Genomic Justice - Module

"There cannot be war or genocide without support. And support can be sitting at home doing nothing."

Survivor of the Bosnian genocide (2023)

In this module I explored the intersection between forensic science and history, focusing on how genomics can be used to help identify victims of the Bosnian genocide. Guided by the driving question "how can we tell the story of reconciliation in Bosnia through DNA sequencing and genetics?", I gained a better understanding of the Bosnian war and its aftermath.

I learnt about the history of Bosnia and the context of the Bosnian war through multiple excursions to museums and talks with guest speakers. I also went on an excursion to Srebrenica to learn about the genocide, where I visited the Srebrenica memorial and met the mother of a genocide victim.

I learnt about DNA extraction and processing, and visited a laboratory to practice implementing this knowledge first-hand, as well as visiting the Tuzla International Commissions on Missing Persons (ICMP) to better understand how forensic science is used in the process of identifying victims of the Bosnian war.

Finally, I learnt about sensitive journalism and had the opportunity to interview multiple survivors of the war and the genocide. This was one of the most emotional and powerful experiences I have ever had, and the things I learnt and the perspectives of the survivors will stay with me for the rest of my life.

This module remains very relevant and has helped me to view global events with a more critical and better-informed perspective, as well as developing my scientific knowledge and emotional intelligence.

Copy of Jessie M - Process Portfolio - .pdf

Over Under: Air, Under & Water and Physics - Module

In the Over Under module, I learnt about the practical application of physics and how it can be used to improve performance during physical activities. Following the driving question "How might we understand the relationship between physics and human performance in aerial and aquatic environments?", I reviewed basic physics concepts and explored how to apply them during physical activities. The module involved weekly trapeze lessons, followed by an analysis of the physics involved and reflection on how to improve.

During the WeXplore in Cairns, I completed a Water Safety course, which consisted of lessons on controlling breath and relaxing underwater and a day of free diving in Lake Ecaham. I also spent a day on Green Island, learning about turtle conservation and snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef.

My final product consisted of an infographic about physics and how it applies to trapeze and water safety.

You're So Eco - Module

This module focused on Ecotourism, and followed the driving question "How might crisis drive humans towards a more harmonious relationship with nature?".

Throughout the course of the module I went on multiple ecotourism experiences, including a lesson on how to cook traditional Greek food, a tour of the Kentro Tis Gis centre, a walking tour of the Athens National Garden with a lesson on the historic medicinal uses of native plants, an outing to a turtle rehabilitation sanctuary, and a beach cleanup.

For the summative, I planned and led an ecotour of Agistri Island with two summative partners, which involved biking and eating at a local restaurant. We also created a blog post on the tour, informing the participants what it would consist of and it's eco-friendly aspects.

Narrative Of Life - Module

In this module, I worked towards answering the driving question "How can we use multimedia literary expression to tell the story of conservation of biodiversity in Brasil?". The module focused on the connection between bioacoustics and nature conservation, and how to communicate scientific information in a creative and artistic way.

We went on multiple excursions, including a boat trip to record marine bioacoustics, an outing to a sustainable farm to learn about agroforestry, and a poetry and storytelling workshop. During our WeXplore in the Amazon (Santarém), we took inventory of frog and mushroom species, searched for bioluminescent and fluorescent organisms (such as mushrooms, frogs, spiders, etc), learnt about indigenous natural medicine and food sources, helped to reforest a beach, recorded and processed bioacoustic recordings, set up camera traps on the IpBio reserve, and took bird inventory along the banks of the Amazon river.

This was one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had, and inspired me and my summative partner to write a song about nature conservation for our final product. Our song personifies nature as a woman in multiple exploitative relationships and takes inspiration from songs like 'cherry wine' by Hozier and 'Copacobana' by Barry Manilow.

Summative Explanation

Link to Showcase performance:

www.youtube.com/live/bRHzdecmSTg?si=oJ_3IjaO-c4xT4ly

Geomosaic - Module

This module aimed to answer the driving question, "How might we analyse the relationship between Vietnam's geography and history and how that shapes its international relations?".

During online learning, I explored fundamental concepts of geography and cartography and worked towards understanding Vietnam's cultural and political history. I also learnt about international relations and politics, focusing specifically on Vietnam's form of governance and how it navigates geographical disputes (such as the dispute over the South China Sea).

On term, we went on various excursions to better understand this module's different aspects. Some examples of this include an excursion to Ninh Binh to understand Vietnam's geography, a visit to the Hoa Lo Prison to learn more about the Vietnam/American war, and visits to both the Danish and Canadian embassies in Hanoi to learn more about international relations between the two countries and Vietnam.

For my final product, I wrote a position paper on the current political relationship between Vietnam and Cambodia from the point of view of an advisor to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I also created a map as a visual aid.

I have always been interested in politics but have never fully understood international relations and political concepts. This module was especially valuable because it helped me better understand how different governments function and interact and allowed me to develop a more informed perspective on current events.

Photography - Personal Project

For my personal project this term, I wanted to focus on capturing my experiences in Vietnam through digital photography. I had no experience with cameras, so my online learning consisted of learning about photography's basic techniques and concepts.

The project consisted of three outings over the term to practice taking photographs and gathering photos for my final product. The first outing was to Train Street in Hanoi, where most of my images were blurry or dark and I realised I had to focus more on learning to control these factors. The second outing was throughout my WeXplore in Hue, where I continued to practice and take photos of my surroundings. The third and final outing was to the Community Gardens in Hanoi, where I felt comfortable controlling the camera settings to start focusing more on the creative side of photography.

My final product is a presentation of my best photographs and briefly explaining how they represent my time in Vietnam.

I learnt a lot through this project and will continue to use and improve on these skills, and expand them to photo editing next term.

Copy of Jessie M - Photography Portfolio _ Vietnam 2025.pdf

Driven By Design - Module

This term, I participated in the "Driven By Design" module, which aimed to explore the question "How can the principles of Italian car design inspire the creation of an innovative fashion piece that combines functionality with aesthetic appeal?".

During Online Learning, I learnt about the fundamentals of both fashion and cars, as well as key aspects of Italy's modern history.

Throughout the term we went on several excursions, including visits to the Ferrari museum, Milan's fashion street, and various historical and fashion museums, which helped me gain a deeper understanding of Italian design and culture.

For the final product, my summative partner and I collaborated on altering and styling a dress, produced a video that explained our creative vision, and prepared a runway script. We then participated in a fashion show alongside the rest of our module, showcasing what we learnt and our final product.

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