OSA Ambassador - Zoe

Get to know Zoe!

How did you first get involved in OSA?
I first became involved in the Oliphant Science Awards in Year 5 (2022) when my school had a Scientist-In-Residence, Sophie Dolling. Sophie ran fun science experiments to get students excited about science and asked for participants. I put my hand up and attended meetings at recess with other students to learn more. From there I entered my first entry, a scientific inquiry on the most effective cleaning substances.   

Why do you participate?
I participate because it is fun to complete interesting scientific experiments and learn more about the world around me. I also enjoy participating because when it is all said and done I get to meet new people who share interests with me at the different Oliphant Events. 

What advice would you give to other OSA entrants?
The advice I would give other entrants is the more effort you put in the more you will get out of it. I recommend choosing a topic that is fun or interesting that you are genuinely curious about. Over the three years I have entered, I have tried a new category each year. Each of the categories give you different styles of investigation to pursue or inspiration themes which I find helps when I am brainstorming ideas. I start by choosing categories and then write down all the ideas I can think of for that category. From there I choose my idea, read through the rules and rubric for the category and make a plan. Having a plan really helps with your organisation so that you get everything done before the due date.    

What is your favourite project that you have submitted?
My favourite project I have entered was my Oobleck photography entry in 2023. The photography theme was Vibrations which got me started with my idea. I completed a scientific inquiry into the theory behind sound waves and Non-Newtonian fluids to identify the best methods to maximise the movement of the Oobleck when sound is played through it. This gave me the opportunity to learn new skills in building my experiment setup and the inquiry findings allowed me to apply what I had learnt to create visually interesting effects for my photography entry.