Advanced Microscopy - Decoding the Unseen World of Science in Australian Classrooms

This article has been reproduced from the SASTA Journal, 2025, Edition 1. 

Jessica Jones, Inspire STEM Education Australasia. 

A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO ADVANCED MICROSCOPY

In his recent keynote address at the 2025 Annual SASTA Conference, Mr Angus Netting described how advanced microscopy plays a critical role in scientific and industrial research. He added that it is now being used as an innovative tool to support both STEM education and career development.
Both advanced optical and electron microscopy techniques are used extensively across a diverse and complementary range of sectors in science and technology including:

• Medical and biomedical research, including vaccine development, reproductive health, cancer and infectious disease treatment, control and prevention, infection and wound repair, and precision medicine.
• Mineral sector, including critical minerals, renewable energy generation and storage, and environmental science.
• High technology, including Advanced manufacturing, quantum computing, telecommunications and space science.
• Life Sciences, including Plant, agriculture, sustainability and food security.

Mr Netting shared engaging stories of research and industry applications at the forefront of his field including the following examples.

In the field of medicine, in 2020, as part of the worldwide response to the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers around the world pooled their resources, working together using cryo-electron microscopy to characterise the spike protein from the Omicron COVID variant to rapidly accelerate the vaccine development for coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Near atomic resolution interaction mapping helps predict when vaccine variants will be required as viral mutations arise.

3D reconstructions of antibody/spike proteins. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-visual-guide-to-the-sars-cov-2-coronavirus/

In the energy sector, researchers at universities and within industrial companies are developing new forms of energy generation and storage to help achieve reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and net zero alternatives to burning fossil fuels. Below are Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) images of nanoparticles incorporating less expensive elements (transition metals) into lithium and other batteries for improved energy storage.

TEM images of Magnesium doped nano particles LR-Mg0.01

CAREER SPOTLIGHT ON TWO STEM INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS

For NewSpec employees, the critical need for young people to study and pursue careers in STEM related fields raises the question: how can access to advanced microscopy tools at an early age promote student engagement in STEM subjects and ultimately lead to a career in STEM? This question was put to two industry professionals. Here are their stories.

Mr Angus Netting, Scanning Electron Microscope Product Manager at NewSpec

Moving to Adelaide, from my childhood regional town of Broken Hill, I was lucky to be inspired by two outstanding chemistry teachers in secondary school, Sandra Reynolds and Des Joyce. This led me, in the early 1980s, to commence a degree at Flinders University in Physical and Inorganic Chemistry with Earth Sciences.

After two years working as an analytical chemist for a local consulting company in Adelaide, I was seconded to the South Australian Institute of Technology in 1987, a few years prior to it becoming University of South Australia. I worked with industrial applied researchers on manufacturing and mining applications of surface science and electron microscopy until 2002, when I joined the University of Adelaide’s core facility for microscopy and microanalysis, Adelaide Microscopy. From 2014 - 2024 I worked as the Director of Adelaide Microscopy and the Adelaide Biobank. Adelaide Microscopy has four microscopy laboratories across the University of Adelaide which are used for training postgraduate students and supporting world class research across the University.

In January 2025 I commenced a new role as SEM Product Manager at NewSpec Pty Ltd looking after the sales of Hitachi Electron Microscopes in Australia and New Zealand.

Mr Mel Hartley, Mechanical and Software Engineer at NewSpec Digital Labs

My passion for STEM sparked early, thanks to a garage filled with tools, electronics, and random mechanical bits. At 10 years old, my best friend and I built our first motorised billy cart using an electric scooter and his brother’s old RC car. In year 9, I taught myself to code, driven by our dream of creating our own video game, learning animation and 3D modelling along the way.

Throughout school, involvement in STEM-focused programs strongly shaped my educational choices. The Primary Extension and Challenge (PEAC) program introduced me to robotics, model rocketry, and animation, while placement in academically gifted classes during high school further nurtured my curiosity. These experiences led me naturally toward pursuing a double degree in Mechanical and Software Engineering. Mechanical engineering provided me tangible, hands-on problem-solving skills, while software engineering empowered me to bring my creative ideas to life through programming and automation.

My career has provided varied experiences, from helping dismantle and network one of the largest supercomputers in the southern hemisphere at DownUnder GeoSolutions, to practical mining engineering work 1.5 km underground in remote Western Australia. These roles grounded my theoretical knowledge with real-world application, troubleshooting, and hands-on problem-solving. Later, working for an automation startup in West Perth, I commissioned and designed automated laboratory systems, travelling to multiple sites and gaining vital exposure to robotic automation and system integration.

Currently, I’m part of the NewSpec Digital Labs team at Portable Spectral Services, a materials characterisation lab heavily involved in geological exploration. My role involves designing robotic systems that automate the preparation and scanning of geological samples. These robots improve accuracy, repeatability, and throughput, significantly enhancing lab efficiency (and are just super fun to work with).

A collaborative robot arm picking slides from a multi-tray rack and loading them into a Bruker micro-XRF analyser for rapid mineralogical analysis

Additionally, I develop machine learning applications to analyse microscopy data, most recently applying AI techniques to characterise heavy mineral sands using a number of optical microscopy techniques.

This enables rapid, accurate estimates of mineral composition, drastically improving exploration decisions.

Reflecting on my journey, I’m grateful for the tools, people, and freedom I was given to explore and experiment. The best pathways in STEM often start with curiosity—and a garage full of possibilities.

The common thread here is that both Angus and Mel were inspired early by the educators and passionate adults around them. They were given opportunities and experiences that sparked their interest and allowed them to pursue their curiosity through to industry level.

THE IMPORTANCE OF INDUSTRY IN SCHOOLS’ STEM EDUCATION

Finding graduates equipped with the skills necessary for technical positions is a well-documented global challenge. In 2018, Australia’s then Chief Scientist, Dr Alan Finkel, presented the Australian Education Council’s report, Optimising STEM Industry-School Partnerships: Inspiring Australia’s next generation, highlighting the crucial role partnerships between school and industry play in enhancing STEM education engagement, outcomes and preparing students for future careers. The report stresses the need for teacher professional development to facilitate these partnerships and utilise industry expertise in the classroom. The emphasis is on engaging students with real world STEM projects and connecting them with a wide range of possible career pathways.

The Education Council’s National STEM School Education Strategy 2016-2026 reports that there are many factors that affect student engagement in STEM subjects, including the way industry articulates the importance of STEM-related skills that extend beyond traditional STEM occupations. The strategy identifies 5 areas for national action in teaching and learning, in partnership with parents, community, tertiary and industry partnerships:

1. Increasing student STEM ability, engagement, participation and aspiration.
2. Increasing teacher capacity and STEM teaching quality.
3. Supporting STEM education opportunities within school systems.
4. Facilitating effective partnerships with tertiary education providers, business and industry.
5. Building a strong evidence base.

NEWSPEC: NURTURING CAREERS IN SCIENCE BY SUPPORTING ENGAGEMENT FROM KINDERGARTEN TO INDUSTRY

NewSpec is an Australian company specialising in scientific research equipment, primarily in the fields of lasers, optics, electron microscopes and surface metrology, supplying the Australasian research, defence, mining and industrial sectors. The company is comprised of more than 30 staff across Australia, from diverse STEM and Education fields. NewSpec recognises the critical role it can play in ensuring young Australians are equipped with the inspiration, creativity, technical skills and knowledge they will need to succeed as our next generations of researchers, technicians and STEM field professionals and is motivated to connect with schools across the country to support STEM learning engagement and student outcomes.

The suggestion of the Education Council’s 2018 report, that industry can play a vital role in providing expertise, resources and guidance to students, teachers and schools aligns with NewSpec’s vision, rather than merely voicing our concerns about the lack of practical skills among graduates, choosing to become part of the solution. Our initiatives are actively contributing to the development of a skilled workforce, aiming to facilitate opportunities and experiences that foster a love for science from a young age, provide practical experience during university studies, and ultimately create a pipeline of talented individuals ready to excel in technical positions. Through a commitment to building STEM engagement from kindergarten to career, we are working to ensure a continuous and sustainable approach to building a skilled and capable workforce.

For university students pursuing a degree or higher in science fields, NewSpec offers part-time positions within the team. These roles provide valuable work experience and insights into industry, bridging the gap between academic learning and practical application. A summer traineeship program in collaboration with Adelaide Microscopy at The University of Adelaide offers undergraduates the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with state-of-the-art microscopy equipment, working on real-world projects under the guidance of experienced professionals. This immersive experience enhances their technical skills and prepares them for future careers in science and technology.

INSPIRE STEM EDUCATION PROJECT OVERVIEW

In 2017 NewSpec was invited to join a global corporate social responsibility initiative being delivered to schools by Hitachi High Tech America, called Inspire STEM Education. The program, established in 2011, is successfully supporting STEM engagement in schools, as well as bridging gaps to tertiary studies and career pathways using the industry grade Hitachi TM4000 Plus Desktop Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). This SEM was designed as a crossover piece between high end light microscopy and electron microscopy. It is robust, compact, and so technologically intuitive that it has been successfully used by kindergarten students in the Adelaide Hills to find out if they really were being bitten by millipedes in the garden!

This initiative aims to inspire new pioneers and innovators by igniting curiosity, engagement and motivation whilst equipping learners with the understanding and skills required to meet the evolving demands of our global future. Our focus is on creating equitable, classroom-based, hands-on access for all learners to world class equipment and industry expertise in STEM fields. We achieve this through partnerships, primarily with tertiary institutions, across Australia and New Zealand, linking schools with industry and research, raising career awareness and upskilling teachers through professional learning opportunities. We aim to improve awareness and engagement with STEM career pathways and illuminate the use of microscopy as a best practice model to engage students, teachers and the school community in STEM learning and discovery.

Balaklava High School students collaborate, putting the SEM to work.

We strive to break down barriers and misconceptions about STEM career opportunities available by bringing advanced scientific equipment to classrooms and providing direct experience through hands-on learning. This creates a spark that inspires students to explore the wonders of the world around them, seeing STEM learning from a new perspective, presenting pathways to capture future interest, perhaps for students who have not yet recognised their interest, potential or the possibilities available to them.

The Australian initiative conducted pilot programs in South Australian primary and high schools in 2018. Initially this involved one term of weeklong visits to primary and then high school sites. Participating schools nominated science teachers to attend a full day professional learning with the Hitachi TM4000 Plus SEM. Since the conclusion of the successful pilot program, Inspire STEM Education has been travelling to schools in the furthest corners of our vast continent, and beyond, with the critical support of partnering institutions. Inspire STEM Education Australia is still in its early days of development and requires more supporters and input to improve the reach of the program, particularly for under-represented students.

PARTNERSHIPS AND GEOGRAPHICAL REACH

In 2025, our operational regions have grown to include:

• South Australia, in partnership with University of Adelaide (2017)
• Brisbane, in partnership with CMM, University of Queensland (2018)
• Victoria, in partnership with GTAC and Melbourne University (2020)
• New South Wales, in partnership with the University of Western Sydney (2020)
• Perth, in partnership with Curtin University and AuScope (2024)
• Canberra (2025)
• New Zealand, in partnership with University of Waikato, Hamilton and Victoria University of Wellington (2021)

HOW INSPIRE STEM EDUCATION SUPPORTS SCHOOLS

The Education Council’s National STEM School Education Strategy developed 7 principles to help guide schools in improving the focus on, and bringing about change in, STEM within the school environment as follows:

1. Create a school culture where the importance of STEM is recognised and valued.
2. Expose students and teachers to a range of career options and information early.
3. Build on students’ curiosity, connecting STEM learning to solving real world problems, including collaborative and individual hands-on, inquiry-based learning experiences that support the achievement of deep knowledge.
4. Recognise that STEM education approaches work best when supported by a whole-school collaborative effort.
5. Encourage teachers to prioritise STEM content knowledge when determining their professional learning needs.
6. Guide choices about partnership/outreach programs, considering how to target students less engaged in STEM.
7. Consider how to evaluate new partnerships and learning approaches as part of program design, to determine whether change has occurred in student attitudes to STEM, and whether this translates into greater STEM achievement.

