The University of Queensland will have a strong presence at this year's Royal Queensland Show from August 7 to 16.
The Faculty of Engineering, Physical Sciences and Architecture will have a stand in the Exhibition Building, Gregory Terrace (opposite the show bag pavilion) featuring faculty teaching and research and interactive displays for children.
Associate lecturer in mining, minerals and materials engineering Andrew Carr said University staff and 14 postgraduate and undergraduate students would answer visitors' questions about science, engineering and architecture.
'We will be specially targeting primary and secondary schoolchildren, getting kids to ask questions and showing them that science and engineering can be fun as well as rewarding careers,' he said.
Activities include the 'S-files' of science activities, scanning bar codes to print out secret messages, and a fossil display.
The Faculty is producing 'discovery' showbags with activities and ingredients to grow your own crystal trees, make your own hologram, build a tower of Babylon, ultra-violet detecting beads, a 'memory' wire which springs back to its original shape, physics polarization filters and diffraction gradings, cartesian divers, and the science and engineering of a Mars? bar (including a sample to provide food for thought).
Gatton College students expect to meet an estimated quarter of a million visitors at the 33rd annual Royal National Association Animal Nursery.
The Animal Nursery - one of the Show's most popular exhibits - this year has been expanded in size to accommodate an interactive display organised by Gatton College animal production graduate Graham Reimers. The display allows children to pat baby farm animals.
The Animal Nursery will be staffed by 24 students enrolled in either the certificates in animal husbandry and agriculture, or the associate diploma in applied science (animal production) courses, as a service to the public and as a training exercise.
They will be supervised by Royal National Association honorary council steward and University animal production graduate Robyn Hohenhaus, senior technical officer in animal production Andrew Goodwin and 1996 associate diploma in stock and meat inspection graduate George Melano.
The students will answer queries, and care for animals including miniature horses and cattle, a camel, alpaca hembre and cria, rabbit doe and kittens, a jennet donkey and foal, chickens, ducks and ducklings, turkey and poults, emu chicks, geese and goslings, colored ewe and lambs, and a sow with piglets.
New attractions this year include a llama female and cria, fallow deer, ostrich chicks, and South African Boer goat doe and kids.
Gatton College Department of Animal Production lecturer and Animal Nursery co-ordinator Dr Mark Hohenhaus said students enjoyed working at the Exhibition every year. The experience improved their communication skills and helped them develop the competencies needed in the husbandry of young animals.
'This year we are concentrating on smaller and less common breeds of traditional domestic animals, as well as those from emerging animal industries, which the public may not have yet had a chance to see first hand,' he said.
Channel 10 children's program Totally Wild will again visit the RNA Animal Nursery daily at 12.30 pm and 2.30 pm to talk to children and to distribute giveaway material.
The full Totally Wild team will be on roster - University of Queensland Gatton College graduates Ranger Stacey Hogan and Ranger Tim Moore, veterinarian Dr Katrina Warren, as well as presenters Melanie Symons, Faye DeLanty, Sam Harvey, Boyd Duff and Angela Brown.
Gatton College students this year will also assist in the Agricultural Pavilion and at the Pig Producers' Association's Expo Pig display. In the Horse Expo, a University video on the birth of a foal will be shown.
Eight certificate in agriculture and horticulture students are competing in the Queensland Youth Exhibits Competition for the 11th consecutive year in the Agricultural Pavilion.
Senior instructor in farm mechanisation Barry Williams said planning and assembling the competition display was a valuable learning experience. Students developed their own ideas and themes, made models, borrowed equipment, then visited Rocklea Markets, Brisbane to learn how to select produce and to see first-hand how the fruit and vegetable trade operated.
They spent five days assembling the display to meet judging criteria including thematic presentation, correct packing of produce, and the use of quality fruit and vegetables.
Mr Williams said students had been among the top three place-getters in the competition for eight out of the past 11 years.
'We have a few secret weapons up our sleeve this year, and we don't want to give away too much to our competitors, but our theme will relate to the Gatton College Centenary, 1897-1997,' he said.
This year students will compete in a new section, the young judging competition, with agriculture students judging grains, and horticulture students judging fruit and vegetables.
Senior lecturer in the Natural and Rural Systems Management Department Bob Hampson is also co-ordinating an Agricultural Pavilion display highlighting the Faculty of Natural Resources, Agriculture and Veterinary Science. The display will feature stylised logos and a mortar board worked in a range of fresh fruit and vegetables.
For further information, contact Mr Carr, telephone 07 3365 3643, Dr Hohenhaus, telephone 0754 601 260, Mr Williams, telephone 0754 601 365 or Mr Hampson, telephone 0754 601 095.
