06 MAY 2016

Plans being finalised for return of Hutt STEMM Festival

The Hutt STEMM Festival returns 4-12 June with Hutt City Council and other local organisations finalising plans on a wide array of events celebrating science, technology, engineering, mathematics and manufacturing.

The Festival is held in recognition of Lower Hutt’s local industries. It has expanded on last year’s programme and will deliver a diverse range of activities. Some will appeal to and inspire kids and their families, while others will strengthen connections between businesses and industry.

Lower Hutt Mayor Ray Wallace is excited the Festival is returning even stronger this year. “We have some of the most innovative companies in the country here in Lower Hutt and it’s fantastic to be able to showcase their hard work.

“It’s great to see families and communities get involved with STEMM events, and you can see that some of these kids are inspired to consider these fields as a career. I’m particularly excited to see The Mind Lab by Unitec returning, they have a whole array of intriguing hands-on experiences.”

Expected highlights from the Festival include Hutt City Libraries’ Astronomy Night featuring insights into Matariki and its significance, and an introduction to competitive robotics at Kiwibots Vex Robotics Boot Camp.

Festival programmes will be available from 22 May at Council facilities city-wide, online at huttstemm.nz and delivered to local schools that request them.

ENDS

Media contact: Callum McKenzie, Marketing Coordinator, 04 570 6872,
027 403 6481, or callum.mckenzie@huttcity.govt.nz

High resolution images from some of previous year’s events available.

Notes to editors

· Media keen to receive a programme and be invited to invite-only events should signal their interest to callum.mckenzie@huttcity.govt.nz

· The science, technology, engineering, mathematics and manufacturing sectors are high growth, high knowledge and high yield industries, and the region is already a nationwide leader in many of them, with multiple businesses having international reach of their products and knowledge.

Lower Hutt currently has:

o $421m of GDP accounted for in the medium-high tech sector business

o The 4th largest number of people in New Zealand employed in medium-high tech manufacturing

o One Crown Research institute, one innovation quarter and two tertiary institutions

o More than 3,800 full-time employees in more than 897 businesses in the medium-high tech sector, and

o 115 hectares of land zoned industrial-commercial, the largest in the Wellington region

o A dedicated multi-agency initiative, Technology Valley Development Group, supporting the vision and growth of STEMM in Lower Hutt

o The creation of Hutt Science, an initiative focussed on engaging and enthusing young people about science and technology

o A new Sector Development Manager STEMM employed by Hutt City Council to enhance the profile of STEMM industry in Lower Hutt

ends

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