From Classrooms to the Cosmos: Emanuel School Brings Space Science to Life
Emanuel School is celebrating a stellar success with its Specialist in Residence Program, an initiative launched in 2024 thanks to the generous support of the Emanuel School Foundation. The program brings leading experts into classrooms to spark curiosity, inspire deep learning, and connect students with real-world knowledge.
This year, the program ventured into the cosmos with Astrophysicists in Residence, welcoming Professor Ben Montet and Ms Margo Thornton from UNSW. Over several weeks, these experts guided students from Pre-school to Year 12 on an extraordinary journey through space exploration and the search for exoplanets.
Students didn’t just learn about the universe; they experienced it. From analysing astronomical datasets and observing sunspots through UNSW’s powerful modified telescope, to building telescopes and touring the solar system in a portable planetarium, the program offered hands-on workshops, interactive lectures, and real-world experiments. It was a rare opportunity for students to learn directly from two professional astrophysicists and gain insight into the tools, techniques, and critical thinking that drive space science and discovery.