Recipients 2017–2018

• Spark Engineering Camp

  Youth Without Borders

  $10,000

  Round 3

  Spark Engineering Camp is a not-for-profit, Youth Without Borders initiative that provides an opportunity for over 100 grade 10-12 high school students to experience university life and various aspects of the STEM fields. Spark targets students from non-traditional and underrepresented backgrounds (e.g. rural, indigenous, financially disadvantaged) to help break down the barriers that interfere with their pursuit and passion for STEM and tertiary education.

• STEM Connect residential camp

  University of the Sunshine Coast, School of Science and Engineering

  $10,000

  Round 3

  The STEM Connect camp is an experiential education program, which will offer Year 10 students 3 days of exposure to the exciting and rewarding study of STEM. Through sharing of academic and industry expertise, students will be shown study options and the diversity within STEM career pathways. By exploring real world situations, students will gain a much broader perspective of the vast range of career opportunities available, perhaps in areas they had not previously considered. Workshop sessions will target enterprise skills such as creative thinking and problem solving, digital proficiency and science communication.

• Build-A-Planet-Extravaganza

  University of Southern Queensland

  $9,997

  Round 3

  Build-A-Planet is  a planetary science extravaganza, presented exclusively to Prep to Year 2 junior primary school students within the  Darling Downs.  Students get to be the stars - well in this case planets of the show, dancing their way through our solar neighbourhood, busting dance routines to remember the planetary line-up of our solar system.  After learning about planets within our own  solar system, students will then craft and design alien worlds with everyday materials.

• Meskep Kawbuzig - Tagai's Seagrass Observers

  Tagai State College

  $8,880

  Round 3

  Dr Mellors (James Cook University) will engage with students and community members of the Kaiwalagal region to monitor their home patches of intertidal seagrass, increasing awareness of the ecosystem services that this marine habitat provides. Participants are exposed to western science knowledge of seagrass habitat while integrating traditional knowledge of this ecosystem. The partnership will combine education and training that develops skills and proficiency in field-based seagrass monitoring. Students will analyse the collected data, developing their understanding of the STEM process of interpreting and presenting data. Students will report back on this project to their communities.

• Regional STEM

  Street Science

  $10,000

  Round 3

  Street Science and STEM PUNKS are collaborating to provide teacher professional development, primary school science experiences as well as a  community STEM day over 3 days in the Wide Bay Burnett and Fraser Coast region. The objectives of the project are to upskill teaching staff in these areas; provide access to quality teaching materials and resources; engage and inspire students in the area; and provide science engagement to the wider community.

• Theme based STEM education workshops

  STEAM Powered Kids

  $3,700

  Round 3

  The project is to develop a series of  theme based STEAM education workshops, labs, projects and, challenges for primary and secondary aged students (6-13 and  9-16+). It will introduce STEAM concepts  through popular culture themes such as dinosaurs, super heroes, robotics, space and animals. The project aims to establish a network of young STEM enthusiasts and engage Queensland communities to raise awareness about STEM. The project is an extension to STEM education provided at school and give the opportunity for children to experience fun and engaging activities in a non-classroom setting.

• Research and restoration in Rochedale

  Rochedale State School

  $9,450

  Round 3

  Under the guidance of scientists and specialist presenters, students will be coached through an applied scientific research project on habitat restoration, including project design, implementation, evaluation, and communication of results. This will be delivered within a framework of normalising science and challenging stereotypes including the gender of scientists and the broad spectrum of topics covered under science. Camera traps will be used to monitor wildlife numbers throughout the project, including in nesting boxes. Students will use these images for a student blog to update the school community and interested locals, and to evaluate project success.

• STEM waterways citizen science project

  Holloways Beach Environmental Education Centre

  $9,692

  Round 3

  Holloways Beach Environmental Education Centre and partners including scientists from TropWATER, Cairns Regional Council and Dawul Wuru Aboriginal Corporation, are inviting teams from high schools in the Far North Queensland region to take part in the STEM waterways citizen science project.

