#teamEQUS does CONASTA

After a few false starts due to bushfires, COVID-19 and membership turn-over, the EQUS Quantum for Educators Portfolio was thrilled to be able to send a team to the 70th Australian Science Teachers Association Conference (CONASTA70) in Adelaide, 9–12 July.

The primary objectives of attending CONASTA were to gain feedback on teaching resources and understand how EQUS could best support teachers.  To this end, the team, led by Associate Investigator Dr Lachlan Rogers, hosted a trade stand and delivered an interactive workshop on quantum science and technology.

Lachlan, Reece and CONASTA delegates at the EQUS trade stand.

The workshop commenced with an interactive activity based around the question, “What do you think of when you hear the word ‘quantum’?”  Then, Lachlan provided an overview of quantum technology, including existing and future applications, and the Federal Government’s intention to establish Australia as a world leader in the sector.  He also highlighted the important role the education sector, including teachers, has in realising the quantum future.

The second half of the workshop ran like a choose-your-own-adventure, based on the responses to the opening activity, and so included a demonstration and explanation of quantum superposition, and further discussion of the advantages of quantum technology compared with classical technology.  The workshop concluded with the same interactive activity it opened with, with the addition of the question also put to the hundreds of people who visited the EQUS trade stand: “How can we help you?”

Our workshop: Lachlan talking about the future of quantum in Australia while Kristen sorts through post-it notes from the opening activity.

The team received a wealth of feedback on this question, including low-cost demonstrations (physical and virtual) of physics principles that underpin quantum, cheat sheets for teachers, short explainer videos for students, and contacts for advanced students undertaking extension research programs.

The next step is to develop some of these resources and ideas, with a view to road-testing and refining them at CONASTA 2024.

Reece, Kristen, Will and CONASTA delegates at the EQUS trade stand.

The other EQUS members who travelled who Adelaide were Associate Investigator Reece Roberts, PhD students Cassandra Bowie and Will Campbell, and operations team members Kristen Harley and Katrina Tune.  The committee is very excited about the potential of this initiative to be an important part of EQUS’ legacy, enabling a greater understanding of quantum physics by the wider community and (hopefully) inspiring the next generation of quantum scientists and engineers.