Introduced in 2025, this future focused VCE Chemistry program provides an opportunity for students to investigate chemical reactions such as redox through a real world industry lens, applying principles that are important to the design, development and production of various technologies including renewable energy storage systems.

Our STEM Academy program officially commenced in 2025 with the successful launch of the Engineering Academy. This will run again in 2026 and students will spend time with engineering professionals, visit industry sites and engage in experiences that replicate real world challenges and career pathways.

The STEM Academies are designed to bring together students from across our partner schools who are eager to explore a specific area of interest in greater depth, visit STEM industries, and connect with mentors working in the field.

New in 2026, this program’s centre piece is a scaled, connected and functional representation of a smart city, built out of Lego with critical infrastructure and recognisable local Ballarat landmarks.

This program has been specifically designed to use a simple investigation, centred on the familiar concept of juicing oranges, to allow students the chance to focus explicitly on their scientific inquiry skills and delve into what makes a good experiment.

Students will get hands-on experience in modern molecular biology techniques. They will work with a plasmid containing the insulin gene fused to the green fluorescent protein (GFP), under the control of the arabinose operon.

As our climate continues to change and our planet tries to adapt to industrialisation and human endeavour, understanding the basic processes of life on earth will be critical in both trying to protect the home we have and the knowledge and skills required to potentially find a new one.

In this program, students get hands-on experience as they investigate the processes of photosynthesis and respiration in response to a range of environmental conditions.

Following the extraordinary discovery of the double-helical structure of DNA and the subsequent completion of comprehensive sequencing of the human genome, the importance of genetics and the associated career opportunities continue to grow.

In this program students will use gel electrophoresis, together with a family’s medical history, to diagnose a monogenetic or “single-gene” disorder and practice providing valuable genetic counselling.

Consciousness can be thought of as operating on a continuum, and altered states can occur naturally (e.g. sleep, daydreaming) or be induced (e.g. alcohol, anesthesia). Measuring these states usually involves methods like Electroencephalography (EEG) and speed and accuracy assessments.

Both sleep deprivation and alcohol-induced states impact cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functions. A full night’s sleep deprivation (24 hours) is akin to a BAC of 0.1, while a BAC of 0.05 corresponds to 17 hours of partial sleep deprivation within 24 hours.

Can you trust your senses? Can your perception of reality be altered? In this program we look at how your nervous system can be affected by perception and how sensory information can be distorted.

The first activity of this program exposes students to different environmental experiences, moving from calming meditation to an exhilarating virtual reality rollercoaster. Students are able to apply their understanding of research methods in an interactive way while generating primary investigation data (heart rate) for analysis.

In the Game of Drones, you win when you fly! Drones are currently used in a large variety of industries as well as for recreational purposes. From inspecting wind turbines or agricultural crops to scientific research and professional racing, there are many careers on offer for drone pilots.