General News
13 February, 2026
Student enjoys science experience in Canberra
A CAMPERDOWN College student paid a visit to Canberra for a special science and technology experience recently as part of a young scholars program.
Hamish Collins is part of the Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars Program, which is an academic and social enrichment program provided by University of Melbourne.
He said he was able to meet a number of sponsors for the program as well as a number of previous scholars during an opening ceremony.
“Afterwards I had the Canva Innovations Network which, though more business rather than STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), opened up more options for me to chase a career that is more than just research and science primarily, coming up with tangible solutions for issues that either we deal with every day or potential future solutions,” he said.
“Day three was the careers day so we had to go to an auditorium where we had many different speakers and presentations from Australian National University (ANU), CSL, Australian Defence Force (ADF), Swinburne University, Monash University and more, and afterwards we came back to do a quick speed-meet-like talk with people who either have careers in a science industry they would be interested in or a previous National Youth Science Forum member.
“There was an exhibition where you actually got to go to set stalls and talk with some of the people there and learn about different options and pathways.
“This also includes some of the job options as well, which I had a few questions comparing the ADF and Lockheed Martin.”
Other locations included AETC Analytical Labs, the National Museum of Australia and University of New South Wales Physics and Oceanography campus.
Hamish said among the favourite experiences was a virtual visit to the CERN Super Hadron Collider and discussion with researcher.
“He got to show us around, though it is in Switzerland, and they were doing some adjusting to it given it was winter and they’re probably going to stop to adjust how the research would be done in 2030,” he said.
“I’m quite glad I got to take a look at it before it shut down almost entirely.
“For them summer would happen like every like Fivemilliseconds, if not less, between tiny particles going around very close to the speed of light to smash into each other and let off even smaller particles like Higgs bosons, gluons, that sort of thing.”
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Hamish said he also enjoyed the seventh day, where the group explored applied water science.
“We got to learn about how they measured their location like a lake and some of the science and math behind it,” he said.
“And for one of the things I had to actually go into the water and actually collect scoops of bacteria, creatures and stuff that lived in the water.
“We also had Communicating with Influence with Peter Derbyshire.
“He almost got a PhD before he moved to politics and trying to talk to students about how you could influence science and how to get more funding towards it from the government.
“I did end up talking to him afterwards about other potential opportunities, which I now have an email, so I can talk to him.”
Additional activities included scavenger hunts, relaxed time where Hamish was able to spend time with fellow Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars, a STEM Olympics between groups, a debate on whether artificial intelligence would be the doom of humanity and a disco.
Hamish said he enjoyed the experience, which has broadened his plans for further education and future pathways.
“It expanded my views on science, given I was primarily just going to try to go straight down chemistry,” he said.
“However, I’ve broadened it out again to include geology and physics as well as potentially some biology, given I was quite interested in physics when I was younger.”
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