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Ground breaking $4.4 million Biolab in Geelong for Victorian students

Wednesday, 30 November 2011

Geelong will be Victoria's epicentre of excellence in bioscience education with the opening of the $4.4 million Victorian Bioscience Education Centre – BioLAB.

Officially opening BioLAB, Minister for Education Martin Dixon and the Member for South Barwon, Andrew Katos, said the centre would inspire and engage generations of young Victorians with the possibilities of science, particularly in the emerging areas of sports science and biomechanics.

"BioLAB breaks the mould of science education, providing students with sophisticated science scenarios designed to tap into their imagination, intellect and understanding of science," Mr Dixon said.

"Science has a misplaced reputation for being dull and that's why too many students turn off before they even give it a chance.

"BioLAB will help us reach out to young minds and inspire them to push the boundaries of science."

BioLAB is the latest addition to Victoria's specialised science education centres based at secondary schools – the Victorian Space Science Education Centre at Strathmore Secondary College, the Ecolinc Centre at Bacchus Marsh Secondary College and the Gene Technology Access Centre at University High.

After BioLAB will come a renewable energy centre at Mt Clear Secondary College in Ballarat, and the Quantum Victoria physical sciences centre, based at Charles La Trobe College in Heidelberg.

Hundreds of schools across the state send their students to these centres to experience the practical side of science.

Mr Katos said BioLAB featured four distinct laboratories which are designed to help students learn about the different aspects of bioscience.

"In the outdoor field laboratory students are able to analyse the physics of a sport, and are also fitted with GPS athlete tracking systems to monitor their body's physiological responses to exercise," Mr Katos said.

"In the human performance laboratory students might face a sports doping scandal, and will also be able to look at materials technology of sports equipment using the sophisticated testing equipment on site.

"What better location to have this centre than Geelong, a city where sport is the lifeblood, which will help capture the imagination of students and draw a clear link between science and the real world," Mr Katos said.

BioLAB is hosted at Belmont High School in Belmont, and has already built partnerships with a number of local organisations, including Deakin University.

When it opens in term 1 next year, the programs at BioLAB will be targeted towards upper primary school through to middle secondary years students, with the aim of expanding the curriculum to providing VCE level content in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physical Education.

Mr Dixon said the Victorian Coalition Government recognised the importance of science education.

In the 2011-12 Victorian State Budget the government allocated $24.3 million for primary science and maths specialists, $5 million for a science graduate scholarship program and $400,000 for a science, maths and entrepreneurship collaborative network, along with $2.5 million for 25 schools to specialise in a range of areas, from fashion to robotics to horticulture.

Just last week Mr Dixon and Minister for the Teaching Profession Peter Hall announced the rollout of the government's election commitment to employ 100 maths and science specialists to boost the standard of maths and science in primary schools.

"It is crucial to engage primary school students early on to get them excited about science, building the foundation of knowledge that will serve them well in their secondary education and beyond," Mr Dixon said.

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