BioEYES Australia is an award-winning, innovative, hands-on approach to teaching primary and secondary students about science. Since it began, BioEYES Australia has reached more than 10,000 students with some 83% of students stating they can imagine themselves as scientists after completing the program. Rotary Melbourne has partnerered with Monash University to broaden the reach of the program.
The team consists of both doctoral trained research scientists and VIT certified school teachers. It is in a unique position to provide a program which introduces students to passionate scientists while aligning the learning of the program with a number of areas from the National Curriculum.BioEYES Australia is run through the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (Monash BDI) and the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI) at Monash University. With more than 130 internationally-renowned research teams between them, these institutes are at the forefront of medical research, working on global health priorities.
Over the course of a week, students nurture the development of zebrafish embryos, observing the transparent eggs (Danio rerio) change from a single-celled zygote to a free swimming larvae. Students develop their critical thinking skills and perform collaborative experiments as they study the lifespan and development of the zebrafish, anatomy and genetics. The entire program is run at schools, making it accessible to students and their teachers.
BioEYES Australia aims to capture the inherent enthusiasm and excitement that students have for science while opening their minds to possible and fulfilling futures in this field. Moreover it is a powerful aid for teachers working within the Australian National Curriculum.
