More than 50 of the brightest young minds in science will spend six days in Melbourne this week at the Youth ANZAAS 2009 conference. Students in Years 10, 11 and 12 from Australia and New Zealand will experience the workings of leading scientific establishments.

The conference is organised by the Australian & New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science (ANZAAS) and runs from Sunday 5 July to Friday 10 July with delegates staying at Ormond College, University of Melbourne.

Conference organizer and current Honours student in genetics at the University of Melbourne, Mr Damien Downes says that for him, Youth ANZAAS was a life changing opportunity, which opened his eyes to the possibilities that science can offer.

“After attending the Sydney conference in 2004 I was cemented into a career in science. I can still remember every practical, lecture and tour we did clearly. One of the biggest responsibilities of humans is to share knowledge, this is one of my life philosophies and here was a perfect opportunity. If I can give students the experience I had five years earlier I'll be thrilled,” says Mr Downes.

Ms Tegan Dobbie, biomedical science student at Monash University says that she always had a love for science, but had very little idea what that meant.

“Youth ANZAAS exposed me to real Australian scientific organizations and scientific communication, which I'm incredibly passionate about. This year’s conference will show excellent students the real, diverse world that is science, and enable them to make long-lasting friendships. We will be up close with undergraduates, PhD students, and seasoned researchers, finding out what they do and how they do it.

Activities at the University of Melbourne include:
 "What Darwin saw and what he'd see today" Genetics workshop, students extracting their DNA
 Talk delivered by Professor David de Kretser, AC, Governor of Victoria, 'The use of comparative studies of genomes in algae, mice and men to identify causes of infertility'
 Physics Workshop and demonstrations

Professor Robert Saint, Dean of Science at the University of Melbourne, who will be joining the students for breakfast in Ormond College on Monday 6 July, says that meetings like these are essential for increasing the interest in science and technology by demonstrating exciting and realistic career choices.

“The University of Melbourne is delighted to be hosting the 2009 Youth ANZAAS conference delegates.  We hope that the students will gain much from meeting leading scientists and postgraduate students who can act as role models. The week will broaden the students' experience of science beyond that usually gained in the classroom and give the students a heightened sense of the excitement and relevance of science as it is practiced.”