QEST is the incorporated association of Queensland Education Science Technicians.
As an Australian not for profit professional organisation, QEST aims to support science laboratory staff in Queensland schools, through the facilitation of networking and provision of job specific professional development.
The association has membership across the state in both metropolitan and rural areas, with diverse experience and needs. With few laboratory support staff in each school, staff filling these roles often feel isolated and challenged. QEST aims to connect laboratory staff through encouraging regional and state networks to share ideas, information and experiences.
QEST’s goal is to provide resources, support and training for Queensland science technicians in schools and tertiary education facilities. To that end QEST produces a quarterly newsletter, maintains a website with relevant links and downloadable resources, facilitates training through other organisations and organises an annual conference focused on professional development, specific to members’ roles in schools.
QEST also offers bursaries and awards to assist members in attending professional development opportunities, that otherwise may not be available to them.
Join QEST and become a member of a unique science community.
Already a member? Share your thoughts and ideas with us, email qest@qest.org.au
In 2002, Sue Holt designed our logo and submitted it to the committee with the following reasoning:
“I thought the new logo should have special meaning for us, so I thought of the following analogy (after assembling numerous molecular models for our recent Open Day!)
“Like the bonding forces between atoms, there are strong bonding forces between our members, giving us cohesion. The link we all share is Queensland education, represented by a double bond for greater combining capacity.
“We are joined to that by single bonds, forming our own special groups (QEST-anes, QEST-enes, QEST-ols or maybe just QEST-ies?!)
“The whole group (molecule) can combine with other groups to give even more stability.
“The bonds allow communication to take place between our members (atoms), with each member (atom) having an influence on the other ones around it.”