GOVERNMENT

Instead of tidying racks at a department store or pulling beers at the pub this summer, 74 university students are taking the chance to find out what it's like to be a scientist - and getting paid for it. The students will travel from all over Australia to CSIRO in Sydney for a 'Big Day In' on February 16 and 17, when they'll talk about the maths, physics and IT discoveries they have made. They will also discuss their research projects and hear from a panel of scientists about what a science career offers them. There are 34 students from CSIRO vacation scholarship programs and 40 vacation scholarship students sponsored by the International Centre of Excellence for Education in Mathematics, from 17 different universities that are members of the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute. Topics that students researched include creating mathematical software to schedule the making of top quality wine, developing wireless sensor technologies that monitor the environment, and designing motors for quieter, more energy-efficient washing machines. CSIRO's Dr Murray Cameron says these bright young people have lots of opportunities to use their talent, with past vacation students going on to great careers in research and business. "Maths, physics and IT underpin so many technological innovations - cochlear implants, web search tools, and low-emission vehicles to name a few," Dr Cameron says. "If Australia is going to have world-beating technology and technology-based businesses, we need to nurture people like this". At university, the students are doing courses in software engineering, mathematical physics, statistics, medical science and more. Dr Gary Froyland, a senior lecturer in mathematics at the University of NSW and panellist at the Big Day In, says that vacation programs help students to bridge the gap between their studies and practical needs. "This is an excellent opportunity for students to use their newly acquired knowledge on real-world projects," Dr Froyland says. "The program is a valuable addition to their educational experience and it gives them the buzz of contributing to science". For more information about the Big Day In go to its Web site.