A little desktop research and a cold call soon had Canadian environmental engineering student Solina Quinton heading across the world to UNE for a four-month STEM education work placement.

“My professor and I reached out to Brendan [Associate Professor Brendan Jacobs, UNE Head of Department for STEM Education] because we were interested in the work he was doing. So we applied for a grant and I arrived in early May,” Solina explains. 

Solina, a student at the University of Waterloo, has been working with Brendan to deliver STEM lessons in primary schools across the region, using activities they’ve designed as part of a research project called the SILO project.

The experience has given Solina a chance to further hone her skills in STEM teaching and science communication.

I love this job so much! It incorporates so much creativity and it’s very rewarding when you see the children understand a concept. It’s really great to see them engage in the activities and learning.

Brendan says Solina’s enthusiasm and love of STEM learning has proven to be infectious.

“As our school research visits occur after lunch, we arrive when the children are outside playing and they often run along the fence shouting their greetings towards us, as Solina has captured their imaginations.

“She is also a wonderful role model for STEM education and we have shared the responsibility for facilitating the lessons in the classroom.”

Both Solina and Brendan describe the debriefing sessions in the car on the way back from a lesson as one of the most valuable times, where ideas are refined and implemented to improve the lessons and project website.

Solina agrees the partnership has worked really well.

“Brendan is really great to work with – he’s really supportive and open-minded and a really great mentor. We’re such a good team.”

Brendan says the project has particularly benefited from enabling Solina to bring her own input and ideas – and her creative skills.   

“I have a ‘to do list’ which I had planned to share with Solina as a research assistant but I decided to give her the opportunity to collaborate on this project on her own terms without just giving her work to do,” Brendan says.

“This was best decision I could have made because it enabled Solina to bring her own perspective to the project which proved to be much more valuable.”  

“Solina also has a gift for graphic design so her illustrations have really enhanced the SILO website. Her perspective as a Canadian has also been very helpful as it has required us both to articulate our own contexts and assumptions.”

While Solina’s placement has come to an end, the pair will continue to work together.

“We have started writing several journal articles together and Solina will be the first author on some of these as she is very capable,” Brendan says.

Though Solina had not heard of Armidale before she couldn’t be more enthusiastic about her experience.

“It’s really pretty here – the sun shines most days. There are 36,000 people in my school back home, but it’s such a close-knit community here. You see someone you know everywhere you go in Armidale.

“I’m an active person, and the town is perfect for that, because it’s very hilly and natural. My favourite thing about Armidale is Parkrun! I also love how you can go out and see the stars at night. And I love the coffee shops here – Australian coffee is fabulous!”

Solina has also enjoyed living on-campus.

“I’ve been living at Mary White College and it is such a fun community. You get to know everyone and everyone is so kind. The people are the best thing about it. There are also lots of fun events, like Christmas in July, everyone got really into it, people even played Christmas carols on the piano and guitar. 

“They have block challenges where you compete at things like building a bridge, there’s always stuff going on!”

Thank you, Solina, for being part of the UNE School of Education community – we wish you all the best with your studies and bright future in STEM education.