They were among a group of 290 students from high schools around Perth there to discover careers in technology, engineering and mathematics – known as STEM.
Students were able to expand their minds by grilling mentors from fields such as radioastronomy, health programming, particle physics, plant genetics and disease research.
Run by Scitech, the event was an opportunity for students to think outside the box, Science Café co-ordinator Colleen Kleinschmidt said.
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“Studying science can lead to an amazing array of careers. Science Café helps demonstrate those links by connecting secondary students to professionals from a range of industries,” she said.
“From astrophysicists through to cancer research and plant energy biology, it’s really inspiring to hear what a day in the life of a scientist is actually like and what pathways these people took. And it doesn’t always involve a white lab coat,” she said.
“It’s great to see so many students taking an active interest in STEM when they think about future study or career paths.
“I think the students leave with a broader perspective because they start to understand what studying science, engineering, and maths at school can do for them later.”