ANNUAL SCIENCE FORUM
The inaugural Science Forum held on Saturday, June 15, at the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth (CLLMM) Research Centre was a vibrant and engaging event, drawing over 100 attendees. The forum featured four distinct sessions, offering a diverse range of activities suitable for all ages, making it a day of rich scientific interaction and learning.​
​​The morning session was dedicated to children aged 2 to 10, focussing on engaging them in their local environment, First Nations cultural and scientific enquiry. Activities included a singalong Welcome to Country; cultural story telling; an obstacle course simulating the journey of migratory birds to the CLLMM region; a sea-level rise activity using play dough, water, and ice; and climate change education through building terrariums. These hands-on, playful, educational experiences captivated the children, ensuring they were fully engaged and thoroughly enjoying the learning process.
​In the afternoon, the forum hosted a 'Meet the Researchers' session. Researchers from the Goyder Institute for Water Research partnership presented their projects which will be delivered through the CLLMM Research Centre. Presentations used imagery alone, enhancing the storytelling aspect of their scientific work. Presentations included "Mussels in the Mud" (Dr Scotte Wedderburn, University of Adelaide), "What is Virtual Reality?" (Professor Tom Raimondo, UniSA), "Waterbird Priorities" (Dr Tom Prowse, University of Adelaide) "Blue/Teal Carbon" (Professor Sabine Dittmann, Flinders University), "Iconic Species" (Dr Ryan Baring, Flinders University), "Estuarine Connectivity" (Dr Brenton Zampatti, CSIRO) and "Climate Adaptation and Ecosystem Services (Professor Justin Brookes, University of Adelaide)" These presentations were well-received, sparking a lively question-and-answer session.
​​The evening session featured a keynote address by Jody Swirepik, current Independent Chair of the Goyder Institute and former Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder, who delved into the complexities of water management across the Murray-Darling Basin and its impact on the CLLMM region. She emphasised the challenges and successes in water delivery for environmental purposes, showcasing how the Basin leads the world in this practice. Jody's insightful discussion and engaging interaction with the community were highlights of the event, prompting deep engagement during the question time and discussion that followed.
​​The day concluded with a high-energy 'Speed Dating with Science' session. This activity allowed attendees to interact closely with researchers, who pitched their projects to small groups in five-minute intervals. This format provided a fun and dynamic way to end the day, fostering rapid exchange of ideas and feedback.
Throughout the forum, local organisations, First Nations representatives and community volunteers were engaged to assist in the forum delivery. Organisations engaged included Healthy Sparkle Delights, G’Day Parks, SA Design and Print and MIPAAC.
Overall, the feedback for the inaugural Science Forum has been overwhelmingly positive, marking it as a successful and memorable event that effectively combined education, engagement, and community and First Nations interaction.