We have an opportunity for you as a volunteer manning the Defence Science and Technology stand at Science Alive!
This annual event is the largest single interactive science exhibition in Australia. Held at the Adelaide Showground, it helps build the community’s awareness of the scope and importance of science and technology, celebrate Australia’s successes, and inspire future generations of science and technology professionals. Friday is the school student day, with the general public flooding in on Saturday and Sunday. Last year there were over 30,000 visitors and the DST booth was ‘humming’ with queues.
This year DST will have three exhibits. Firstly, the ‘infrared selfies’ activity which has always been extremely popular but needs three to four staff to adequately amuse the queue with hand-held imagers and interact with the visitors when they get to the main camera (e.g. use of cold ‘tattoos’ and ‘invisible drawing’). There will also be a ladar exhibit that needs a couple of volunteers to explain what the participants are seeing (and control the bopping kids). A new activity for this year is a tank-driving simulation, through infrared terrain, which will need one or two volunteers to manage the queue and ensure each turn is appropriately short.
DST is calling for volunteers from among staff and alumni to attend one (or two!) 4-hour sessions on one of the days (9am to 1pm and 1pm to 5pm): Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 3-5th August. Note that it is on the weekend when we really need the volunteers as it gets really hectic.
Volunteers are provided free entry and a car park ticket. The goal is to have enough volunteers to make it a little easier this year and give everyone regular breaks.
If you feel you can contribute to this activity, please contact Michael Driscoll at: michael.driscoll@dst.defence.gov.au. He and his fellow organisers would love to hear from you.