17-20 January, at QUT, Griffith University and UQ

Over 160 students from Queensland and Northern NSW attended the experience. Over the four days we visited three different Universities in Brisbane. We participated in Science based activities, an Innovation Challenge, and listened to keynote speakers who are experts in their fields of research. We attended workshops with hands-on opportunities to experience the various sciences. Over the four days we all learnt a lot thanks to the many interesting lectures and exciting workshops that helped us broaden our knowledge in various areas of Science. The workshop that we all enjoyed the most was the Engineering workshop. In the Engineering workshop we learnt how to calculate wind speed and we had to design and test a model wind turbine. We learnt that using larger propellers increased the voltage produced. The teams had to create the most effective wind turbine. Other workshops that we really enjoyed were the hands-on ones that involved building things such as the Paddle Pop Bridge Challenge, making bike lights using circuitry, controlling an online pac-man game using play-doh, and the Innovation Challenge. The Innovation Challenge involved competing in teams to start up businesses to create a product. The teams had to work out issues such as copyrighting and advertising. Each team was required to develop a prototype product within a 2 hour limit. The judges, from The Young Scientists of Australia, used an algorithm to determine which team made the most money from their product. Casey Woods’ team came third overall in the Innovation Challenge. Thanks must go to the Rotary Club of Glasshouse Mountains for sponsoring the three of us to go to this fantastic Science experience.

Casey Woods, Sarah Mens  and Kate Jackson