Twenty-two students from Samaritan College, Caritas College, Whyalla Secondary College and Port Augusta Secondary School attended the UniSA Whyalla campus last month to participate in the Santos-sponsored UniSA STEM Girls Academy Challenge.
Students had the opportunity to develop their critical, creative thinking and communication skills by solving a real-world problem presented by Santos staff who also shared their pathways into their roles, and an overview of Santos’ alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The creative challenge posed to the group was: ‘From what you know about our company, how can Santos develop a STEM solution to positively contribute to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals?’.
Santos staff were impressed by the inspired solutions presented by students, their ability to collaborate with their peers, and the confidence they displayed through their creative thinking. The team found it heartening to witness the student’s growth and development, as they embraced new ideas and expanded their horizons. The statements below illustrate the positive impact that the Creative Challenge has had on the students’ confidence, team work and interest in #STEM:
🔸 “I used to think making new friends was scary. Now I think meeting new people is fun and a great way to gain fresh perspectives.”
🔸 “I used to think that creative thing was something you had to be blessed with. Now I know it’s like a muscle, you can train your brain to think abroad.”
🔸 “[I learned] how we can be more sustainable, more social, more creative, and work together as a team.”
🔸 “I used to think STEM was a very specific subject but now I know it is a very broad topic with lots of opportunities.”
For more information on UniSA’s STEM Girls Academy, click here.