  The project is designed to enable school teams to learn to: study aspects of estuarine waterways in depth; identify areas of scientific importance and interest; engage in good  STEM practices; and gain access to technologies and experts. They will create viable data and information that is a valuable contribution to local, and potentially global, knowledge on largely undervalued mangrove systems.

• Reef Patrol

  Cooktown State School P-12

  $6,900

  Round 3

  Scientists will visit the school to increase awareness of the impact of invasive species in our local environments and discuss the health of the reef. Ecosystems and the economy are under threat from these invasive species. By raising awareness our community can identify and deal with these threats in a proactive manner. Our position on the Queensland East Coast gives us an advantage in rapidly responding to these threats. Through public seminars, a forum and school visits scientists will interact with students and the public to solicit local observations and knowledge, as well as share their knowledge of the latest scientific findings.

• Clermont State High School Drone program

  Clermont State High School

  $9,800

  Round 3

  Agriculture and mining are major industries in the Central Highlands and the increasing use of drones in both industries is providing new vocational pathways. Clermont's Drone Day will bring together students and teachers from the cluster to participate in what will hopefully be the first of many, annual drone challenge days. The day will provide opportunities for students to collaborate in drone challenges while teachers will develop their capability in delivering the Technologies curriculum in engaging ways through the use of drones.

• Applications of smart home IoT (internet-of-things) sensors in agriculture science

  Central Queensland University

  $10,000

  Round 3

  CQUniversity agriculture researchers will instruct Bundaberg High School students to explore the application of smart home IoT (internet-of-things) sensors in agriculture research. Students will calibrate and test a range of sensors, and deploy sensors in various agricultural applications. Results of student projects will be presented at National Science Week in 2019. The project will increase student participation in STEM subjects and Bundaberg community engagement in scientific activities. It will provide a demonstration of applying cutting-edge technologies in agriculture, helping to challenge the impression of the traditional agriculture industry and encourage young people to consider a future in the sector.

• STEM is in the air

  Blackheath and Thornburgh College

  $9,800

  Round 3

  Over one year, students, community members, scientists and technologists will work together to learn, use and apply LoRa and drone technologies in agriculture, and run events for the wider community to demonstrate their work.

• The plight of the wallum sedge frog

  Baringa State Primary School

  $10,000

  Round 3

  The sedge frog is Baringa State Primary School's behaviour mascot and local endangered species whose habitat has been impacted on by the development of Aura and the school. Our innovative STEM project will have students work alongside local scientists and Stockland on rebuilding and monitoring frog ecosystems to improve frog numbers in the area. Students will become frog ambassadors as they work to not only increase the population but educate the community about their plight. Students will use sensors to track data, create YouTube clips accessed through QR codes within the community and an informative transportable virtual reality centre to educate others.

• After School "Ecology Warrior" Club

  Julatten State School P&C Association

  $10,000

  Round 3

  This is an after-school program for 70 students (encompassing two state schools and home schoolers) focusing on local ecology. Topics include entomophagy (eating insects), macropods, bird safaris and native bush tucker. Program concludes with an overnight at the Sheoak Nature Reserve for a night bush walk and discussions on conservation.

• Deadly Science Getaway 2017-2018: Orpheus Island

  James Cook University

  $8,949

  Round 3

  Deadly Science Getaway ignites passion for science among young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, aged 13-18, from remote communities. We illuminate pathways for Indigenous women to pursue science-linked careers such as being a ranger, marine biologist, natural resource manager or leading science programs for children. We lead field science and authentic conversations, in wild places, with passionate women scientists and Indigenous leaders.

• BioQuesting at The Planting

  Woodfordia Inc.

