Hope from science and engineering awards

I vacillate between despair and hope for science and engineering education in Australia. Sometimes as a country it seems we’re only capable of really appreciating sporting achievement. But then I see something like the Science and Engineering Awards 2013 and read about the research carried out by the student winners.

The winner of the Investigations section’s topic was titled The effect of anti-apoptotic genes on immune mediated cell death in cancer cells, second place was An investigation into the use of diatomite for oil retrieval at sea and the third place was a fascinating study on whether people learn better if they hand-write instead of type their notes.

The Engineering section winners did just as well. They created a monitoring device for baby car seats and a better way of delivering medicine, and looked at ways quadriplegics can control wheelchairs.

These are simply amazing topics for high school students and they, and everyone else involved, deserve the heartiest congratulations and a great deal more publicity than they’ve received.

Image: 2013 student winners © Copyright CSIRO Australia 2013.