THE AUSTRALIAN SYNCHROTRON PROJECT

Ramona Sarkis, Santa Maria College

About the Project

Name of the project: MX1 (Macromolecular crystallography)

Description: Analysing blue lysosome crystals that were previously grown at CSIRO and harvested at the Australian Synchrotron

Results: Diffracted images that enabled us to determine the protein structure

The Experience

What made the experience unique?

Being able to learn from the experts themselves

The placement in a working environment

Viewing the synchrotron machine

What I think of this type of learning Enables students with a

deep, meaningful understanding of actual science

Engages and captures a students purpose for learning

Exposes the facts and myths of science based work

Encourages students to thoroughly enjoy science not only as a subject, but as a career

Aids in the education of science as well as the appreciation for it

My View What I liked:

-Being put in a non-class room environment-Exposure to science as a career-Solving problems that demanded a high level of thinking

What I think of science and scientists now:-There is a link between all the science subjects as well as mathematics-Scientists do not just work in laboratories that have grey fuzzy hair, but also experience the world -Important to society as they are the reason to why human beings are well and healthy today

Acknowledgements

Growing Tall Poppies -CSX, Director Prof. K. Nugent -Santa Maria College, Dr. Barone-Nugent -AKORN, Georgene Bridgeman -Australian Synchrotron -Catholic Education Office Melbourne -CSIRO