  $9,500

  Round 2

  In collaboration with QuestaGame, an interactive citizen-science mobile app, the 8th Annual Planting Festival will partner to create Bioquestin. Expert presentations, workshops and field trips will engage patrons to find and capture images, and identify and document wildlife on the 500 acre site of Woodfordia with the support of on-the-ground scientists and online experts. 'BioQuesting' will increase engagement and participation of the community in science-based activities, increase the number of scientists directly engaging with the community and promote collaboration with community members and experts on biodiversity conservation research projects.

• Drone Coding: Search and Rescue

  Toowoomba Regional Council

  $9,817

  Round 2

  Toowoomba Regional Libraries in partnership with STEM Punks will deliver a drones in STEM education teacher professional development event and 12 x 1.5 hour school holiday programs free of charge to teachers and children from across the Toowoomba region.  Independent, state and catholic teachers from across the region will be invited to attend the professional development event. The drone coding program will be delivered in 11 library locations: Cecil Plains, Clifton, Goombungee, Highfields, Crows Nest, Millmerran, Oakey, Pittsworth, Quinalow, Toowoomba City and Yarraman. Drones have a real world, practical applications to the region's agriculture industry.

• Science through a VR lens

  Thuringowa State High School

  $10,000

  Round 2

  The abstract and often complex nature of science content in curriculum sometimes results in disengagement of students from low socioeconomic or Indigenous backgrounds. Virtual reality (VR) will be used in Thuringowa State High School as a mechanism to turn this around and engage years 7 to 10 students in the science.

• Taabinga STEM Challenge

  Taabinga State School

  $5,952

  Round 2

  This project involves a STEM challenge and a Makerspace open day with schools from the Kingaroy area. Students will be invited to participate in a series of activities and challenges in the Makerspace including building catapults, learning about LittleBits, Sphero art and making a stop motion animation movie. A local scientist or engineer will be a guest speaker.

• Sawfish - endangered and forgotten sea monsters

  Sharks And Rays Australia Pty Ltd

  $9,295

  Round 2

  Sharks And Rays Australia has teamed up with Sharks4Kids to involve school children and the general public in their sawfish project. Sawfish are the most endangered of all cartilaginous fishes. As some of their last retreats are found in Northern Australia, the importance of public awareness for the survival of these species cannot be stressed enough. Sawfish are listed on the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act as well as the Queensland Fisheries Act. This project will help people understand and appreciate the importance of sawfish in aquatic food webs and how modern technology is able to monitor aquatic species living in crocodile country.

• Building community capacity for study of tropical Queensland fungi

  Queensland Mycological Society Inc.

  $10,000

  Round 2

  Tropical Australia has a rich diversity of fungi, but it is understudied. Queensland public and scientific communities are poorly informed about the important ecosystem services provided by fungi. In this project the Queensland Mycological Society together with mycologists and ecologists will transfer their knowledge to the Atherton Tableland, Kuranda and Cairns communities and students through talks, walks and workshops. Events will provide local people with the skills to capture images, record fungi for the Atlas-of-Living-Australia, and make collections for identification and scientific analysis. They will also learn about the ecological roles of fungi. Data collected will go towards the production of identification tools for future use by scientists and the public.

• INSPIRE - Implementing novel STEM partnerships in Indigenous and rural education

  Queensland University of Technology

  $9,910

  Round 2

  INSPIRE 2018 brings final year QUT STEM and education undergraduates together with an experienced science communicator/mentor to develop a teaching plan with indigenous/rural high school science teachers from Cunnamulla, Mt Isa or Normanton. Each QUT trio will visit the high schools for a week to deliver their STEM workshops to year 9 and 10 students. The workshop are designed to complement curriculum and teachers will also benefit from existing QUT-teacher support programs. There is also an opportunity to donate QUT STEM-related equipment.

• Pine Rivers Special School Science Week 2018 Extravaganza

  Pine Rivers Special School

  $4,670

  Round 2

  The extravaganza is four days of science shows, demonstrations and hands-on activities for students and will include rockets, helium balloons and drones. Parents and community members can get involved in science and discover the joy of learning about science.

