Southeast Queensland’s Catholic school students have created innovations to detect medical concerns, food allergy problems and to help with safer driving for young people as part of an education showcase for new ideas.
The Brisbane Catholic Education (BCE) students also produced projects to assist wildlife including a filtered light to help nocturnal animals and an ear tag to track cattle that wander when floods knock down fence lines.
The ideas were presented at BCE’s recent third annual Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Making a Difference Showcase (STEM MAD) at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Students must enter the showcase with the aims of Laudato Si in mind – creating a project with justice and the common good in mind to reflect Pope Francis’ call.
There were four categories – Primary, Secondary, Future is STEM and Executive Director Award – with the winning teams to represent Brisbane Catholic Education at the National STEM MAD event in November.
Prizes were also presented for the People’s Choice Award from today’s Showcases, split into two sessions, a teachers’ award to recognise the input of teachers and an innovation award presented by keynote speaker Dr Jordan Nguyen.
Winning projects from 96 school teams:
Executive Director’s Award winner – Mater Dei Catholic Primary School Ashgrove West (Out Of This World)
STEM MAD Secondary winner – Marymount College Burleigh (AI Lung Disease Detection App
- 2nd place – Assisi College Upper Coomera (Fridge Fresh)
- 3rd place – St John Fisher College Bracken Ridge (Car Exhaust Air Filter)
STEM MAD Primary winner – All Saints Primary School Albany Creek (Safelet)
- 2nd place – St Ignatius School Toowong (Oculis Subleva)
- 3rd place – St Kevin’s Benowa (Reminder)
The Future is STEM winner – St Mary’s College Maryborough (ETFC)
- 2nd place – St Joseph’s School Bardon (Food Safety Frogs)
- 3rd place – St Joseph’s School Bardon (Light Fighters)
Dr Jordan Nguyen’s Award for Innovation winner – Marymount College Burleigh Waters (AI Lung Disease Detection App)
People’s Choice Award Showcase 1 winner – Our Lady of Good Counsel School Gatton (Flood Fencing & Compost Water Heater)
People’s Choice Award Showcase 2 winner – Marymount Primary School Burleigh Waters (Appcessibility)
STEM MAD Teacher Award – Grant Grierson, Marymount College Burleigh Waters
Four schools will take part in a STEM MAD national showcase in Melbourne in November including All Saints Primary School Albany Creek, Marymount College Burleigh Waters, St Mary’s College Maryborough and Mater Dei Catholic Primary School Ashgrove West.
Brisbane Catholic Education Executive Director Dr Sally Towns said the STEM MAD concept brings together Catholic schools from across the nation with students from Years 3 to 12 working together on design initiatives.
“It’s wonderful to see the creativity and the innovation among students of all ages who have developed solutions that can positively impact our communities,” Dr Towns said.
“This is the third annual STEM MAD showcase for Brisbane Catholic Education, and the judges were delighted with the standard of projects presented this year.
“Our Brisbane Catholic Education schools aim to provide learning environments in which students can produce work of this standard.
“We congratulate all students and their teachers for entering STEM MAD this year and wish the winners all the best for the national showcase.”
The students brought working models or digital prototypes to today’s showcase. They had previously created a video pitch explaining their idea.
STEM MAD National is a celebration of excellence in Catholic education, in which student teams, nominated by their dioceses, showcase their projects.