Jordan Blockey
• Katie-Lee Overstead
• Karl Maftoum
• Karrie Bishop (Holloway)
• Keely Perry
• Lara Morris
• Layne Paull
• Liam Gough
• Matt Wenham
• Melinda Blake
• Mitchell Isaacs
• Nathan Byrne
• Nathanan Holmes
• Nicholas De Rozario
• Oscar Waring
• Owen Brasher
• Rakshan Chandu
• Rose Keane
• Sadaya Marathe
• Samiksha Madan
• Sarah Ozanne
• Sophie Burgess
• Sophie Nolan
• Stephanie Davies
• Stephanie Jones
• Stuart Vass
• Subho Banerjee
• Taya Ferraro
• Taylor Goodwin
• Thomas Plant
• Tia Chen
• Vaishnavi Muddam
• Zebediah Napier

Thank you for coming along.

We look forward to another 40 years of the NYSF.