• Ocean to Outback Roadshow

  Ocean Life Education

  $10,000

  Round 2

  Ocean Life Education 'Brings the Sea to You' with fun marine education programs designed to inspire students of all ages to appreciate and take responsibility for the marine ecosystem. The roadshow takes marine scientists on a journey to Queensland's regional areas giving students and their community the opportunity to engage in hands on marine science. Marine biologists will arrive with fascinating live marine animals, artefacts, games and information, blending hands-on interaction with science and entertainment.

• Maker Magic: where the magic is in the making

  Noosa Shire Council

  $10,000

  Round 2

  This project encourages our community to participate in STEM-related learning through a six-month series of programs centred on robotics and 3D experiences. The program includes beginner workshops promoting hands-on activities with new and emerging technology that may spark peoples' interest in science and technology and inspire them towards a STEM related career. The advanced workshops introduce aspiring inventors to key 3D and engineering fundamentals through learning how to design, model and manufacture objects from concept to print and through the design, build and racing of drones.  Inventions from this program will be showcased at a large community festival.

• The worth of preserving the Pioneer River mangrove ecosystem

  Mackay Christian Colleges Ltd

  $9,880

  Round 2

  Year 11 biology students will learn about the important role of mangrove systems in their existing curriculum. Due to the critical importance of mangroves and the college's prime location for accessing a mangrove system, the school is planning to incorporate real and engaging scientific field investigation. This scientific investigation will be conducted within the Pioneer River mangrove community. The conservation value of the mangroves maybe devalued in comparison to near pristine estuarine systems, however our investigation aims to promote the worth of preserving the mangrove system by identifying its carbon capture and storage potential.

• Discovering urban wildlife

  James Cook University

  $10,000

  Round 2

  Most kids, particularly those in cities, don't get the opportunity to experience native wildlife in the far-flung Aussie 'outback'. Luckily, there is a diverse suite of native animals that live in our homes, backyards and local neighbourhoods. Discovering this wildlife is an exciting hands-on workshop for 4-7 year-olds. During this workshop students will be introduced to the local urban wildlife, using their eyes and ears to collect scientific data and identify wildlife species.

• Girls who STEAM

  Gold Coast City Council

  $9,968

  Round 2

  A dedicated series of programs for young girls to provide opportunities to engage in STEM workshops, facilitated by female scientists and experts, to inspire and support them to foster an ongoing interest in the sciences, and develop future skills required for innovation.

• STEM Primary Links Program

  Coorparoo Secondary College

  $9,450

  Round 2

  Following consultation with local primary school teachers, Coorparoo Secondary College is developing a Coorparoo STEM education network in 2018. The network offers opportunities for participating primary school students to grow their interest in STEM subjects through activities such as science workshops in college science laboratories and maths extension classes. A Primary STEM Challenge and Mathematics Challenge Days will also be hosted at the college where primary schools will problem-solve their way to victory.

• Year 6 STEM embedded career development

  Calamvale Community College

  $10,000

  Round 2

  This project will help to build student's identity around their personal capacity to become a STEM professional in the future. It will embed career development principles in year 6 studies at the college. This approach will increase student participation in STEM as they develop an identity around being the kind of person who can have a STEM career.

• Zika Mozzie Seeker - secondary schools

  Toohey Forest Environmental Education Centre

  $9,400

  Round 1

  Zika Mozzie Seeker is a citizen science project by Metro South Health that seeks to engage high school students to collect mosquito egg samples for both in class analysis and for molecular screening of Zika mosquito DNA using a world-first methodology. The project will unite working scientists with students and, in doing so, raise the profile of science and the benefits of science to the wider community.  The project will also showcase the drug discovery pipeline using the unique facility of the Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery.  Participating schools will receive teacher professional learning and specialist student immersion programs.

