Budding engineers making a difference
Schools
St Aloysius College Year 10 student Imogen Robinson has won first place in the STEM MAD competition with her design of an ‘Anxiety App’ to assist students who suffer anxiety in the classroom.
STEM MAD is a competition which uses the design-thinking process to assist students develop solutions to problems with a focus on making a difference in the world.
The St Aloysius Year 10 Digital Technologies class learned about the systems engineering process and design skills. They spent time researching various real-world problems that were important to them, identified a problem, then implemented a process of designing, prototyping, testing, and improving a solution.
Imogen said the most memorable part of STEM MAD was “being able to share my idea with others and learn about other people’s ideas and concepts”.
“Talking to people who were so passionate about their concepts and being able to share my passion for mine was enjoyable,” she said.
Two of the city-based college’s teams earned a spot in the State finals showcase, and the team comprising Emily Leviton, Sophie Panaszek and Tilda Treloar earned second place for their ‘Alzheimer’s Assistance App’.
Reflecting on the experience, Emily said it was challenging to decide what areas to focus on.
“We felt our idea was innovative and the process has developed all our STEM skills,” she said.
“The experience of the static displays and opportunities to talk to experienced people working in areas of STEM really allowed us to gain confidence and develop our skills in public speaking and communication.”
Both teams will attend the national STEM MAD competition later this year.
Secondary Digital Technologies teachers Jo Villis and Tom Cotton said it was great the school had “so many talented and passionate young engineers working to make a difference in the world”.
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