Gifted & Talented Discovery Program

The Science Gifted & Talented Discovery Program was established in 1996 and has had over 1,300 students participate since its inception. The aim of the program is to provide talented high school students (in Years 9 & 10) with additional challenges and stimulations in the areas of science, specifically in biology, chemistry and physics. It provides students with an insight into science after school as a potential university student as well an opportunity to meet new friends. The program runs twice a year for three days, in the April and July school holiday period.

Calendar of Events for Gifted & Talented Discovery Program 2009 - 2010

How do I get involved in the program?

To qualify for the program students must sit a 40-minute exam (The Gifted & Talented Discovery Program Qualifying Exam). The multiple-choice exam consists of questions that are designed to test the student's ability to solve scientific problems in the areas of biology, chemistry and physics. for a student to be eligible to attend the workshops they must sit the same exam. Once all exams are returned to the University they are marked and ranked. The top 10-15% of students (depending on the number of students who sit the qualifying exam each year) will be invited to attend this competitive program. Schools receive an information pack containing the percentile band result for each student that sat the exam, a list of the student(s) if any who have been invited to attend the program and letters to be sent home to each student that has been invited to attend the program. There is a cost involved in sitting the exam of $6.00 (GST is not charged) for each completed exam returned to the University.

When does the program run?

In 2010, two workshops will be conducted. They will be in the NSW and ACT April and July school holiday period:

What have the students get up to at the workshops in the past?

Biology

Biology is full of fun with a number of interesting laboratory sessions including:

Put your body to the test - Spend a day with the School of Biological Sciences exploring the capabilities and limits of the human body. See how good your taste buds are at detecting flavours, find out what part of your body is best at feeling the heat and learn how to take your own blood pressure. The day with Biology is guaranteed to get you up close and personal with your own body.

Darwin - Get a dose of Darwin in 2009. Help celebrate the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin with an exploration of evolution. Take part in a quiz on the life of England’s most famous naturalist. Then get up-close to Australia’s #1 enemy and learn how scientific research is helping to fight the cane toad invasion. See how good you are at finding food compared to your friends and how evolution can act on this trait. Finally, take a good look at the human eye and decide if it is intelligent, or incompetent.

Chemistry

In Chemistry you can almost be assured that something will go off with a bang.

In one workshop you will not only will you get a great presentation from Associate Professor Tony Masters on Great Chemical Disasters, but you will be undertaking over 15 chemistry experiments – one of which is titled ‘gunpowder'!

And if that workshop and 15 experiments aren't enough how about 21 different experiments to really get your hands dirty. There was a bit of everything from liquid nitrogen to fireworks in a test tube to photo luminescent pigment…

Physics

As 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy, Physics had none other than an astronomy and all things related theme. Workshops included:

Telescopes and astronomy - Discover how telescopes really work, explore the lifecycle of a star, and understand through hands-on experiments the many challenges astronauts face when travelling in outer space. Also, there’s the chance to chat to professional astronomers from the School of Physics.

Rockets and space travel - In the July Physics workshop we'll continue our investigations in honour of the International Year of Astronomy. Students from the Space Society will help us out with rocket launches, both solid fuel and liquid nitrogen powered, and astrophysics students will help us to reconstruct a multi-spectrum colour image of a supernova.

What costs are involved?

• Registration for the April workshop = $200.00
• Registration for the July workshop = $200.00
• Registration for July and October workshops = $360.00 (10% discount for enrolling in both workshops)

Please note these prices are subject to change.

If students do not live in the Sydney area there will be additional travel and accommodation costs involved that will need to be met by the student.

How do I pay for the workshop(s)?

PLEASE DO NOT SEND CASH

Students can pay either by cheque or Money Order (made payable to The University of Sydney) or via MasterCard or Visa.

Students should ask their parent or guardian to complete the payment section during registration.

Payment should be sent to:

Ms Louise Freys
Manager, School Programs & Undergraduate Recruitment
Faculty of Science
Carslaw Building (F07)
The University of Sydney NSW 2006

A receipt will be forwarded to you after payment has been processed. For online credit card payment you will receive an electronic receipt confirming the payment.

Are refunds available?

As places are extremely limited, no refunds will be granted. Please check all dates carefully. Some extenuating circumstances may be considered and should be outlined in a letter addressed to:

Ms Louise Freys
Manager, School Programs & Undergraduate Recruitment
Faculty of Science
Carslaw Building (F07)
The University of Sydney NSW 2006

Travel scholarships

There are ten travel scholarships awarded for both the April and July workshops. The criteria these are based on is as follows:

1. Distance from your home to the University of Sydney, and
2. Your exam results.

You will need to calculate the distance in kilometres (one way) from your house to the University of Sydney’s main campus in Camperdown. If there are a number of students from the same location who apply for the travel scholarship, the student who achieved the highest exam result will be awarded the travel scholarship. Students will be advised in writing if they have been awarded a scholarship. Please note that it is unlikely that students within the Sydney metropolitan area will receive a travel scholarship.

Academic Scholarship

One academic scholarship is awarded to the student who achieves the highest result in the Gifted & Talented Discovery Program Qualifying Exam. The scholarship will cover the cost of attending both workshops ($360.00). Any travel and accommodation costs need to be met by the student.

Accommodation

The University of Sydney is unable to offer assistance or make recommendations regarding accommodation. Students should organise accommodation as soon as possible as many places are fully booked over the school holiday periods. There are residential colleges on campus that may offer accommodation, however please be aware that many of these colleges remain fully booked even during school holiday periods, as current university students are permitted to retain their rooms during this time.

* We recommend that a parent or guardian accompany rural students during their stay in Sydney.

Program Contact:

Contact: Louise Freys
Tel: (02) 9351 5268
Fax: (02) 9351 4846
Email: alliance@science.usyd.edu.au