STEM Challenges 2024

2024 STEM Challenges

How it works

  • Challenges will run from 1-29 October 2024.
  • Students need to register to participate.
  • Every Tuesday, challenges will be released by email to all registrants and will also be published on this website. Students will have the remainder of the week to complete each challenge(s), with answers/photos due on Sunday of the same week.
  • Each of the challenges will draw on a different element of STEM and may require you to take photos, answer questions or build/design something to complete the challenge.
  • Each week, there will be multiple challenges with different STEM topics released, students can choose to do one or all of them.
  • Only one submission per challenge will be accepted and counted for each participant.
  • Each week, the submissions will be judged by a panel of ANU staff and voted on.
  • Winners will be announced on the Tuesday following the submission deadline and will be notified by email and will also appear on our social media pages.

Prizes

  • Winners will receive a Winner's Certificate and a prize pack.
  • All registrants who submit at least one challenge over the 4 weeks of challenges will also receive a printable online Certificate of Participation from the Australian National University. The certificate of participation is not part of the AQF.

Week 1 STEM challenge: Tuesday 1 – Sunday 6 October 2024

Welcome to your first weekly STEM challenge. This week, make your choice of which challenge you would like to complete. You only need to complete one, but you are welcome to complete both.

The winners of each challenge will be announced on Tuesday 8th October. More than one winner may be selected. The winning entry will be posted to our Facebook, Instagram and on the website. The winner will be notified by email. Other submissions may be included in an Instagram story, if you don't want your photo included, please let us know when you submit it.

1. Bee friendly Garden

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Bee friendly garden

Bees are essential pollinators crucial for the survival of numerous species, including plants and animals, with their role extending from sustaining biodiversity to supporting global food supplies. Their decline poses significant threats to ecosystems, agriculture, and the delicate balance of species interdependence. But there is something we can do to help. We can cultivate gardens with a variety of native plants that provide food and habitat for bees - and that is where this week’s challenge starts.

This week, we challenge you to take this empty garden and design a bee friendly garden - with a hypothetical budget of $15,000 to spend on plants and materials. The garden is 10 meters wide and 18 metres long. It is currently grass and has one large tree in the back corner. Or you can use your own garden, just include a photo of it so we know what it looks like.

Materials:

  • Paper and pen

Here is your challenge

  1. Research and consider which plants are good for pollinators - considering factors such as bloom time, flower shape, fruits, and colour to attract a variety of pollinators.
  2. Consider the layout, colour combinations, and variety of plants.
  3. Consider basic garden care practices and the importance of watering and weeding.
  4. Consider native plants that are drought resistant
  5. Consider sun/shade requirements of the plants and their placement
  6. Use other garden features like a bench, arch, shade sail or pond as you wish
  7. Take a photo of your design plans
  8. Include a budget breakdown of your garden design

What to submit

  1. Submit a photo of you with your design - it can be a drawing or a plan with notes, or a video explaining your garden, or even a short slide presentation explaining your plant and design choices. Include the plant species you used in your design, and why you chose the plants and their placement.
  2. Post your photo/s to Instagram and tag @ScienceANU (not #hashtag).Note: make sure to turn off your “Private account” setting on Instagram before posting your submission and tag us. You can turn it back on soon after you receive our confirmation. If you don't have Instagram or would prefer to email us, then just email your photo and caption to science@anu.edu.au.
  3. The week one challenge submission closes on 11.59pm on Sunday 6th October AEDT. You only need to submit one challenge, but you are welcome to submit both.
  4. Submissions will be judged based on the following criteria: Plant selection, design creativity, sustainability, native plant consideration, practicality and garden maintenance.

2. DIY Sundial Challenge

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Sundial

The sundial, an ancient timekeeping device, beautifully demonstrates the Earth’s rotation and the movement of the sun across the sky. Creating your own sundial is not only a fascinating hands-on project but also a practical way to understand celestial mechanics and the passage of time. This week, we challenge you to design and construct a functional sundial.

Materials:

  • Anything you have permission to use – recycled materials are best.
  • A safe outdoor place to test your sundial

Here is your challenge

  1. Research how sundials work, including the concepts of gnomons, shadow casting, and the importance of geographic location.
  2. Learn about different types of sundials, such as horizontal, vertical, and equatorial sundials.
  3. Sketch your sundial design, deciding on its type and the materials you will use. Ensure it is appropriate for your latitude.
  4. Consider the placement of the sundial to ensure it will receive direct sunlight throughout the day.
  5. Collect materials for your sundial. You might use items like a flat surface (e.g., a wooden board or a flat stone), a stick or rod for the gnomon, and markers for the hour lines.
  6. Think creatively about using recycled or natural materials.
  7. Set up your sundial in a sunny spot and observe the shadow it casts.
  8. Adjust and mark the hour lines as needed by comparing the sundial time with a reliable clock.
  9. Take photos of you with your sundial at a minimum of 2 times throughout the day.

What to submit

  1. Post your photo/s to Instagram and tag @ScienceANU (not #hashtag).Note: make sure to turn off your “Private account” setting on Instagram before posting your submission and tag us. You can turn it back on soon after you receive our confirmation. If you don't have Instagram or would prefer to email us, then just email your photo and caption to science@anu.edu.au.
  2. The week one challenge submission closes on 11.59pm on Sunday 6th October AEDT. You only need to submit one challenge, but you are welcome to submit both.
  3. Submissions will be judged based on the following criteria: creativity, accuracy, craftsmanship, and presentation of the sundial.

Week 2 challenge: Tuesday 8 – Sunday 13 October 2024

This challenge will be released on Tuesday 8 October 2024.

Week 3 challenge: Tuesday 15 – Sunday 20 October 2024

This challenge will be released on Tuesday 15 October 2024.

