Future Makers STEM Inventors Challenge — Western Downs Region
Monday 31 March– Friday 6 June, 2025
REGISTRATIONS OPEN NOW
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Western Downs |
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| Free |
The 2025 Future Makers STEM Inventors Challenge — Western Downs Region, is open to Years 5 to 10 students the Western Downs Region. Participation is free.
The aim of this design challenge is for student teams to create a comprehensive, well-communicated invention concept to solve real-world problems.
Students are encouraged to think big and use creativity, research and technology to make a basic prototype which demonstrates some of the capabilities or design aspects of the proposed complete invention.
Starting with an online launch webinar in Term 1 Week 10, Queensland Museum facilitators will announce the specific details of the challenge, provide guidance on key criteria and showcase inspiring real inventions.
Teachers will be given high quality resources and activities to assist students throughout the design and communication process. Schools will have the option to schedule mentorship sessions with STEM industry experts to help refine their ideas.
The final submission will be at World Science Festival Queensland in Chinchilla, where students will display their prototype as a mini museum exhibition. Students will be required to explain and demonstrate how their invention works and meets the criteria. Prizes, trophies and certificates will be publicly presented to the winners on the festival main stage.
PRIZES
- The winning school will receive a prize (TBA)
- All students will receive a certificate
- Winners will receive a trophy, certificate and large Queensland Museum STEM prize pack
- Highly Commended and Commended entries will receive Certificates and a small prize packs
KEY DATES
- Online launch webinar: Term 1, Week 10 (TBA)
- Students to work on design and prototype + consult mentors: Term 2, Week 1–7
- Present submissions + winners announced: Term 2, Week 7 (Friday 6 June) at World Science Festival Queensland in Chinchilla
PLEASE NOTE: Only 1 expression of interest is required per teacher. You will be asked to specify student numbers.
Detailed challenge information will be released soon. For enquiries, email futuremakers@qm.qld.gov.au.
Future Makers is a partnership between Queensland Museum and Shell's QGC business
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Winners of the Future Makers STEM Inventors Challenge — Western Downs Region
Aspiring Year 6 inventors Dallas Brown, Elio Wise and Alfie O’Donnell wowed judges with their design concept called Snaker’s Rescue — a one-stop smartphone app for snakebite prevention and emergencies. Designed for regional families and bushwalkers, the proposed app would enable the user to identify snake species using photographic Artificial Intelligence (AI), before sharing sightings to other users via an interactive map. As part of the detailed design submission, Dallas, Elio and Alfie programmed a talking Picoh educational robot to demonstrate a voice-activated AI assistant feature, able to contact emergency services and provide first aid instructions. The students also outlined an estimated development budget, highlighting the app’s snake catcher speed-dial portal as a potential advertising revenue stream.
Chinchilla Christian College students Zoe, Mia and Gabby designed a concept of a bushfire extinguishing drone, to address the its devasting affect on native animal habitats. The drone would have the ability to identify fires using Artificial Intelligence and thermal detection technology. Once hovering over the burning area, the drone would pop a C02 powder "bomb", encased in a thin, balloon-like, biodegradable material. To demonstrate their concept, the students made a basic prototype and conducted experiments using 100ml of C02 powder, measuring the average distance that the powder visibly travelled when dropped from a two metre height.
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