One of Australia's top scientists has voiced her horror at 'feminised' changes to the HSC physics curriculum.

University of NSW Professor Michelle Simmons believes the efforts to make physics more appealing to girls have been a 'disaster.'

Speaking to crowds at the Sydney Conservatorium of music for her 2017 Australia Day address on Tuesday, Prof Simmons said the current system was leaving students 'ill-equipped for university.'

University of NSW Professor Michelle Simmons says efforts to make physics more appealing to girls have been a 'disaster'

CHANGES TO THE HSC CURRICULUM BETWEEN 2000 AND 2010 Questions from HSC physics exams in 2000 and 2010

2000: Two HSC students, Kim and Tran, are at a grass ski slope that is 6·00 m high. Both Kim and Tran are wearing frictionless grass skis. Kim has a mass of 68·0 kg (including skis). Tran has a mass of 56·0 kg (including skis). Initially they are both at rest, Kim at the top of the slope and Tran at the bottom. Kim slides down the slope and collides with Tran. (a) Calculate Kim’s speed immediately before the collision. (b) After the collision, Kim moves with a speed of 6·26 m s–1 at an angle of 30·0° from his initial direction of travel, and Tran moves off at an angle of 30·0° on the other side of Kim’s initial direction of travel, as shown in the diagram.

2010: Magnetic resonance imaging is a current technology that uses superconductors. Identify two other technologies that use superconductors. Evaluate the impact of these technologies on society and the environment.

'One of the few things that horrified me when I came to Australia was to discover that, several years ago the high school physics curriculum was 'feminised',' she said.

Prof Simmons was referring to the swapping of laborious mathematical problem-solving for written responses.

'In other words, to make it more appealing to girls, our curricula designers substituted formula with essays. What a disaster.'

'From the students coming to university I see little evidence that this has made any difference and indeed I see many students complaining that the physics curriculum has left them ill-equipped for university.'

She also warned against perpetuating the 'lucky country' aspect of Australia's national fabric, which can stand in the way of putting in the hard yards.

'I think this is a mistake, because it does not acknowledge the hard work that people have done to be successful and it encourages us to shy away from difficult challenges. In short, I believe it will eventually stop us from being as ambitious as we might be.'

Prof Simmons (left, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (right), Federal Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science Christopher Pyne (second left) and Senator Bridget McKenzie) said the current curriculum was leaving students 'ill-equipped for university'