The Science Teachers Association of Western Australia (STAWA) has relocated to Curtin University of Technology’s new $116 million Resources and Chemistry Precinct in Bentley.
STAWA CEO John Clarke said the new location meant the association would be closer to the local scientific community.
“It will help foster an environment where high school science teachers, academia and industry can work together for the benefit of science education in WA,” he said.
“In the past, STAWA has had considerable support from WA universities, as well as government and industry.
“We believe that by being based at Curtin we will be able to build on these relationships by developing working partnerships with the other organisations based in the Precinct neighbourhood.”
STAWA relocated to the Precinct in January and has already conducted a professional development day for high school physics teachers.
“The day was a great success and Curtin staff provided a great deal of scientific expertise that really added to what we had to offer,” Mr Clarke said.
Curtin’s Resources and Chemistry Precinct Director, Mark Woffenden, said STAWA’s move to the Precinct fulfilled one of aims for the Precinct of engaging with the local scientific education community.
He said other centres housed at the Precinct and at the nearby Australian Minerals Research Centre, such as the State Government’s ChemCentre and the Parker Cooperative Research Centre, will also benefit from STAWA’s presence.
“Industry wants to contribute to secondary education and science teachers want the latest information on what is happening in the world of science,” Mr Woffenden said.
“By having STAWA based at our new Precinct, Curtin can make this happen.”
The Curtin Resources and Chemistry Precinct was officially opened in November 2009 by Premier Colin Barnett, and is home to more than 200 researchers and ancillary staff.
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