On the 22^nd-24^th August 2023 UNE Discovery team members Alfonsina and Claire had the opportunity to join the fun of AgQuip with some of the representatives of UNE from a range of faculties.

AgQuip is the largest and best-known primary industry field day, presenting and demonstrating a wide range of innovative goods and services, promoting cutting-edge research and development, and educating industry experts in the field of agriculture. We met and engaged with the larger rural community and allowed for families growing up in isolated and remote regions to engage with some hands-on activities and tap into the WOW factor and wonder of science.

Alfonsina’s dung beetles were a hit with plenty of farming families interacting with them and engaging in the relevance of real-world applications of what’s going on at and below the surface on their farms.

We had a few activities set up for everyone to play with, including some of our new physics magic tricks (coming to a school near you soon!) like the growing marshmallows, newtons discs, and friction phonebooks. Geology activities allowed for parents to show what makes up the ground at home and learn how it was formed. And, the microscope which allowed the kids to get up and close to some of those critters mum and dad would normally freak out at!

Plenty of UNE alumni popped in for a visit with their families and we had the chance to spark interest and fuel the curiosity of the next generation of budding scientists.