HunterWiSE showcases region's young STEM innovators
The 2024 HunterWiSE Schools Outreach Program concluded on Tuesday 22 October with a Presentation Night to celebrate the efforts of this year’s student cohort.
More than 160 girls from high schools across the region attended the University of Newcastle’s Great Hall to showcase their innovative STEM solutions to community challenges. Nine student teams - each tackling a different issue affecting their communities – received prizes for their outstanding solutions.
HunterWiSE Outreach is a 10-week program designed for female Year 8 students. With the support of mentors, students apply skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to solve community issues. The initiative aims to encourage girls to pursue STEM education – a gateway to diverse and in-demand careers. Students presented 39 solutions to industry judges, with the most innovative solutions determined during the event.
Outstanding Poster Winners
- Bronte, Chelsea, Lily, and Josi (Newcastle High School) for designing a flippable bench seat and table to provide students with a dry, clean outdoor area.
- Amber, Elizabeth, Olivia, Phoebe, and Rebecca (Gorokan High School) for creating a swipe-card system for school bathrooms to reduce vandalism.
- Isla, Aurora, Ella, and Abbey (Toronto High School) for their project, ‘The BioBin,’ which automatically separates rubbish from recycling.
Outstanding Project Winners
- Dana, Jocelyn, Sophia, Lily, and Jasmine (Hunter School of the Performing Arts) for ‘Re-Fil,’ a recycling system for 3D printing waste.
- Grace, Georgia, Nehal, Olive, and Hanna (Lambton High School) for designing a multi-purpose sporting centre for low-income schools.
- Amber (Singleton High School) for her project using RFID tags to prevent the sale of spoiled food.
People’s Choice Award Winners
- Ruby, Georgiana, Matisse, Ashleigh, and Adana (Hunter School of the Performing Arts) for their project to reduce dolphin by-catch in shark nets.
- Tully, Imogen, Ava, and Coco (Newcastle High School) for proposing a solution to recycle textile waste into public equipment.
- Taleiah, Ella, Ciera, and Liliana (Toronto High School) for a DIY kit for sea bins to help clean up waterways.
HunterWiSE Outreach Coordinator Leah Kiem said, “Presentation Night highlights the incredible potential of our young people to succeed in STEM. HunterWiSE is dedicated to shaping students' perception of STEM as relevant, rewarding, and a way to make a real difference in the community.”
Since its inception in 2017, HunterWiSE Outreach has provided opportunities to more than 700 girls to engage in this hands-on, project-based learning experience. On behalf of the University of Newcastle and industry partners, HunterWiSE congratulates all students on their outstanding efforts in 2024.
Contact
- Leah Kiem
- Phone: 4921 5085
- Email: hunterwise@newcastle.edu.au
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