MELBOURNE GEOTECH EXCURSION
During the July school holidays, eight students, along with Mr. Hatton and Dr. Harris, traveled to Melbourne to participate in the three-day Geotech conference held at RMIT University. At the event, students gained insights into the geospatial industry from experts and collaborated with industry professionals to solve geospatial problems. They used ArcGIS software to collect data from fieldwork and overlay this on various city map layers. Additionally, they engaged in a geocaching activity around the city.
The students had the opportunity to spend time with female role models and professionals from leading organizations, including Esri Australia, The Geospatial Council of Australia, FrontierSI, VicMap (Department of Transport and Planning), SheMaps, James Cook University, and RMIT University. The event highlighted career pathways in geospatial and space technologies.
Beyond the conference, students enjoyed exploring Melbourne. Activities included attending an AFL match, experiencing a light show, visiting the Old Melbourne Gaol, Melbourne Museum, and the State Library, and indulging in the city's renowned food, coffee, gelato, and shopping. The students represented our school wonderfully, making the excursion a unique and memorable learning experience.
Here’s what some of the students had to say about the excursion:
Joelene Ignacio: “The GeoTech conference was a new experience for me and allowed me to gain new insights into geography and science. The part I enjoyed most was a fantastic woman who informed us about the applications of Geospatial technology in marine biology showing how the technology was used to track shark migration patterns and how the data could help wildlife protection and track climate change. I also enjoyed socialising with other girls and developing friendships with them. Overall, GeoTech was a positive experience and left me with new tools to use in the classroom and beyond.”
Metta Keen: “The Geotech conference was a wonderful experience, in which I learnt innovative ways to collect and analyse data. Additionally, I created new friendships with other students my age in Melbourne looking to study in this field. Going to a different state was an eye-opener for thinking about my future careers. My favourite part of the entire trip was being able to use Story Maps. Overall, this was an immersive school trip, leading me to gain a substantial amount of knowledge from experts who are passionate about their fields.”
Anna Zammit: “I had the honour to attend the Geotechnology conference in Melbourne. It was an exciting experience that I loved. I found the second day of the conference the most interesting, where we met a marine biologist who taught us collection of data and how to put that information into maps (plus a lot of shark facts!!) All of the mathematics, science, and geography were really fascinating, and the conference opened some new opportunities going into the HSC.”
The Melbourne Geotech excursion provided our students with invaluable experiences and exposure to cutting-edge technologies and potential career paths, all while enjoying the vibrant culture and attractions of Melbourne.
