High School students experience Math IT fun at Western Sydney University

The annual Math IT day at Western Sydney University brought together high school students for a fun filled experience focussed on Mathematics and Information Technology.

The academic enrichment event for year 7 and 8 students was held at the University’s Penrith Campus. 127 students from 13 Greater Western Sydney high schools were present at the event and were able to familiarise themselves with the campus environment as well as discover the real world applications of their studies and help foster student engagement in tertiary education.

The opening session featured experts in maths and IT fields including Associate Professor Leanne Rylands, Associate Professor Volker Gebhardt, and Masters student Nicholas Ralph from the School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematics. Blaire Vallin from the School of Science and Health who was about to complete her undergraduate degree also spoke at the session.

Students were then split into groups and rotated through five different activities including ‘Robotics’, ‘Maths in Engineering’, and the much- loved ‘Mathematics and Technology Campus Race’ among others. The day was run by Schools Engagement as well as staff and postgraduate students from the School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematics.

Anne McLean, Manager of Schools Engagement said the day aimed to increase awareness of the importance of mathematics in day-to-day life and highlight that it was an essential foundation for a wide range of study and career options.

“Math IT gives talented students the chance to meet experts in computing and maths, and raises their awareness of the exciting and diverse opportunities in these fields while they are still in the junior years of high school,” she said. “It’s clear from what students said about the event that they absorbed the key messages.”