The National Youth Science Forum (NYSF) is a summer school programme dedicated to year eleven students who are heading into year twelve and are thinking about a career in science, engineering and related disciplines to major scientific institutions and researchers. They are also given training in time management, interview skills and public speaking. In previous years it has been known as the National Science Summer School (NSSS). The Forum is a residential program and takes place during January in Canberra and Brisbane. All activities are supervised by student staff and resident Rotary counsellors. The program is advertised to be extremely intensive with little time for outside activities except for meeting those people already in the program. Some say the most important aspect coming from the NYSF is a network of friends, colleagues and support groups throughout Australia which will be of value to participants for the whole of their lives. Very select students from New Zealand, South Africa and United Kingdom are now also involved. History The NSSS was funded in 1983 by the Canberra Development Board with assistance from many Canberra and outside organisations including Rotary, The Australian National University (ANU), the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the Canberra College of Advanced Education (CCAE) (now the University of Canberra). The concept was developed through Mr Neville Whiffen, then Chairman of the Canberra Development Board, with the support of members of Rotary in District 968, Sydney, and was organised by the staff of the CCAE. The first NSSS was held in January 1984 with 198 students selected from across Australia. Mainstays of the program were Mr Bob Mitchell (subsequently Assistant Vice-Chancellor of the University of Canberra), Mr Ian Frencham (formerly CCAE, now retired), Dr Rodney Jory (University of Canberra, the founding Director of the NYSF), Mr and Mrs Ken Shields (Rotary Club of St. Ives, Sydney), Mr and Mrs Ted Armstrong (Rotary, Canberra) and six Rotarian couples, "house parents", one couple from each State in Australia. After this first success, the NSSS was incorporated on 5 June 1984, a Council set up and a Director appointed. Over the next few years, many changes were made to improve the program. The 1985 NSSS introduced specialised activity groups and for the first time, the Director was assisted by seven students, all of whom had attended in the previous year, who were invited to return as staff members. For January