Bringing STEM to life with the Science Ambassador Program

Let’s hear from Justin Koh about the highlights, challenges, and behind-the-scenes planning that powered a year of inspiring events for the UQ Science Ambassador program.

What school did you attend and what year were you’re a UQ Science Ambassador?

Queensland Academy for Science Mathematics and Technology (QASMT) and I was a UQ Science Ambassador in 2023.

What types of activities did you deliver as an Ambassador?

I helped deliver a wide range of activities aimed at making science engaging and accessible to students across year levels. One of our biggest initiatives was Random Acts of Science Week, where we ran 9 interactive workshops in the school courtyard over 3 days. The aim was to spark interest in science beyond the classroom, with standout activities including a boat-making competition and the ever-popular elephant’s toothpaste experiment.

During STRM Week—a collaborative effort with the technology, robotics, and mathematics leadership teams—we offered daily hands-on experiences from each discipline. Highlights included a popping boba workshop inspired by molecular gastronomy, and a pi estimation experiment using an oleic acid monolayer. The week culminated in the crowd-favourite watermelon implosion competition, where each portfolio raced to explode a watermelon using rubber bands (science took the win, of course).

For National Science Week, I coordinated events while our Year 11 Ambassadors took the lead. They delivered engaging workshops like dry ice bubbles, magnetic slime and lava lamps, alongside events such as a science photography competition, a keynote speaker at assembly and a student research colloquium. We also piloted a Science Roundup newsletter and launched a Science Bites series on Instagram to maintain engagement throughout the year.

Other ongoing initiatives included a STEM Seminar Series, involvement in UQ’s Kids' STEM Convention, regular homeroom science trivia, a peer mentoring program, and groundwork for the Interhouse Science Cup—all designed to build a vibrant and lasting science culture at our school.

Can you share the details of a successful activity and how you ran it?

I was pleased by the success of each of our termly “science weeks”, which I attribute to our dedication to thorough planning. We made detailed timelines for each step of our preparation and approvals, so that each team member knew what they were responsible for and when each deadline was set.

What was the highlight of your time as a UQ Science Ambassador?

My highlight was volunteering as an ambassador at the International Students' Science Fair, which QASMT had the privilege of hosting in 2023. We lived alongside students from 30 schools around the globe for a week, participating in STEM workshops, listening to their research talks, sharing cultural presentations, and exploring our beautiful city.

Describe an activity that didn’t go so well and why?

The STEM Seminars Series—wherein researchers at the forefront of industry and academia were invited to share talks during lunchtimes—was a unique opportunity for students to hear firsthand about the possibilities and excitement available in a career in STEM. However, despite high reach promotion, we weren't able to convert these impressions to attendances above 40–50 students.

How did you manage that at the time?

This was still an issue we were actively looking into by the time I left. However, we had discussed offering incentives such as raffling UQ or QASMT merchandise, house points towards a science cup, or even a STEM pin for attending a certain number of seminars. We also considered changing the form of the seminars themselves, for example changing to a more accessible time slot or moving to a more intimate venue than the lecture theatre.

What skills did you develop as a UQ Science Ambassador that have helped at uni or might translate to a career post-university?

Apart from the expected skills of teamwork, time management and leadership, I was surprised by how much this role developed my public speaking. I'm much more confident in speaking to a crowd or managing a classroom than I was before the role. I also enjoyed learning how to manage some of the administrative aspects of education: writing and editing risk assessments, submitting project plans, attending working parties, working with other teams to plan the school calendar, and liaising with facilities and marketing.

What advice would you give to current UQ Science Ambassadors?

Make the most out of this opportunity! Enjoy collaborating with like-minded and driven peers, and don’t forget that through your dedication, you can inspire those around you to discover a love for science.