Tasmanian students shine at STEM awards
Tasmanian Catholic students have achieved wonderful success at the inaugural National STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) MAD (Making A Difference) showcase, held online in Melbourne on 16 November.
STEM MAD is designed to acknowledge and promote STEM learning initiatives that address real-world problems and demonstrate how students in Catholic schools in Tasmania can take action that matters. Students are invited to design a product, service or innovation to Make A Difference (MAD) to others or the environment.
The National Primary STEM MAD award was won by Noah Capaci, a Year 6 student at St John’s Catholic School in Richmond.
Noah’s ‘Capaci Carbon Scrubber’ project won the Southern Tasmanian STEM MAD competition and was then selected from over 30 finalists from across Australia.
Watching dirty grey smoke rise out of house chimneys led to the invention of the ‘Capaci Carbon Scrubber’ (CCS). Consisting of a series of filters containing finely crushed limestone that can be placed into chimneys, the limestone absorbs carbon as the smoke flows through each filter.
Noah was required to produce a three-minute video explaining the context and design process that led to the ‘Capaci Carbon Scrubber’. The video also showcased a prototype CCS, designed in collaboration with science staff from Guilford Young College, which demonstrated proof of concept for his invention.
Noah, whose favourite subjects include science and maths, said he was excited when he heard he had won.
“My favourite part was definitely going to Guilford Young [College], doing the experiments, and finding out things about different parts of the Earth and the atmosphere,” he said.
Noah thanked his mum, his school and teacher Tony Deayton for their support and encouragement.
The STEM MAD Contribution to Wildlife Conservation award was won by Oscar Brewer and Tadhg Morgan, both Year 10 students at St Virgil’s College, Austins Ferry.
The students won the award out of all Australian finalists, and in both the primary and secondary award.
A three-minute video produced by the students titled “Making a Difference at Gould’s Lagoon” addressed the St Virgil’s College school motto ‘By deed and not words’, by finding a way to prevent environmental damage and loss of bird life loss at Gould’s Lagoon, Austins Ferry.
The students designed a bridge and traffic speedbump to improve the safety and movement of wildlife living in the Gould’s Lagoon area. They also proposed fencing which has since been erected by the council.
Oscar was pleased that the project was creating positive change for wildlife near the College’s Austins Ferry campus.
“We are very happy that our work has kick-started some real change at Gould’s Lagoon,” Oscar said. “To see our work and solutions taking shape and protecting and improving our local community has been very worthwhile.”
Another part of the boys’ project involves a ‘Speed Bump Baby Bird Tunnel’ across the Main Road at Austins Ferry.
Tadhg explained: “The Speed Bump Baby Bird Tunnel ensures baby birds can cross from either side of the lagoon safely without being at risk of being run over by oncoming vehicles.
“The Speed Bump Baby Bird will also force road users to drive slower, due to the speedbump design. This will reduce the risk of wildlife being run over, despite walking over the road rather than under the road.”