Inspiring future STEM careers at health and science experience day

The day saw enthusiastic students get a taste for university life and experience the breadth of health and science-based programmes on offer.

The aim of the day was to inspire students to consider careers in health and STEM subjects, which has been identified as an important commitment towards helping solve future problems for Aotearoa New Zealand and the world. The answers to future problems come from exploring topics such as climate change, food production security, housing for new cities, preparing for natural disasters, caring for our planet and its animals, cybersecurity management, developing new technologies, and sustainable nursing.

Massey’s science degrees provide the flexibility to study different aspects of science. The interactive workshops showed future students that they will be hands-on from day one, and will have access to sophisticated equipment while learning the crucial skills necessary to excel in their future careers.

After being formally welcomed onto each campus with a mihi, the students got to attend two interactive workshops in the subjects of their choosing.

On the Auckland campus, over 200 students from 19 schools across Auckland, Northland, and Bay of Plenty attended the event. The sessions included Engineering, Computer Science, Speech and Language Therapy, Zoology, Construction, Nursing, Food Technology, Cybersecurity, Maths, Psychology, and Biology and Genetics.

The students attending the biology workshop donned lab coats and gloves as they stepped into the lab to extract DNA from their own cheek cells. To do this, the students were taught a process that is similar to what is done when tissue containing DNA is found at a crime scene.

The energy remained high for the afternoon sessions; with many students saying it had been hard to select one programme to attend, as there were so many interesting options available.

Students attending the nursing workshop got to explore the simulation hospital and try their hand at some practical nursing skills. For 17-year-old James Bell from Rangitoto College, intubating a patient and providing mask ventilation was his favourite part of the day.

“I really enjoyed the nursing workshop, I found it really inspirational and now I have better idea of what nurses actually do and the different jobs there are. I got a chance to try intubating a patient and really enjoyed the hands-on experience.”

The Manawatū campus hosted 117 students from 20 schools across the lower North Island. The workshops included Chemistry, Animal Science, Agriculture and Horticulture Science, Food Technology, Nursing, Health Science and Human Biology, Math, Biology, Soil, Earth, and Environment Science, Engineering, Zoology and Ecology, Sport and Exercise, and Game Development.

Sessions included learning the importance of milk curdling, cheese making, testing out virtual reality, and learning how to code the Star Wars theme tune.

Professor Mark Waterland of the School of Natural Sciences says it was great to see so many high school students enthusiastic about being on campus and enjoying the practical activities.

“The College of Sciences has a strong focus on the practical science subjects, so we were pleased to be able to offer students a small taste of what they will experience in the labs if they study at Massey."

Wesley College student Lia Inoke says the day was a great experience considering she and her peers are beginning to think about the next step in their education. “Massey feels like an awesome place to learn. I learned heaps today and would like to come back.”

The STEM and Heath Experience Day was organised and run by the Future Students team, who were on board to answer any questions for those considering future study with Massey.