Week 4 challenge: Tuesday 22 – Sunday 27 October 2024

This Challenge will be released on Tuesday 22 October 2024.

What participants are saying

It was a very good way to bring our creativeness out.”

I really enjoyed the competition and the challenges within it, and I felt like it really expanded both my scientific and real-world knowledge.”

The best part about the challenges, in my opinion, was the following: they were all doable with easy-to-find and relatively inexpensive materials, but at the same time, the winning submissions of my peers taught me how much creativity can be demonstrated with this simple foundation.”

It was fun and knowledgeable for me by taking part in such an amazing stem program. The topics were very unique and environmentally friendly, I think this will help people to enhance their skills.”

 STEM Challenges submissions 2023

 

STEM Challenges submissions 2022

 

STEM Challenges submissions 2021

STEM Challenges submissions 2020

Have a question?

The challenges have been created through a collaboration between the ANU College of Science, the ANU College of Health and Medicine, and the ANU College of Engineering and Computer Science. Please contact us via the email below if you have any questions.

Terms and conditions

  1. ANU College of Science and ANU College of Health and Medicine (ABN: 52 234 063 906)
  2. Information on how to enter the ANU Science Case Study Competition forms part of these Terms and Conditions.
  3. Entry is open to all Australian residents and a group of international students.
  4. Entry to the competition is via the ANU College of Science STEM Challenges web page.
  5. There is no entry fee for the competition.
  6. ANU College of Science and ANU College of Health and Medicine Staff and their immediate family are excluded from participation
  7. There is (1) prize available for the best entry each week.
  8. The ANU College of Science and the ANU College of Health and Medicine reserve the right to modify or remove any prizes if required, or not to award a prize.
  9. The prize must be taken as stated and no compensation will be payable if the prize winner is unable to use the prize as stated. The prize is not transferable to another person or exchangeable for other goods and services and cannot be redeemed as cash.
  10. The entrant will be solely responsible for any costs or taxes incurred as part of the competition, or claiming of the prize, including but not limited to any taxes.
  11. Prize winners will be notified in writing (email) on the Tuesday following the submission deadline.
  12. Each participant is only allowed one submission per challenge.
  13. By entering the competition, you declare that the submitted work is entirely your own.
  14. The ANU College of Science and the ANU College of Health and Medicine reserve the right to withdraw applications at any stage for any reason determined appropriate by the ANU Colleges of Science and the ANU College of Health and Medicine.
  15. The ANU College of Science and the ANU College of Health and Medicine reserve the right to extend or modify the closing date.
  16. Submissions will be marked by a panel of judges chosen by the ANU College of Science and the ANU College of Health and Medicine.
  17. The ANU College of Science and the ANU College of Health and Medicine reserve the right to determine the final outcome of the competition, and to name and order winners and prizes.
  18. By entering the competition, all entrants and their guardians (where applicable) understand and give permission to the ANU College of Science, the ANU College of Health and Medicine, ASD-ANU Co-Lab and sponsors to use the winners name, video/photo submission, likeness and work for promotional purposes, and other purposes deemed appropriate.
  19. The concerned parties also understand and facilitate consent to measures covered under https://services.anu.edu.au/marketing-outreach/anu-identity/anu-audio-visual-release-form
     
  20. Participants agree that the ANU College of Science and the ANU College of Health and Medicine, ASD-ANU Co-Lab and sponsoring entities are not liable for any damages or losses arising from the competition.
  21. All submitted work is subject to the ANU College of Science and the ANU College of Health and Medicine Privacy Policy.
  22. Incomprehensible and incomplete entries will be deemed invalid.
  23. The ANU College of Science and the ANU College of Health and Medicine reserve the right to verify the validity of entries and to disqualify any entry which in the opinion of the ANU College of Science and the ANU College of Health and Medicine, includes objectionable content, profanity, potentially insulting, inflammatory or defamatory statements, disqualify any entrant who tampers with the entry process, who submits an entry that is not in accordance with these terms and conditions of entry or who has, in the opinion of the ANU College of Science and the ANU College of Health and Medicine, engaged in conduct in entering the promotion which is fraudulent, misleading, deceptive or generally damaging to the goodwill or reputation of the promotion and/or the ANU College of Science and the ANU College of Health and Medicine. The ANU College of Science and the ANU College of Health and Medicine reserve the right to disqualify a winner if the ANU College of Science and the ANU College of Health and Medicine become aware that the winner and/or the winner’s entry is of a type described in this clause.
  24. The ANU College of Science and the ANU College of Health and Medicine accept no responsibility for any late, lost or misdirected entries including delays in the completion of tasks due to technical disruptions, network congestion or for any other reason.
  25. The ANU College of Science and the ANU College of Health and Medicine’s decision is final and the ANU College of Science and the ANU College of Health and Medicine will not enter into correspondence regarding the result or winning entries.
  26. In the case of the intervention of any outside act, agent or event which prevents or significantly hinders the ANU College of Science and the ANU College of Health and Medicine’s ability to proceed with the competition on the dates and in the manner described in these terms and conditions, including but not limited to vandalism, power failures, tempests, natural disasters, acts of God, civil unrest, strike, war, act of terrorism, the ANU College of Science and the ANU College of Health and Medicine may in its absolute discretion cancel the competition and recommence it from the start on the same conditions, subject to any directions given under State Regulation.
  27. The ANU College of Science and the ANU College of Health and Medicine reserve the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual they believe has breached any of these conditions, or engaged in any unlawful or other improper misconduct calculated to jeopardise the fair and proper conduct of the promotion.
  28. The ANU College of Science and the ANU College of Health and Medicine collect personal information about you to enable you to participate in this promotion.
  29. All certificates (including winners’) are not an AQF certificate.