Regional Lecture Series in the Spencer Gulf

CU Adelaide staff in conjunction with the Whyalla Public Library and the Port Augusta Public Library held four successful school holiday lecture experiences in the April 2022 school holidays.

The first experience titled “Deadly Dinosaurs” is an interactive workshop created to promote curiosity and increased understanding of Mesozoic era flora and fauna. The workshop includes a comprehensive PowerPoint presentation discussing geological concepts, introducing the terminology of species classification along with the process of fossilization, and features a range of replica fossil remains demonstrating scale and morphological differences, which participants can handle and ask questions about. Fossil replicas included Velociraptor and Archaeopteryx, Baryonyx, Allosaurus and Megaraptor claws, and a Tyrannosaurus tooth. The workshop concluded with a drawing activity, introducing the importance of sketching and describing scientific specimens.  This workshop was the first Children’s University Public talk ever held in the Port Augusta Public Library and attracted a very large audience which filled more than half of the entire library space.

Comic Heroes is a newly developed interactive workshop designed to directly appeal to current and prospective members who have an interest in writing, art and popular culture. The workshop includes a ‘show and tell’ (featuring graphic novels borrowed from the library and comics drawn from the presenter’s personal collection), a discussion about the history of narrative art and famous comic books throughout history, and tips on writing and designing compelling stories and protagonists. Participants are then provided with a worksheet and guided through the process of creating their own superhero character.