• Advanced imaging and data collection: from SPARQ-ed to virtual reality

  "The University Of Queensland "

  $10,000

  Round 1

  This project is aimed at improving the quality and reach of the SPARQ-ed program and establishing an online presence with high quality STEM-based projects. The aims are to streamline SPARQ-ed's imaging, data collection and analysis capabilities for students visiting their laboratory and to deliver similar opportunities to students who are not able to visit them.  The project will enable students to extract and/or visualise micro-organisms by using advanced technologies (such as fluorescent microscopy). The students will also be able to perform complex techniques and record their results often during real-time live streaming.

• Special STEM

  Rockhampton Special School

  $9,000

  Round 1

  This project will enable students with multiple disabilities to experience STEM, through an inquiry learning approach, while training teachers, and engaging the local community. The project will design and resource a maker space to enable students to engage with innovative technologies to support their understanding of STEM. The project will link students with neighbouring schools, parents and wider community members through the participation of Central Queensland University and Rockhampton Regional Council Library.

• Bowen makerthon

  Queens Beach State School

  $10,000

  Round 1

  A series of workshops will be delivered to introduce students, educators and the wider community to STEM, digital technologies, entrepreneurship and creativity. Specialists will visit the Bowen and Whitsunday communities to provide hands-on learning activities for people of all ages.

• Science extravaganza

  Northern Peninsula Area State College

  $9,390

  Round 1

  Science applies to our everyday life and leads to  many career pathways. In order to raise the school community's engagement with science, the college will deliver activities throughout National Science Week with a culminating day celebrating science and the interrelated disciplines of technology, arts, engineering and mathematics (a science extravaganza). Talented people from our parent community, school leaders and key staff at the college, experts at James Cook University in Cairns, and the Fizzics Education team, will engage with staff and students at Injinoo Junior to create a knowledge and skill sharing community.

• Polymer chemistry initiative

  Kingaroy State High School

  $10,000

  Round 1

  The polymer chemistry initiative is a unique partnership between Kingaroy State High School and the Centre for Advanced Imaging (CAI) at The University of Queensland. Scientists from the CAI will synthesise polymers at the school. The students will then travel to the CAI for a 3 day camp where they will use the advanced facilities at the CAI to characterise the polymer synthesised at the school. Students will use a number of scientific techniques.

• Wetland wander

  Griffith University

  $10,000

  Round 1

  Wetlands within the catchments of the Great Barrier Reef are valuable and beautiful. However, not many people know about these wetlands, and thus, not many people care about them. The goal of this project is to create an immersive installation consisting of video, photography and audio so the public can experience wetlands through art. The project will have wide outreach as it will be showcased in public spaces and on various websites. Through this installation, people will have the opportunity to learn about wetlands, to create awareness of their scientific value, and to appreciate their beauty.

• Fiftysix Opportunity Workshop

  Fifty Six Creations Pty Ltd

  $10,000

  Round 1

  According to the Foundation for Young Australians' New Work Order report, 60% of students are currently being trained in jobs that will be radically changed by automation.

  The Fiftysix Opportunity Workshops teach young people about the skills of the future. Computer science, STEM and entrepreneurship are all covered.

• Coding Kids in Charters Towers

  Edlp Pty Ltd

  $9,500

  Round 1

  We will deliver coding workshops to the community in Charters Towers and its nearby communities. The coding program involves free workshops for both teachers and students. The workshops teach new approaches to problem solving covering computational thinking, design thinking, system thinking, and how to create digital solutions to solve community problems. Students and teachers learn to become technology creators and not just passive consumers of technology.

• Coding Kids in Thargomindah

  Edlp Pty Ltd

  $9,184

  Round 1

  We will deliver coding workshops to the community in Thargomindah and its nearby communities. The coding program involves free workshops for both teachers and students. The workshops teach new approaches to problem solving covering computational thinking, design thinking, system thinking, and how to create digital solutions to solve community problems. Students and teachers learn to become technology creators and not just passive consumers of technology.

