Country: Australia – City: Sydney – Address: NSW, Sydney, via zoom
Geography, Technology, Industry, Careers: Making the connections
Description:
Across Australia there is a focus on showcasing the contribution and relevance of school-based Geography to the field of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Tonight we will learn from practitioners and industry experts who are leading the way in making connections between the school-based geography classroom, industry and career pathways through the use of technology or by making a connection to science.
We will learn from a geography teacher based in the Northern Territory who joined the 2023 STEM Professionals in Schools program and partnered with a research scientist from CSIRO to showcase how to access a STEM professional’s skills, understanding and alternate points of view to enrich geographical knowledge and skills, and more readily identify potential career pathways.
Also we will learn from a geography teacher based in Queensland who is a 2023 Peter Doherty STEM Awardee and nationally recognised for revitalising the relevance of geography by embedding the use of geospatial technologies, such as ArcGIS and StoryMap into classroom practice and fieldtrips, and by making sustained connections with the planning industry and local university.
Main objectives:
To share and celebrate innovative classroom practice in Geography; To showcase the relevance of Geography as a meaningful contributor to the field of STEM; To reach an international and national audience of geographers, geography educators, and community members who are interested in geography education
Event language: English
The event will be: Online
Link (for online events): https://macquarie.zoom.us/j/89220327675
Reference person: Dr Susan Caldis – Role or function: Chair, Australian Geography Teachers’ Association – Reference organization: Australian Geography Teachers’ Association
Those who organize are: Academics
Estimated starting time (local time): 7:30:00 PM (AEDST)
Expected duration: around 1 hour
Event program:
Geography Technology Industry Careers: Making connections
The event will commence at 7.30pm (AEDST, from Sydney NSW Australia). Presentations will include time for questions.
7.30pm – 7.35pm – Welcome and overview of the Australian context
Presenter: Dr Susan Caldis (Chair Australian Geography Teachers Association; Senior Lecturer Geography Education, Macquarie University, NSW Australia)
7.35pm – 8.00pm – Getting the G into STEM: Lessons learned from a geography teacher and research scientist partnership in the Northern Territory, Australia
Presenters: Yuliya Snoxall (senior geography teacher) and Dr Adam Liedloff (research scientist CSIRO)
- Yuliya Snoxall is a geography and history teacher at Darwin High School, in the Northern Territory, Australia and a board member of the Australian Geography Teachers Association (AGTA). With extensive experience in both the UK and international education sectors, she is committed to advancing geography education and fostering critical thinking skills in students. Having taught in the UK and at international schools in Qatar, Yuliya focuses in enhancing students’ high-level thinking in geographical inquiry. In 2023, she joined STEM Professionals in Schools program run by CSIRO to enhance and refine Year 12 independent study (fieldwork) experiences, ensuring students gain valuable hands-on learning opportunities.
- Dr Adam Liedloff is an ecologist and systems modeller working for CSIRO in the tropical savannas of northern Australia. His work includes understanding the role of fire in Australian landscapes, predicting how native species respond to climate change, investigating how a wide range of farms can operate in an environmentally sustainable way, and determining the value the Darwin community places on biodiversity and natural places. This research requires explaining how complex systems function and what outcomes we can expect from changes in management decisions and climate change. Adam has used simple conceptual models to explain the fundamentals of fire around the Top End of the Northern Territory to primary school students and now seeks to encourage secondary students to use the scientific approach to answer questions and consider a STEM-based career.
Abstract: This presentation will discuss the insights gained from a STEM Professionals in Schools partnership between a Darwin High School geography teacher and a research scientist (ecologist) from CSIRO. This partnership has significantly benefited the year 12 geography students and both professionals. We present some of the challenges of teaching geography in Darwin and how access to a STEM professional’s skills, understanding and alternate point of view can assist teachers. The new understanding highlights the lack of understanding of geography in Australia and how geography deserves a fundamental place in education where students with a strong geography background will provide the criteria demanded by STEM-based careers answering society’s most demanding questions.
8.00pm – 8.25pm – Geography is more STEM than STEM in a Queensland state high school
Presenter: Brett Dascombe (geography teacher; GTAQ Committee member)
- Brett Dascombe is a geography teacher at Wavell State High School in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. He is also a committee member at the Geography Teachers Association of Queensland. He has taught geography in Queensland for over 20 years and has worked as a syllabus writer, lead endorser, lead confirmer and marker for the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA). Brett supports teachers around Queensland with Professional Development opportunities, assistance with project development and geospatial and STEM resources for their classrooms and schools to enhance geography teaching. Brett and his students have been recognised nationally and globally for their innovative use of industry standard geospatial tools and data in projects ranging from urban encroachment on Koala habitats to finding high levels of E.coli and Faecal coliforms on one of Southeast Queensland favourite beaches. Brett innovative use of technology on field trips including drone and 360 degree camera footage and in class teaching using interactive assessment platform has seen the QCAA accept new modes of field work and investigative assignments.
Abstract: The true scope and potential of geography reaches far beyond traditional boundaries, placing it squarely at the heart of STEM education. In this presentation, “Geography is more STEM than STEM,” we explore how geography, when taught through modern technological approaches, powerfully integrates science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to tackle real-world challenges. Drawing from firsthand experiences in classroom environments, industry partnerships, and collaborative projects, this session highlights how geospatial technologies and innovative problem-solving connect students directly to tangible career pathways. From urban planning and sustainability initiatives to disaster management and climate adaptation, geography provides a dynamic, multidisciplinary lens through which students engage with complex issues, blending technological proficiency with critical thinking and spatial literacy. This talk will demonstrate practical strategies and successful case studies illustrating geography’s unique capacity to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and industry readiness. Educators and STEM advocates will gain insights into leveraging geography as a central pillar of STEM education, empowering learners with the skills and mindsets necessary to thrive in an interconnected, technology-driven world
8.25pm – 8.30pm – Closing remarks and farewell until GeoNight 2026!
Presenter: Dr Susan Caldis
Attendees are very welcome to stay online after 830pm if they have further questions for the presenters.
GeoNight code:
