astronomy

Sleek Geek Week

Sleek Geek Week is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Sleek Geek Week rather than just read about it. In short: Sleek Geek Week is an annual event in which Dr Karl Kruszelnicki (Julius Sumner Miller Fellow at the University of Sydney) and Adam Spencer travel to several destinations around Australia, presenting free talks on the topic of popular science. Sleek Geek is part of National Science Week in Australia.

Key takeaways

Sleek Geek Week belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Sleek Geek Week to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Sleek Geek Week from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Sleek Geek Week is an annual event in which Dr Karl Kruszelnicki (Julius Sumner Miller Fellow at the University of Sydney) and Adam Spencer travel to several destinations around Australia, presenting free talks on the topic of popular science. Sleek Geek is part of National Science Week in Australia. In 2005, the inaugural University of Sydney Sleek Geeks Science Eureka Schools Prize was launched as part of University of Sydney Eureka Science Awards. The competition is sponsored by the Faculty of Science at the University of Sydney, with additional support from Abbey’s Bookshop, Sydney and Microsoft. The competition encourages secondary school students to tell a scientific story via a short video piece, in a manner that is enjoyable and accessible for the general public. Entries are to take the form of a 1-3 minute video piece and a 250-word description of the video content.

2006 University of Sydney Sleek Geeks Science Eureka Schools Prize - (prizes totalling A$11,000 are shared between contestants and their schools)

Winners Alex Lee-Rekers, Olivia Jablonski and Thomas Marr Year 10, Conservatorium High School of Music, New South Wales

Nanosamurai Defense For a simple explanation of the body's complex immune system. Through the clever use of analogies and dramatic action sequences, Alex and Olivia explain how the body's immune system works in a simple and entertaining way. Kartika Suharto-Martin, Joanna Brooke and Rosa Gollan Year 10, Conservatorium High School of Music, NSW

Moles For an entertaining look at moles (of the skin variety). Not afraid to ask the hard-hitting questions and seek expert advice, the team's journalistic approach unearths some startling facts about moles. Kaleah Balcomb, Hannah Butler, Matthew Wardrop, Laura Cavanagh and Jonathan Woodbury Year 12, Gosford High School, NSW

A Brief History of Light For a theatrical piece exploring how the theory of light has evolved over the centuries. By consulting with some of the greatest minds in science, such as Faraday, Einstein, and Hawking, the team shows how scientific theories can be ever-changing. Maddie and Lizzy Finnigan Year 12 and Year 9, Northern Beaches Christian School, NSW

Inertia, the musical For a musical tribute to the laws of inertia. Using well known show tunes and fabulous costumes, Maddie and Lizzie's performance explains inertia in a truly unique way.

2005 national finalists Thomas Kidd and Sam Jarousek Year 10, Brisbane State High School, South Brisbane, Queensland Busting Myths For a fun look at the myth of the "Supersonic Fly" which tests how fast a small fly can travel using logical and practical evidence. Maddie and Lizzy Finnigan Year 11 and Year 8, Northern Beaches Christian School, Terrey Hills, NSW Science Is Your Friend For an entertaining look at Newton's Third Law of Motion using simple props, easy to understand analogies and some absurd humour. Andrew Katsis and Michael Steinbach Year 11, Gisborne Secondary College, Gisborne, Victoria Cellular Respiration In Humans For a short documentary with outstanding camera work that explains how humans generate energy. Kristian Leadbeater Year 10, Faith Lutheran Secondary School, Tanunda, SA Nobel's Intentions For a dramatic production which tells the story of Alfred Nobel's discovery of dynamite and his subsequent creation of the Nobel Peace Prize.

External links Official website

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Sleek Geek Week

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Sleek Geek Week claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Sleek Geek Week before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Sleek Geek Week ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Sleek Geek Week

In research: Sleek Geek Week appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Sleek Geek Week in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Sleek Geek Week is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 2005 establishments in Australia, Annual events in Australia, Recurring events established in 2005, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Sleek Geek Week outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Sleek Geek Week in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Sleek Geek Week means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Sleek Geek Week out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Sleek Geek Week in simple terms?

Why does Sleek Geek Week matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Sleek Geek Week?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Sleek Geek Week.