Inspire STEM Education supports schools in applying these principles to improve student’s STEM engagement and outcomes. We share industry and research highlights and stories about how STEM fields are supporting us in our everyday lifestyles, often in un-noticed or invisible ways. We create pathways to understand career opportunities more clearly, connecting schools with tertiary institutions, researchers and industry professionals. Learning resources are readily available, showcasing a range of best practice examples from other education sites. Whole school involvement and community engagement is encouraged through sharing examples, success stories, competitions and prizes. Group school staff trainings are flexible and adapted to be made accessible.

Teachers and STEM professionals contribute by sharing their experiences of what works well, setting others up for success as part of a resource rich, growing community. Our team is passionate about growing STEM futures and sharing exciting opportunities and knowledge with schools.

A Braeview Primary student captures the lattice structure on a butterfly’s wing scale

TEACHER FEEDBACK

“Having access to the SEM was a pretty amazing experience for me as a primary school teacher - out of the box and comfort zone. It was a great opportunity for the students to see what scientists might be doing in labs and how they research. It ended up being a great collaborative exercise in STEM learning together. We all really get what micro and nano are now -5-year-olds to teens. What a blast!!!” Heathfield Primary Science Teacher

“Inquiry based learning was at an all-time high as questions were flowing…My favourite part of the week would have to be watching the pure amazement on each child’s face as we discovered parts of a mini-beast or object that we never knew was there. As they will now tell me ‘In Nano size’.” Pulteney Grammar Junior School Teacher

“Some of the notable activities from the week included: Yr11 and 12 physics, proving that a diffraction grating labelled as 300 lines/mm was correct. Yr 9 agriculture, comparing sheep wool fibre samples before and after cleaning and combing. Comparing these against alpaca fibres. Yr 11 fashion, comparing a variety of different fabric samples (natural, manmade and blends). Yr 7 science, how smooth are surfaces? Looking at how a surface may be smooth…but appears rough under the microscope…Favourite images from the week: Decapsulated microchip, pollen on a bee, information on a DVD, gas chromatography column. Overall, a very successful week. The instrument was used extensively and made for many engaging lessons. Now that staff and students have spent a week with the instrument and are more familiar with it, we [will] build on that experience. Mini projects where students [are] encouraged to prepare and run a number of samples toward the answering of a question would be ideal.” Scotch College Teacher

BOOKINGS AND FURTHER INFORMATION

W. https://www.inspirestemeducation.com.au/

W. https://www.newspec.com.au/

E. outreach@newspec.com.au

P. (08) 8453 1967

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Angus Netting – Scanning Electron Microscope Product Manager at NewSpec

Mel Hartley – Mechanical and Software Engineer at NewSpec Digital Labs

REFERENCES

1. Wang, Z., et al. mRNA vaccine-elicited antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 and circulating variants. Nature 592, 616–622 (2021). Wrapp et al. DOI: 10.1126/science.abb2507
2. Chau Huang, Zhijie Wang, Hao Wang, Di Huang, Yan-bing He, ShiXi Zhao. 2022, TEM images of Magnesium doped nano particles LR-Mg0.01, Materials Today Engineering
3. Education Council, National STEM School Education Strategy: A comprehensive plan for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education in Australia 2016-2026, December 2015. https://www.education.gov.au/australian-curriculum/resources/national-stem-school-education-strategy
4. Department of Education, Skills and Employment, Optimising STEM Industry-School Partnerships: Inspiring Australia’s next generation, final report April 2018, https://www.education.gov.au/australian-curriculum/resources/optimising-stem-industryschool-partnerships-final-report