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The Shell Questacon Science Circus

The Shell Questacon Science Circus tours around regional Australia for 18—20 weeks each year. Sixteen enthusiastic science graduates staff the Circus as it travels, bringing lively presentations of science to towns and schools.

The Circus Team

Meet the team – a group of some top science graduates who ran away to join the circus.

With sponsorship from Shell in Australia the Circus is able to maintain a travelling exhibition consisting of 50 hands-on science exhibits, all designed to show some aspect of science. The Science Circus Presenters also perform interesting and entertaining science shows to both school and public audiences.

And with all that moving we love travelling. Here’s our upcoming itinerary.

Activities & Exhibits

How shiny is this?

Questacon Director Prof Graham Durant, General Manager Graham Smith, the Circus team and the truck!

Try some cool online science activities and get a sneak preview about some of the demonstrations in our science shows. To get a better idea about the Science Circus watch our two minute promotional movie.

Circus for Teachers

Details about the program, teacher notes of our school shows and online bookings. The Science Circus also supports the teaching of science and technology by running practical and fun professional development workshops for teachers.

Graduate Diploma

When not on tour, the 16 Circus Presenters are based at the ANU and Questacon where they study a Graduate Diploma in Scientific Communication. The ANU is a major partner in the program.

Much of the coursework for the Graduate Diploma in Science Communication happens at the Centre for the Public Awareness of Science (CPAS ) at the ANU. Coursework includes studies in print and the electronic media, science and society and an applied project. Students also participate in industry work placements through the year.

Applications close around the end of August each year. Contact CPAS by e-mail or telephone on + 61 2 6125 2809.

Course Graduates

There are now over 200 Science Circus graduates, employed all around the world. Find out more about these amazing people in the Science of Success, a tribute to the graduates of the Shell Questacon Science Circus.

Making a Difference

The Shell Questacon Science Circus celebrated it’s 21st birthday in June 2006. The exhibition was set up in the Great Hall at Parliament House!

Past and present staff and students joined with Leon Kempler, Questacon’s Chairman, John Simpson from Shell in Australia, The Australian National University’s Vice Chancellor Professor Ian Chubb AO and our Minister, The Hon Julie Bishop MP to celebrate.

Shell and the ANU both announced continuing sponsorship for the Science Circus program for a further three years.

As well as singing ‘Happy Birthday’ Minister Bishop launched a publication, Making a Difference (44pp, 3.1MB pdf). This book details the story of the origins of the Science Circus, as well as some of the impact the program has made in the communities it has visited

Our Sponsors and Partners

A Winning Partnership

The long standing partnership between Questacon, Shell in Australia and The Australian National University has won the Prime Minister’s Award for Community Business Partnership 2006. Along with our partners we are very proud to have won the Special Award for Longevity. Read the joint press release (pdf, 172 kB)

The Science Circus couldn’t get on the road without the help from our sponsors. The Graduate Diploma is run by the Centre for the Public Awareness of Science (CPAS) at the ANU.

Click on our partner’s logos to visit their websites .