STEM in focus: How the Albert Centre will benefit our students

Work on Blackfriars’ newest building is nearing completion and will welcome its first students within months. But how much do you know about the Albert Centre?

While much of the focus has been on the new Food Tech space, and, of course, the new canteen, the Albert Centre will also allow Blackfriars to further expand its highly regarded STEM programs.

We chatted with Leader of Learning (Science) Duro Dobrijevic to learn more about how the Albert Centre will benefit our students.

An artist’s impression of the Albert Centre.

What we can expect to see in the new Albert Centre?

The Albert Centre will include three state-of-the-art science laboratories, a designated laboratory preparation area and three STEM project rooms, equipped with a virtual reality suite, electronics, 3D printing technology and resources for robotics.

Notably, an expansive custom-made aquarium will be integrated into a wall, separating the main corridor from one of the new science laboratories. This will allow the aquarium to be viewed from both sides, offering a unique educational opportunity.

The aquarium biome will showcase a carefully curated microcosm, featuring plants, fish and decor that replicates specific aquatic habitats. It’s our plan to periodically select and display new biomes to further enrich the educational experience.

What can our students look forward to studying?

The STEM initiatives at Blackfriars continue to expand with exciting new activities. These activities include utilising a scanning electron microscope across different year levels, constructing wind-powered winches, genetically modifying bacteria, building electric motors, crafting crystal radios, designing solar ovens, exploring various methods of lie detection and testing biofuels.

The students will also be creating fuel cells, producing hydrogen fuel cells, incorporating electric paint into artwork, building model moon rovers, designing mousetrap and wind-powered cars, harnessing energy from mud, constructing potato batteries and even experimenting with exploding eggs!

The development of the Albert Centre will allow Blackfriars to extend its STEM offerings.

Why is this expansion of our STEM offerings so important?

This expansion directly responds to the growing demand in Australia for skills related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics in the job market. The global economy is rapidly evolving, with automation changing the landscape of existing jobs, while new opportunities emerge daily, thanks to technological advancements.

The continuous march of technology is reshaping how students learn, connect and interact in their daily lives.

The students of the future will need to be innovative, creative, solution-oriented, effective communicators, collaborative and comfortable with taking risks.

These skills are nurtured through an inquiry-based approach to science lessons, emphasising hands-on learning and the ability to draw conclusions from evidence and data.

The Albert Centre will include dedicated space for robotics.

So, why did we need a new building?

Blackfriars is committed to providing dynamic science teaching facilities that are designed with the latest technologies and teaching methods in mind.

Research has shown that school facilities can significantly impact student outcomes. Both the Aquinas Centre and the forthcoming Albert Centre have been purposefully designed to accommodate STEM curricula and pedagogies, providing dedicated spaces and resources for students to engage in creative, collaborative and problem-solving activities.