Brauer Secondary College year 11 students Caleb Ballinger, 16, and Emily Crowe, 17, have been invited to a national science camp.
WARRNAMBOOL students are among the next generation of scientists chosen for a specialist camp to be held early next year.
The annual National Youth Science Forum 2013 selects current year 11 students and exposes them to potential science careers they haven't yet contemplated by participating in a mix of scientific, formal, personal development and social activities.
Brauer College's Caleb Ballinger and Emily Crowe and Warrnambool College's Thomas Fallon were chosen after completing the comprehensive application and interview process co-ordinated by Rotary International.
Brauer's head of science Erynne Ewenson said the forum opened the students' eyes to university courses and science-related career options.
It also helped them to network with like-minded students and science professionals, she said.
The students attend research and industry facilities in their chosen science field, ranging from physics, maths and computing, chemistry, biomedicine, animal and plant biology, earth and environmental sciences and engineering.
Each year about 2000 students around the country apply for only 432 places and the opportunity to talk to dozens of practising scientists and engineers about their work during the camp.
Australian National University hosts the students at the two Canberra forums while Curtin University and the University of Western Australia jointly host the program in Perth.
"They go, they meet scientists, they do experiments in the lab but I think the best thing is they meet like-minded people," Mrs Ewenson said.
"It's that 'there's people out there like me'. It's a really good experience for them. I'm so proud of them for getting in because they worked hard," Mrs Ewenson said. "It's a great opportunity."
Caleb is the fourth child from his family to be chosen for the forum, following the paths of his three brothers.
"I was very excited when I got the call," the keen physics student said .
Emily and Thomas have chosen to learn more about their favourite subject, biology, at the forum.
"I enjoy being able to understand what's happening in the body and applying it to everyday things," Emily said.
"Hopefully going to Perth will help me decide what I want to do (in the future)."
Thomas, who is studying units 3 and 4 biology at Warrnambool College, said the subject helped him see how far the human race had come .
mmcneil@standard.fairfax.com.au
