Welcome to the 2026 ASO Summer School, where the Earth and Environmental Science (EES) crew had a blast!

Starting with introductions and ice-breakers, the EES students connected over their shared love of science and swapped stories about sitting the ASO Exams in 2025. Their outstanding success in the EES Exam led to their selection as one of 24 EES students immersed in the ASO Summer School, held onsite at Australian National University. Joining with Biology, Chemistry and Physics, 96 students attended Summer School for just over two weeks from 6 to 21 January.

During this time, the EES students experienced classroom lectures, labs, experiments and excursions, as well as fun challenges, like building a seismometer from Lego. A break from the intense learning saw the students attend a fun night, with ice cream, frisbee and meeting students from the other disciplines.

The EES students toured the ANU Sensitive High Resolution Ion MicroProbe (SHRIMP) with Dr Antony Burnham, who discussed zircon dating with a rapt audience.

An exciting field trip day included visiting the National Rock Garden with insights from experts, Professor Brad Pillans and Dr Marita Bradshaw. The EES team also explored the State Circle National Monument, Geoscience Australia, the Woolshed Creek, and Mt Ainslie.

No shade for the EES students during the ‘Make your own Sundial’ practical investigation.

At the poster conference, where students presented on selected rocks from the National Rock Garden, we were honoured to have many members of the ANU community and long-time supporters of our program in attendance.

Always a favourite, the Team Field Investigation of Sullivans Creek on ANU campus saw the students taking samples and testing them back in the classroom lab.

Big thank you to those who support the EES discipline, including Professor Brad Pillans, Dr Marita Bradshaw, Dr Antony Burnham, Dr Ron Hackney, Dr Grace Shephard, Professor John Mavrogenes, Jared Rosenblitt, Alexandra Vickery, and Jarell Cubarrubia.