NASCA’s young women reach for the stars

Five of NASCA's young women head to NASA’s prestigious Space Camp in a bid to get more Indigenous women into STEM.

An astronaut, an aerospace engineer, a pilot …

For most kids growing up, these ambitions are simply a dream, but Wiradjuri teen Stacey Buckley is one step closer to making it happen.

She is one of five Indigenous students from New South Wales heading to NASA’s prestigious Space Camp for a week-long program.

“I never really thought that I would have the opportunity to do anything space related in a science field because of our location, I mean we really only have the Big Dish, and so going to America, going to NASA Space Camp, really opens up a door I never thought I had,” Stacey said.

The program, held at the US Space and Rocket Centre in Huntsville Alabama, brings together teens from different countries to experience activities in aerospace, astronautics and develop leadership skills.

“It feels amazing to be able to represent our community, to represent Indigenous women, to represent Australia and myself,” she said.

As a self-proclaimed science fanatic, Stacey hopes the program will open doors for her, with ambitions to achieve a bachelor’s degree in science after school.

“I do chemistry, earth science and bio at school now. I wish I could do more,” she said.

But she is most excited to try out the 1/6th gravity chair.

“It’s a chair that you sit in, and you can bounce on it, and it mimics the moon’s gravity,” she said.

Inspiring girls to get involved with STEM

The opportunity is funded through a new partnership between the National Aboriginal Sporting Chance Academy (NASCA) and the global Honeywell Leadership Challange Academy.

NASCA is an Indigenous-led organisation based in New South Wales that provides support for First Nations students to succeed in school.

“As Aboriginal people, we’re the first astronomers. So to be able to connect to the space side of things and keep that part of our culture alive and showcase our culture over in America, I think it’s amazing,” NASCA deputy program director Hayley Astill said.

The Gamilaraay Ularoi woman, who will also be travelling to the States, said Space Camp is an opportunity for skill building that helps create a pathway for Indigenous teenagers to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

According to the CSIRO, Australia’s STEM workforce is 15 per cent women, and only 0.5 per cent of First Nations people have a university STEM qualification.

“It’s not very common that Aboriginal women have these sorts of opportunities… To open these doors and open the girls’ minds and eyes to a whole different world is something that we always strive for,” Hayley said.

Looking to the future

Kamilaroi and Wiradjuri teen Jasmine Wilson is a prefect at Tempe High School in Sydney’s inner-west.

She hopes the experience will help build her leadership skills.

“I think it’ll definitely teach me to kind of be like, confident within myself, especially meeting so many different people and being able to represent my culture and my school, and even Australia as a country,” she said.

Jasmine’s year 8 science teacher Sharee Bourke says over the years, more and more girls have become interested in the “hardcore” science subjects like physics and chemistry.

“Things have changed, which is great… I used to see myself as a role model for women and girls coming into science and doing that the field,” she said.

“There’s been a real change, and it’s great seeing those girls expand into science and showing strength.”

Read the full article on ABC.