FLEET’s Dr Dianne Ruka demonstrates the Mobius strip superconductor to guests at FLEET’s launch in June 2018
Congratulations to FLEET’s outreach officer Dr Dianne Ruka, winning the Award for Exceptional Service to the Faculty of Science at Monash University.
Dianne leads the education and training missions for FLEET across all seven collaborating universities, supporting staff and students across both Monash’s Science and Engineering Faculties, through science outreach programs.
Since joining FLEET in 2017, Dianne has combined her training in materials science and teaching to bring science closer to the wider community, including:
- Recruiting, mentoring and retaining high-performing academic and research staff
- Establishing and deepening relationships with companies, industry and government
- Increase participation, retention and success of students from underrepresented groups.
- Recruiting, mentor and retain high performing academic and research staff.
Dianne supports outreach efforts by training and encouraging staff and students to participate in science-communications activities, developing their transferable skills as well as spreading the word among school students about scientific research. She has:
- Supported 26 Monash staff and students in almost 700 hours of outreach activities (2018)
- Coordinated 13 Monash academics and students participating at Melbourne Knowledge Week 2018 and 2019
- Developed and ran Outreach training at Monash Tech School, including 12 Monash academics and students
- Coordinated visits by Monash staff and students to six schools in the region.
Dianne initiated and coordinates lab tours of secondary students through the School of Physics and Astronomy labs in New Horizons, in partnership with Monash Tech School. This has resulted in a significant increase in students touring School labs.
- 180 students from 10 local schools seeing Monash labs/research in 2018
- Even more in 2019!
She has coordinated involvement of school students in FLEET’s launch at Monash University, making a huge impression on visiting VIPs.
“The partnership with Monash Tech School has given students a new perspective on the importance of research. Being able to see scientists at work in state-of-the-art facilities, and having the chance to ask researchers questions, is unforgettable.”
—Neil Carmona-Vickery Deputy Director, Monash Tech School
Dianne has also coordinated active programs with important precinct education partners: John Monash Science School (JMSS) and Monash Tech School (MTS), including:
- Year 10 Incursion Day – laser activity
- Regional exchange – laser activity
- Development from scratch of a new year-10 course focussed on FLEET science, which will highlight Faculty of Science research and allow opportunities for Faculty academics, postdocs and students opportunities to develop materials/teach secondary students).
Dianne coordinates work-experience placements for secondary school students within the School of Physics and Astronomy at Monash University, having placed 27 students in 2017-19. She has taken an active role in improving access to physics for under-represented groups: namely, girls, regional students and indigenous students, including:
- Developing a “virtual tour” of Monash labs for regional students: a valuable future resource for demonstrating Monash’s state-of-the-art research facilities.
- Developing a suite of home science activities with easy-to-follow instructions using accessible ingredients and props, spreading the passion for science to the wider community
- Coordinating and speaking at Girls in Physics breakfast events (Hawthorn, Monash, Ballarat)
- Taking the ‘FLEET geeks’ outreach program she developed to Wodonga and Lilydale
- Presenting at Regional STEM conference, delivering her ‘FLEET Geeks’ program to ~200 regional teachers and students from Lilydale and Wodonga, 2018
- Hosting 15 Indigenous students on campus via Experience Monash Indigenous Winter Camp, expecting ~50 students participating this year
- Coordinating nine School of Physics and Astronomy public lectures in 2018.
Open Day
Dianne has coordinated Monash School of Physics and Astronomy Open Day activities for three years running, including:
• Working with Schools across the two Faculties of Science and Engineering
• Highlighting physics topics available for undergraduate students
• Coordinating engaging physics and material-science demonstrations
• Involving School academics and students in outreach activities, to further develop their own skills and confidence.
“Engaging with public and students has been a personal highlight in 2018. At Monash University Open Day I got to explain FLEET’s focus and relevance to the general public, and describe my job as a researcher to many potential future physics students.”
—Dr Changxi Zheng FLEET Research Fellow, Monash University
Dianne conceived, designed and supervised construction of the superconducting Mobius track, which has proven invaluable in engaging school-age students both at Open Days, during lab tours, and at other public events, and involved a number of staff and students in the design. The prototype was built by Monash undergraduates as a summer research project, in collaboration with the Faculty of Science (this prototype is now used at Scienceworks Museum).
In addition to the above, Dianne has represented Monash University at:
- STAVCon (Science Teachers Association of Victoria Conference)
- STEM Regional Education Conference
- Science show, Bendigo marketplace
- MPavillion (cultural laboratory), providing science activity to local primary school students.
Dianne has recently been accepted into Veski Women in STEM Side-by-Side Leading the Way program, co-founded by Monash and Veski.