What is ATHENA?
Noosa District State High School’s Athena program is an Advanced STEM Immersion program for Girls, with the purpose of engaging and extending girls in the study of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. The ATHENA program contextualises opportunities for girls in STEM industries and provides authentic learning opportunities with world leading female STEM Ambassadors.
Why is ATHENA Unique:
- By creating a program that is both theoretical and practical, we believe that the right approach and environment inspires and enables our girls to explore their individual STEM passions whilst removing barriers to their involvement.
- By providing opportunities to make firm industry links whilst inspiring our next generation of National female STEM leaders
- By motiving students to innovate, create, and collaborate together to drive change in STEM fields whilst ideating and solving local problems together.
Who can apply to be part of ATHENA:
To be eligible for Athena Program you must by Year 7-9 girl:
• Have a deep passion for STEM and 21st Century thinking
• Have demonstrated academic excellence including effort and behaviour
• Have been involved in STEM extra-curricular events/opportunities or can demonstrate involvement in STEM outside of school.
Our ATHENA Ambassadors and Our ATHENA experiences
Cyndy Nauer A leading stem cell scientist and managing Director, APAC Region Canada - one of the worlds’ leading biotechnology companies specialising in Stem cell Technologies.
Kat Foster - Former Amazon and Microsoft Executive.
Ashley Baxter - Founder of EarthOffset, andUQ iLab
Katrine Fox - Former product lead at Finder.com
Dr Ruth Luscombe - A commercial mathematician working on data anaylsis for corporate organisations including AI development
Engineering
| Boeing Research and Development | Various female professionals: Software developer; unmanned aircraft pilot; engineering project manager; mathematician
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Engineering
| QUT - Robotic Arm workshop
| Designing robotic solutions; developing and understanding of engineering principles
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Various
| Smart City Maroochydore
| Innovative building infrastructure; onsite virtual tour of new city centre
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Engineering/ Technology
| Unity Water
| Talks from a range of women in engineering; IT; mathematicians; biologists; environmental scientists etc
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Testimonials from our students and Ambassadors:
Students
"Athena has really given me more confidence to show the world that I can do Maths, I can do Science and I can learn concepts whilst having fun"
"Athena is a step above what I thought was ever possible, and I have now realised that so many people, so many young ladies work in these fields, it's really inspirational"
Ambassador
"It really expands their minds to what's out there, and what's available and I am hoping that they will walk away with some of the tools to help them act on their ideas and validate some of the concepts they're already exploring"