Education Resources

ANSTO XR

The Free ANSTO XR app uses a mix of AR and VR to transport you to the scale of an atom and discover the world of protons, neutrons, and electrons. 

See how synchrotron light generated from super accelerated electrons can give scientists x-ray vision. 

See how the ANSTO periodic table poster works with Augmented Reality.

ANSTO STEAM Activities

ANSTO’s online STEAM activity resources encourage creative exploration of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) by incorporating the arts (the A in STEAM). 

These resources are based on the popular STEAM club online activities that were so effective in engaging children in active STEM investigations. Now you can have access to these activities at home or in the classroom, so you can do them at your convenience. You might like to use them during the school holidays! We hope you enjoy using these resources to explore science beyond the curriculum, with a creative approach. Only common items found around the home are needed, plus your imagination!

We will be adding new activities at the end of each term. So, watch this space for more engaging and creative STEAM experiences coming soon!

Meet an Expert

Let your students lead a 30-minute Q&A session with our ANSTO experts about one of the following three topics:

- Nuclear medicines
- Nuclear techniques to study the environment
- Fission and its applications in reactors

Our staff are experienced science communicators and can discuss ANSTO's research with secondary classes at an appropriate level of detail.

Please ensure your students do some pre-reading about the research topic and come prepared with questions to ask during the session. We also ask that teachers send us a copy of the student questions the day before, so we can adequately prepare for your session.

Teachers must be present during the session with their students. 

Cost: Free 

Nuclear remote online Laboratory (FarLabs)

Freely Accessible Remote Laboratories (FarLabs) have developed a nuclear remote online laboratory that schools can use to perform experiments with nuclear radiation. 

The “Turntable” experiment illustrates the penetrating power of different forms of radiation. Students can choose to pair one of four sources (alpha, beta, gamma, and unknown) with one of five absorbers, including no absorber at all. A live data feed shows the count rate from a Geiger counter placed above the selected radioactive source. 

The "Inverse Square Law" experiment demonstrates how the amount of radiation decreases with increasing distance from a radiation source. Students can access a live data feed showing the count rate from a Geiger counter placed at a selected distance away from a radiation source. 

Teachers need to register using this link before using the remote laboratory. Please direct all enquiries to [email protected]. 

We highly recommend testing this remote laboratory on your school’s equipment before planning a lesson with your class. 

The FarLabs project is led by the Department of Physics at La Trobe University in collaboration with James Cook University, Curtin University, Quantum Victoria, V3 Alliance, and ANSTO.

ANSTO Teacher Professional Development

ANSTO delivers free face-to-face and online teacher professional development courses. See our Teacher PD webpage for upcoming courses and registration links.

We also regularly present workshops and talks at teacher and lab technician conferences. If you think we might be a good fit for your upcoming event, please contact us at [email protected] with the details.

ANSTO Work Experience Program

The ANSTO Work Experience Program is extensive, interactive and hands on! It offers students a rare opportunity to engage with world-class scientists, gain exposure to working laboratories and gain insights into pioneering nuclear science research at ANSTO.

CERN High School Teacher Program

ANSTO and ASTA are partnering with CERN to offer two Australian science teachers the chance to participate in an all-expenses-paid* two-week summer school at the Large Hadron Collider.

Jack the Super Prawn

Jack the Super Prawn lives in the Great Barrier Reef and uses his superpowers to protect the environment. With JackVac around his arms and JackPac on his back, he cleans up plastic pollution and impurities in the water. With JackCopter, he soars through the water and high into the air. Jack’s main job is to educate young readers on the impact of plastic and other types of pollution and to empower them to find a solution.

Created by Antoine Jaja, Jack’s first two adventure books entitled, “Drastic Plastic” and “Pollution Solution,” are now available in paperback in bookstores throughout Australia, as well as the ANSTO Shop. ANSTO has endorsed and was pleased to provide scientific input into the development of stories that are helping to raise awareness of the impact of pollution on our waterways and the marine environment.

ANSTO has a range of experts in environmental science, including Dr Tom Cresswell, who is undertaking research in this area and was able to provide scientific context and background to support the development of these adventure stories.

Antoine has developed a free “Jack the Super Prawn” video game on App Store and Google play, and a Teacher’s Guide Activities for children.

Deaf Youth Science Camp

The Deaf Youth Science Camp is a chance for Deaf/hard-of-hearing young people (aged 12-17 years old) to participate in an immersive science experience. 

At the camp, participants will do hands-on science activities, go on tours of different science facilities, and meet Deaf STEM professionals. The camp is also an opportunity to develop personal and leadership skills as well as enhance friendship networks. 

This camp is hosted by Deaf Youth Australia and ANSTO. In 2025, the camp was funded by a National Science Week grant.

ANSTO Elementals

Elementals is a fun educational app for learning the Periodic Table. teachers and students will find this app useful in supporting science education in the classroom and practicing on the go.