28th AINSE Winter School wraps up!

/ Winter School / By

Throughout the first three weeks in September, AINSE has had the privilege of hosting university students from across Australia and New Zealand at ANSTO’s Lucas Heights campus in Southern Sydney.

As part of AINSE’s 28th annual Winter School, students had a unique opportunity to go behind-the-scenes in some of ANSTO’s world-class research facilities and connect with inspiring scientists and engineers from a wide range of STEM disciplines.

Winter School students in front of a Dharawal Mural at the AINSE Building, situated at ANSTO’s Lucas Heights campus

Back in July, 74 students participated in the online component of the 2024 AINSE Winter School. Over the course of the six-day online program, students heard from leading ANSTO and university researchers about the ongoing ground-breaking research made possible by the unique scientific infrastructure at ANSTO and other AINSE-supported facilities, including:

  • The Australian Synchrotron at ANSTO
  • The Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering (ACNS) at ANSTO
  • The Centre for Accelerator Science (CAS) at ANSTO
  • The Heavy Ion Accelerator Facility (HIAF) at the Australian National University.

…and many more!

AINSE Winter School students visiting ANSTO’s OPAL Multipurpose Reactor, as part of a tour with ANSTO’s Discovery Centre

During the follow-up on-site visits in September, 42 of the online student attendees had the opportunity to visit two selected ANSTO facilities in-person. Over the course of three weeks, in three separate visiting groups, these students were given rare access into some of Australia’s most advanced nuclear science and technology facilities.

AINSE Winter School students also had the opportunity to network directly with ANSTO researchers and senior staff, including ANSTO CEO Shaun Jenkinson, to discuss their career journeys and potential opportunities for future research collaborations. This unique experience provided valuable insight for the students as they prepare for their journeys into Honours, postgraduate research, and beyond.

ANSTO CEO Shaun Jenkinson and AINSE Managing Director Michelle Durant sharing insights with students at a Winter School networking breakfast event

The AINSE team would like to extend our thanks to all those who contributed to making the 28th annual Winter School a success, including the wonderful staff at ANSTO and our remarkable participating students. It is our pleasure, at AINSE, to support students through their research journeys at all levels – from undergraduate, to postgraduate and early career research in the STEM industry – and to help connect ANSTO with the next generation of world-changing researchers.

For more information about the Winter School, and to apply to be part of the next round, please visit our Winter School website.

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