KEY POINTS
Purpose
SCOPE’s name reflects its objective to establish, with young people in particular, the connection between the study of science in senior secondary school and the career options that become available as a result. Specifically, SCOPE’s objectives are:
- To increase community awareness of the roles that science, engineering and technology play in contributing to Australia's continuing economic and social well-being;
- To highlight the outstanding contributions to science and science education made by our researchers and science teachers; and
- To encourage our young people to consider continuing studies in science, mathematics and engineering beyond the compulsory years of schooling, and to consider entry into science-based careers.
Major SCOPE elements include:
- The Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science, which are the most prestigious science awards in Australia. The Prizes consist of the Prime Minister's Prize for Science, two other science prizes and two science teaching prizes.
- National Science Week, the Government’s annual celebration of science. The Week, held in August each year, attracts an audience of close to 700,000 Australians who participate in around 700 events across Australia.
- Funding for initiatives to encourage young people to continue to study science and maths. These include the Science and Engineering Challenge; ABC Science outreach activities, the Ultimo Science Festival, the Professor Harry Messel International Science School, EngQuest and the National Youth Science Forum.
- Funding for initiatives promoting contemporary Australian science to the public, and particularly to students. These include the Resource Book developed each year by the Australian Science Teachers Association (ASTA); ‘Fresh Science’, which annually trains 16 early career researchers in ways to clearly and entertainingly explain their research activities to a range of audiences; the Eureka People’s Choice Award, which showcases up to 6 early career researchers nominated for one of the suite of Eureka Prizes offered each year by the Australian Museum, and the Australian Government Eureka Prize for Science Journalism.
FACTS AND FIGURES
Length of Program and funding
SCOPE has an annual budget of approximately $4.3m and is funded through to the end of the 2010-11 financial year.
Eligibility and target audience
SCOPE’s broad objectives mean the Program targets a wide range of audiences including the general public, school students and the scientific community. SCOPE funds and works with a range of organisations to deliver science awareness activities including universities, the Australian Science Teachers Association, the ABC, and CSIRO.