Community
21 September, 2023
Hannah eyes space career
A TRINITY Bay High School student is the only one in the Cairns region to be honoured with a top-level Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) award.
Hannah Hitch was one of 28 students, teachers and staff across Queensland who were recognised for outstanding and innovative contributions to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics by being presented with the 2023 Peter Doherty awards for excellence.
Miss Hitch was delighted to win the award.
“I was elated when I found out that I had been selected as a 2023 Peter Doherty award winner. It is an honour to be recognised for my hard work and dedication to STEM, and the award bursary will assist my university studies,” she said.
“I plan to commence a degree in engineering and would ultimately love to work in the space industry helping to advance space technologies, particularly in Australia.”
Coinciding with Australia’s annual celebration of science and technology National Science Week, the awards were presented by award namesake and Nobel Prize winner Laureate Professor Peter Doherty and Department of Education Director General Michael De’Ath.
In total, 19 students, six teachers, one school support officer, one school and one partnership organisation were selected as award winners from a field of 115 entries.
Prof Peter Doherty said he was extremely passionate about STEM education being a crucial part of paving the way for the future of humanity, with the discovery of new things becoming more and more complex.
“As a medical researcher and from the general viewpoint of a citizen of Australia and the world, I’m convinced humanity has entered an era of unparalleled complexity – new sciences like genomics and proteomics are revolutionising our understanding of biology,” he said.
“We are just beginning to grapple with the enormous scientific, ethical and social implications of these advances.”
Prof Doherty said that Queensland needed educated young people, good thinkers who would be the future of new STEM-related problem solutions, discoveries, inventions and scientific breakthroughs.
“Many of the technological solutions will involve various forms of engineering – we also need bright lawyers, financiers and politicians who have some basic understanding of, and respect for, science, technology, engineering and mathematics,” he said.
“Our best protection as we seek to deal with these infinitely complex issues is to ensure our young people are exposed to great STEM teachers and STEM education programs.”
