“I was able to disconnect learning from school and see them as separate things,” she said.
By the following year,she was doing maths at a year 12 level. With some convincing,after a few years at TAFE,she returned to school in year 10 and never looked back.
Her journey into astronomy didn’t begin until later,after seven years studying maths and physics at the University of Newcastle in classes where she was surrounded,predominantly,by white men.
“I was just a little bit sick of it to be honest … I wanted to be around some girls,” she said.
Ms Noon was drawn to astronomy due to its better,but still imperfect,gender balance and because it presented an opportunity to explore the scientific knowledge embedded within Indigenous culture and traditions.
First Nations people have long taken cues from the stars,sky and land to predict weather,seasonal changes and nature cycles,among other things.
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Ms Noon said the lack of diversity in science,technology,engineering and maths (STEM) makes us all poorer.
Women comprised less than a fifth of the STEM qualified population in 2016,according to government research. Studies show while Indigenous students display greater interest in science than their non-Indigenous peers,they are less confident applying for and studying a STEM subject at university.
“For a field that contributes to so much change in society and really drives where society's going,I think we all should be represented. We all have different backgrounds,we all have different values and I think those values need to be in this space,” Ms Noon said.
She sees her role at the Sydney Observatory as a platform to share her love of space and science with a wider audience. But she also wants people to know that if a tattooed,proud Aboriginal woman has defied the odds to excel in a scientific field,anyone can do it.
“I think science,and university in general,is something that has always only been an option for people who come from a wealthy background,people who are supported,” she said.
“So for people like me - I grew up in housing commission,grew up on Centrelink - I think it's really important for us to be acknowledging that your socio-economic status should not be defining who you become and who you are.”
Ms Noon will present a series of programs with the Observatory over the next six months,beginning with Saturday night's live stream exploring the planets,stars and southern skies,to coincide with national science week.