• iDesign with STEAM

  Coomera Rivers State School

  $10,000

  Round 1

  The 'iDesign with STEAM' project targets primary school teachers and students and will run over a year. It includes student events, teacher professional development and delivers community awareness of STEAM during five activities involving robotics, drones, computer games and circuits.

• Right here - Right NAO: Social robotics inspiring STEM

  Capalaba State College

  $10,000

  Round 1

  Humanoid social robot, NAO will be used to inspire and engage students, parents and teachers on the junior campus of the college with STEM. They will learn how to code our NAO robot with Choreographer software and Python to create entertaining social robotic experiences including story telling, staged dialogue as well as supporting students with autism and communication disorders.

• Creating a Reef Rainforest Interpretive Centre at Cairns Aquarium

  Cairns Aquarium and Reef Research Centre Pty Ltd

  $10,000

  Round 1

  This project delivers a purpose-built Reef Rainforest Interpretive Centre in the Cairns Aquarium that can be used for presentations and lectures delivered by professional educators, researchers and other groups dedicated to the conservation of the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics. With an existing level of demand for this facility, the hands-on learning resources, video content and interpretive signage produced for the Centre would see it used regularly. The Cairns Aquarium is a logical location for this education forum as the visitor experience has been designed specifically to facilitate interaction with the biological diversity of the region.

• MangroveWatch - Cairns Chapter

  Cairns And Far North Environment Centre Inc.

  $10,000

  Round 1

  If a mangrove falls into the sea, and nobody is watching, does anybody care? The question is what if someone was watching? MangroveWatch is a citizen-science partnership between communities, schools and scientists to document changes in local mangrove habitats and inform better management of estuaries. The Cairns And Far North Environment Centre, in partnership with the Great Barrier Reef Legacy, MangroveWatch of TropWater at James Cook University and the Cairns Local Marine Advisory Committee will establish a MangroveWatch program in the Cairns region to gather long-term data on  estuaries and engage locals in the act of collecting and promoting the data as citizen scientists.

• Robots, drones and sensors: Future farming masterclasses

  Bundaberg Fruit And Vegetable Growers Cooperative Limited

  $9,942

  Round 1

  This project is a collaboration between Bundaberg Fruit and Vegetable Growers and Central Queensland University. It is a series of practical, innovative masterclasses for farmers, industry and the community, demonstrating innovative science and technology advances using robots, drones and seniors in agriculture. Masterclasses will be delivered over two days at Agrotrend, in Bundaberg, and will include practical demonstrations using technology and science, interactive question and answer opportunities, and take home resources. The future farming masterclasses are intended to inspire farmers, industry and school students to explore the technology and engage with the scientific community.

• Ngana-anga jirri wjarr - our night sky

  Bloomfield River State School

  $3,200

  Round 1

  The Bloomfield River State School will hire a portable planetarium and have students visit it during the day. The Dream Dome expands the planetarium concept into a totally new approach as a visual entertainment and mobile learning centre. In the evening we will continue the event with a community barbeque followed by a tour of our night sky in the community of Wujal Wujal, led by Night Sky Secrets, a local company whose specialty is tours featuring an aboriginal perspective on the southern skies and viewing the deep sky through large aperture telescopes.

• Birds in Schools

  BirdLife Australia Ltd

  $10,000

  Round 1

  Birds in Schools is an inquiry-based curriculum program that encourages students to engage in the scientific process of adaptive management as citizen scientists within their community. Alongside a BirdLife Australia team, their teachers and local councils, students collect data and analyse and interpret their observations. They use this evidence to make management recommendations through an action plan which aims to improve native bird habitat and encourage a diversity of birds on their school grounds, while educating their local community on the value of urban biodiversity. Ultimately, the students implement these action plans to create bird-friendly school gardens.