Today, The Duke of York visited the Victoria Science Education Centre (VSSEC), at Strathmore Secondary College, one of six Victorian Science and Mathematics Centres hosted by government schools across the state and available for use by all Victorian teachers and students.
VSSEC uses the context of space to engage teachers and students in science, technology, engineering and maths and offers a range of hands-on programmes. HRH was able to visit the facilities, including Mars Rock, which reproduces a small crater on Mars encased in an inflatable dome where students can work in a simulated Mission Control centre as astronauts. The Duke of York also toured Mission Control, a computer room which students can monitor astronauts (the other students) completing their mission on the (simulated) surface of Mars and the Space Laboratory, which simulates a laboratory in space or on the surface of a planet; and a research laboratory.
HRH then presented Bronze and Silver iDEA awards to a number of students from Strathmore Secondary College, where VSSEC is based.
That afternoon, the Govenor of Victoria, the Hon. Linda Dessau, held a lunch for The Duke of York at Government House.
Later that day, HRH visited the Victorian Innovation Hub, which provides a world class co-working facility that fosters sector collaboration and innovation for 360 start-ups, accelerators and incubators.
Based at the Goods Shed within the redevelopment of Melbourne Docklands, the Victorian Innovation Hub is home to companies across a range of sectors including MedTech, AgTech, FinTech and cyber security. The Goods Shed was originally a large railway freight shed and was known as the longest building in Australia for a period of time.
During the visit, The Duke of York had a briefing on the Hub before meeting Entrepreneurs during a tour of the building.
