SUT Perth Branch Inaugural SUT Family Day –
Exploring the Immerse Exhibit

16 October 2011 SUT Perth Branch Inaugural SUT Family Day, Fremantle, Australia

Immerse Exhibit Flyer

Report 

Report

Following the successful launch of the Immerse exhibit in early September, visitor numbers to this public exhibition on subsea technology have been exceptional – not only have over 9400 people visited the exhibit in the first five weeks since its opening (an increase for the museum of over 170% on the same time last year), a number of school group excursions and public lectures have also been hosted with the support and participation of SUT members.

A key motivation for SUT in collaborating with the West Australian Museum on the Immerse exhibit was to reach out to young people and encourage them to continue with maths, science and technical subjects which could enable them to progress into careers subsea. We were also keen to raise awareness in the community about the challenges of working in and under the ocean, and the innovations which enable us to do so. Of course, where better to achieve these aims than within our families! So on the 16th of October SUT arranged our inaugural SUT Family Day, which provided a chance for members to not just have a look at the Immerse exhibit with our spouses and partners, but also to have a go (whenever the kids would share!) at piloting the observation-class remotely operated vehicle (ROV) in a tank, or trying to stack wooden blocks with five-function robot arms. The museum had also arranged for REmida to run children’s craft activities using a variety of industrial off-cuts to make their own ROVs or hard-hat diving helmets. The Family Day was also intended to be a chance for SUT members and their families to catch up over a casual ‘sausage sizzle’, however, unfortunately the catering for lunch was not successful – we would like to apologise to members for this rare glitch in our planning and organisation.

All in all, the success of the day can be judged by the feedback from the kids – their enthusiasm and engagement with the Immerse exhibit was fantastic to see, something that could not have happened without the very generous support of the corporate members who sponsored the exhibit, including Woodside as Principal Partner and GE Oil and Gas as Major Partner, and also the very generous individuals and organisations who have loaned equipment for us to display. Whatever challenges and fields of endeavour our offshore and subsea industry is focused on in the future, it is clear that some of the bright minds who came along to the SUT Family Day may be making their mark in due course.