The Australian Government's Innovation Report

Fostering entrepreneurship and
awareness of science and innovation
National Innovation Awareness Strategy
– Science Connections Programme
The Science Connections Programme (SCOPE) is the
Australian Government’s science awareness component
of Backing Australia’s Ability – Building our Future through
Science and Innovation. Its objectives are to:
• increase awareness of the important roles that
science, technology and innovation play in ensur ing
the wellbeing of our society and the environmentally
sustainable growth of our economy;
• highlight the outstanding contributions to science
and science education made by our researchers
and science teachers;
• support nationally significant science outreach
programmes; and
• encourage young people to consider continuing
studies in science, mathematics and engineering
beyond the compulsory years of schooling, and to
consider entry into science-based careers.
Achievements in 2005-06 included:
• The award of the 2005 Prime Minister’s Prizes for
Science to five outstanding scientists and science
teachers. The major award, the Prime Minister’s
Prize for Science, was presented to Professor
David Boger for his contributions to the science of
fluid dynamics, including analyses of the flow
properties of a particular class of fluids now bearing
his name: Boger Fluids. Professor Boger’s science has
applications in the mining tail-ings industry, crop
spraying, and ink-jet printing.
• The presentation of the inaugural Len Basser
Award for Leadership in Science to a student of the
Professor Harry Messel International Science
School, held at the University of Sydney, in July
2005.
• National Science Week – a successful celebration
of science in August 2005.
• The participation of an increasing number of
schools in the University of Newcastle’s Science
and Engineering Challenge. The challenge reached
more than 300 schools in 2005, over 100 more than in
2004. More than 10 000 Year 10 students part icipated.
In the first detailed survey of the chal lenge’s impact,
nearly 200 students across 59 schools said that
participation had influenced their decision to
undertake physics or chemistry in Year 11.
The Questacon Smart Moves programme. Photo credits: Questacon
90 Backing Australia’s Ability