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Sky’s the Limit
STEMFest aims to engage kids with STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths). Bring the family to this free event to see a rocket, join in fun experiments and play with robots.
STEMFest aims to engage kids with STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths). Bring the family to this free event to see a rocket, join in fun experiments and play with robots.
For many kids, it’s hard to imagine how sitting in a classroom trying to nut out a calculus problem
or conducting a science experiment is going to prove useful later in life. However, if students can
see maths being used in building design, or chemistry as a key component in the analysis of water pollution, then engaging with the subject is a lot more likely.
Enter Tauranga’s STEMFest. A free event on Sunday 2 October (the first weekend of school holidays), it’s a hands-on, family friendly day that’s all about getting tamariki and rangatahi enthusiastic about STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths) while they still have no preconceptions or misconceptions about the subjects.
It’s actually vital that Aotearoa has more students studying STEM subjects to be able to fill the rapidly increasing number of jobs that require this knowledge. We need to encourage engagement with STEM at an early age to inspire the next generation of inventors, mathematicians, scientists, technologists, engineers and innovators.
STEMFest focuses on fun, fascinating hands-on activities, demonstrations, workshops and experiments from more than 50 exhibitors from across Aotearoa. They’ll showcase amazing concepts and projects they’re developing, as well as all the opportunities for studies and careers in these fields. This year’s STEMFest theme is sustainability, and encouraging the involvement of women and the Māori and Pasifika communities are also key focus points.
STEMFest founder Tia Lush, a graphic designer and technologist, started the festival in 2016 in
the UK’s City of Peterborough, where it continues to grow. Tia immigrated to Tauranga with her
family in 2017 and she launched the inaugural STEMFest in 2019, but there’s since been a two-year Covid-related hiatus.
This year, it returns to the CBD, centred in Durham St and surrounding venues. “STEMFest is back, bigger and better. There’ll be something for the whole family, with food trucks and a great street festival atmosphere. We can’t wait for everyone to come and discover the exciting, vast, and varied world of science, technology, engineering and maths.” says Tia.
Tia and her team will issue 10,000 free tickets for kids and whānau to book from August. The long-term goal is to eventually attract 100,000 visitors to the event, including from abroad, and put
New Zealand on the map as a STEM destination.
We asked the team to give us some juicy details about the upcoming event…
Tell us about this year’s International Space Zone! Rumour has it, there’ll be a
real rocket on the street?
We’re excited about the International Space Zone, which is supported by Kiwi-led company Rocket Lab. And yes, on the day, the New Zealand Rocketry Association will give you the chance to get
up close to a real high-powered rocket! Tauranga Astronomy Society will offer a fun and interactive presentation of astronomy basics, and the New Zealand Astrobiology Network is bringing The Astrobiology Dome (a portable planetarium), along with several rover robots to play with.
What exhibits highlight this year’s theme of sustainability?
Local company, Manawa Energy will be focusing on the different types of renewable energy,
hydro, solar and wind energy. They will have a 3m hydro power model and a machine helping
elvers (baby eels) pass over dams on their migration upstream.
Tauranga City Council’s wastewater programme is about the journey of local water from source
to sea, including the conservation of drinking water, pollution of stormwater and treatment of wastewater. See where our water comes from, how it’s cleaned and used, then cleaned again
before going out to sea. Plus, try an interactive activity that explores the intricate pipe systems that make all this possible.
Manaaki Whenua — Landcare Research lead the research and development of remote sensing, which helps to monitor and better understand our environment. See how it captures land data
that feeds into research and tools for land owners and decision makers. And test your flying skills
at the drone cage!
Envirohub’s Precious Plastic project turns plastic milk bottle tops (that can’t be recycled kerbside
in Tauranga) into a range of products, from clocks to jewellery. Come along to find out how and
to take part in some entertaining games.
Biosecurity New Zealand will exhibit a range of threats, from plant viruses to marine pests, and
show how they can enter our country.
What else can we expect?
STEMFest sponsor’s exhibits include a Xero hands-on workshop that relates to solving some
of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals using programming and Edison robots.
At Zespri, you’ll be able to whizz up a kiwifruit smoothie on a smoothie bike, and LawVu will show
you how to empower a robot to draw.
Plus, She Sharp will offer interactive tech activity to encourage girls to enter STEM studies, you
can head to House of Science for some cool experiments, the Institution of Civil Engineers will
have a 13m-long bridge on site, and at School to Skies (part of the Royal New Zealand Air Force), you’ll learn about the principle of flying with their Grumman aircraft.
It’ll be a day for rangatahi (and their whānau) to meet STEM heroes, be inspired by creative
and groundbreaking ideas and inventions, and have their imaginations fired up.
