Supporting Australia’s future innovators – the Game Changers Awards

The Pawsey Supercomputing Centre is proud to be return sponsors for the 2019 Game Changers Awards, hosted by WAITTA and Edith Cowan University.

This year, 78 teams, 60 schools and over 200 attendees participated in the STEM event.

This day of competition brings together schools and students from year three to ten who compete for the Best use of STEM, Best Overall Project and Best Presentation prizes in their year groups.

The Game Changer Awards is an opportunity for both teachers and students who are interested in STEM to create solutions to current challenges the world is facing, in a science fair model.

Students work on their projects throughout the year, with the support of their Teachers, and come together on Game Day, to present them to the judges. The teams are also given the opportunity to showcasae their projects to the families and other teachers, as well as industry and government representatives.

The 2019 Challenges

The Game Changers organisers encouraged students to think about how computers can assist their STEM project – this is where the Pawsey Supercomputing Centre comes to play.

STEM professionals often use computers to solve complex tasks. Computers are becoming more common in every day life and their use is becoming crucial to all kinds of careers. Teaching young students that can access some of the most powerful computers in the Nation will enable them to continue their innovation and science.

These are the challenges that faced the students in 2019:

Conservation

Our natural landscapes and environment are constantly in danger. Both animal and plant species are under threat of becoming extinct, because the human population has continued to grow, and with growth, their needs and wants as well.

People tend to want things cheap and quick, and due to these demand and supply cycles, the long-term effects on the environment and our atmosphere are not always considered.

Do you have a solution to this challenge?

Smart Cities

A smart city is an urban area that uses different types of electronic Internet of things (IoT) sensors to collect data, and then use these data to manage assets and resources efficiently.

Have you thought of a way to use this technology to develop solutions to one, or more, of the worlds challenges?

Space Exploration

Space exploration is the discovery and exploration of celestial structures in outer space.

Humanity has always yearned for the stars, and with the technology of today, this is becoming closer and closer to reality.

Do you have a solution to one of the challenges faced by the space industry?

At the end of a full day of activities, all the attendees, participants, volunteers, judges, organisers, partners and educators, left ECU with a feeling of accomplishment and appreciative of having the opportunity to be part or witness the ability of our future innovators in the making.

To find out more about the event, how to participate and this year winners, visit the Game Changers website.

WAITTA Game Changer Awards 2019

WAITTA Game Changer Awards trophies for 2019

2019 Sponsors of the WAITTA Game Changers Awards

2019 Sponsors of the WAITTA Game Changers Awards

Natasha Hurley-Walker at the 2019 WAITTA Game Changers Awards

Natasha Hurley-Walker renowned radio astronomer from ICRAR presenting on Brighter Skies