Kate Stedman writes about her experiences at the Youth ANZAAS camp in Melbourne in July.

The Youth ANZAAS (the Australian & New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science) camp was a compelling experience that showed me the wide range of research and development opportunities and projects happening in Melbourne. 

It provided a unique opportunity for secondary school science students like myself to engage with real-life discoveries and innovation across all scientific disciplines. 

I am very grateful for the funding received from the Royal Society’s Talented Secondary School Students’ Travel Award that enabled me to spend a whole week in the vibrant city of Melbourne - one of the biggest cities I’ve ever been to.

When I arrived at the University of Melbourne’s International House, I was immediately charmed by the friendly staffies from the Young Scientists Association of Melbourne, the smart and effusive secondary school students from across Australia and New Zealand, as well as the free food and Milo. 

Over the course of the week, these people became like family and I never got tired of the food. The magnificent hall of the International House, where we lived and dined every night, gave me a tantalising taste of what studying in Melbourne is like.

Over the next few days, we went on tours of the Melbourne Zoo, the Melbourne University campus, the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. 

We also toured the Defense Science & Technology centre, where we got a hands-on feel for how technology and science, such as radiation imaging technology, is used in conflict zones. 

We visited the Scienceworks Museum where we saw a riveting planetarium show and learned about astronomy and atmospheric physics.

One of my favourite parts of the experience was the ‘behind-the-scenes’ tour of the Melbourne Museum. 

We saw amazingly well-preserved deep sea creatures such as the interesting-looking anglerfish (which I recognised from Finding Nemo) as well as preserved mammals and artefacts such as a real egg of a now-extinct elephant bird. It was fascinating to learn about how a museum’s displays are maintained.

This experience was so worthwhile because I was able to spend a week immersed in enthusiasm for science and learning, both of the other students as well as the talented speakers and scientists. It reinforced my determination to be a part of this exciting, dynamic and supportive community.

The most valuable thing I learned from this experience was that science will always be surprising and interesting in ways that I would have never considered before. 

Over the course of one week, I considered more scientific career paths than I probably have over the last few years. 

When it comes to decision-making about university courses in the next few months, I will reflect on my experiences in Melbourne to help me make my decisions.