Schools roll out bushfire STEM program

Students in NSW schools will have the chance to participate in a STEM program that increases understanding of bushfire management.

Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology Alister Henskens said up to $400,000 was available through the NSW Government’s Bushfire STEM in Schools Program, which would support the development of bushfire-specific initiatives for students from Kindergarten to Year 12.

“The NSW Liberal and Nationals Government has invested heavily in supporting R&D, because we know that STEM fields will deliver solutions to natural hazards, be it bushfires, floods or drought,” Henskens said.

“This program will not only educate our children about innovations that can help us to manage the threat of natural disasters, but hopefully inspire a new generation of scientists developing bushfire-management technologies that will grow the economy and create the jobs of the future.”

Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell said the program aligned with the NSW Curriculum.

“If recent floods and bushfires have taught us one thing, it is that we need to ensure our young people have the knowledge and skills to take action before, during and after a natural disaster,” she said.

“The program will encourage student entrepreneurship and promote STEM career and further study opportunities for students, including in the area of bushfire management.”

The program is an initiative of the Bushfire Response R&D Mission.

Image credit: iStock.com/Binikins