Scitech’s Aboriginal Education Program (AEP) has been internationally recognised at the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) awards in Columbus, Ohio for its unique education delivery to students and teachers. The Roy L. Shafer Leading Edge Awards are presented annually to ASTC members in recognition of exceptional programs that not only enhance the performance of the institutions, but also significantly advance the mission of science-technology centres and museums.

Scitech’s AEP beat 12 other international entries to win the Leading Edge Award for Visitor Experience (large centre) in recognition of its delivery of science outreach to the most remote communities of Western Australia.  Scitech developed the AEP as there was a clear need for more culturally-relevant  science programs, but a lack of resources was preventing them from serving the specific needs of the remote Indigenous Aboriginal communities. Since its inception in 2007, the AEP has addressed these challenges of access and equity by visiting every remote community every two years with a comprehensive suite of engaging science activities and resources for children, parents, and teachers that recognise the communities’ unique Aboriginal culture and language.

For further information about this program see: Scitech Aboriginal Education Program.

Scitech was also a finalist in this year’s WA Industry and Export Awards in the Education and Training category. Coordinated by the WA Government’s Department of Commerce, the Awards recognise and honour the “best of the best” in Western Australia. This was the first time Scitech had entered these awards and it entered based on the travelling exhibitions side of its business. Scitech has been developing, designing and building engaging and interactive science exhibitions for many years, and since 1995 has been exporting them to science centres and museums in Australia and New Zealand, Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Scitech has nine travelling exhibitions in its current suite of export products, and takes great pride in the educational component of its product and its ability to showcase WA ingenuity to the world.