Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

MyScience Ltd is an Australian registered not-for-profit organisation that connects primary schools, secondary schools, STEM mentors, facilitators, sponsors and community partners through classroom science investigations.

For privacy questions, requests or complaints, contact MyScience through our online contact form. Please do not include highly sensitive information in an initial enquiry.

The contact form opens in Microsoft Forms. See this Privacy Policy and the Terms of Use before submitting personal information.

2. Scope of this policy

This policy applies to personal information handled through the MyScience website, expressions of interest, contact enquiries, school and mentor registrations, facilitator enquiries, sponsorship enquiries and related program administration.

Schools and third-party services may have their own privacy practices. Where you follow a link to another website or service, that provider's privacy policy also applies.

3. Information we may collect

Depending on how you interact with MyScience, we may collect:

• your name, email address, telephone number and preferred contact method;
• your organisation, school, role, region and professional or study background;
• the pathway you are interested in, your availability and preferred program timing;
• information relevant to school participation, mentoring, facilitation, sponsorship or partnership enquiries;
• information about qualifications, experience, child-safety clearance status or school-access requirements where relevant to a role;
• messages, feedback, complaints and other correspondence you send us; and
• technical information that may be recorded by our hosting provider, such as IP address, browser type, device information and access time.

We ask you to provide only information that is reasonably necessary for your enquiry or participation. Do not send copies of identity documents, clearance documents, health records or other sensitive documents unless MyScience has specifically requested them through an appropriate secure process.

4. How we collect information

We generally collect information directly from you when you submit a form, contact us, register interest, attend a briefing or participate in program administration. We may also receive information from an authorised school representative, employer, partner organisation or referee where this is relevant and lawful.

5. How we use information

We may use personal information to:

• respond to enquiries and provide requested information;
• assess expressions of interest and potential program, volunteer, employment, facilitation, partnership or sponsorship opportunities;
• coordinate schools, Hubs, briefings, visits, events and the MyScience Fair;
• meet child-safety, school-access, insurance, governance and legal requirements;
• manage relationships with participants, schools, partners, sponsors and service providers;
• evaluate and improve the program, including through surveys where appropriate notices and permissions are provided;
• send operational updates and, where permitted, relevant MyScience news or opportunities; and
• protect the security and integrity of our systems and services.

We will not sell personal information to advertisers.

6. Sharing and service providers

We may disclose personal information only where reasonably necessary to:

• MyScience directors, staff, contractors and authorised facilitators;
• participating schools, Hub partners or program partners involved in arranging a relevant opportunity;
• technology, hosting, communications, document-storage and professional service providers;
• insurers, auditors, legal advisers or regulators; or
• other parties where you have consented or where disclosure is required or authorised by law.

The website currently links to Microsoft Forms for contact and registration enquiries and to YouTube for videos. When you use those services, their own privacy terms apply. Some service providers may store or process information outside Australia. Where applicable, MyScience will take reasonable steps to use reputable providers and manage information consistently with Australian privacy requirements.

7. Website logs, cookies and external services

The current website does not intentionally use advertising cookies or behavioural tracking pixels. Standard hosting and security systems may still generate technical logs. If MyScience later introduces analytics, embedded media, payment services or other tracking technologies, this policy and any required notices will be updated.

Following an external link may allow that third party to collect technical and usage information under its own policy.

8. Children, schools and images

The website's registration and contact pathways are intended primarily for adults, authorised school representatives and older participants acting with appropriate support. MyScience does not seek to collect personal information directly from primary-school children through the public website.

Photographs, video, student work and participant stories are used only where MyScience reasonably believes the necessary school, participant, parent or carer permissions and organisational approvals have been obtained. A concern about an image or story can be raised through the contact form for prompt review.

Program participation is also subject to the host school's child-safety, consent and privacy procedures.

9. Security and retention

MyScience takes reasonable administrative, technical and organisational steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. No online system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

We retain information only for as long as reasonably needed for the purpose for which it was collected, program administration, safeguarding, insurance, reporting, dispute resolution and legal obligations. Information that is no longer required will be deleted, destroyed or de-identified where reasonably practicable.

10. Access, correction and complaints

You may ask to access or correct personal information MyScience holds about you. You may also raise a privacy question or complaint through the contact form. To protect privacy, we may need to verify your identity before acting on a request.

The contact form opens in Microsoft Forms. See this Privacy Policy and the Terms of Use before submitting personal information.

We will consider a complaint, investigate where appropriate and respond within a reasonable period. If you are not satisfied with the response and the Privacy Act applies, you may be able to contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when our services, forms, technology or legal obligations change. The latest version will be published on this page with an updated date.