Swine flu has effect on school science projects

September 14, 2009

MEDIA STATEMENT
Swine flu issues have an effect on school science projects

The past winter’s swine flu had an impact upon the entries at this year’s Lincoln University Schools’ Science and Technology Fair (Canterbury – Westland).

Entries included tests for the bacteria-busting capacity of hand wash gels as well as levels of bacteria at different parts of a shopping mall – trolleys, escalators, money machines. Students also focused on daily concerns like which business made the hottest cup of takeaway coffee, whether or not living in an all-black house would be a good idea summer and winter, and ways to reuse the old green recycling crates.

“Environment Canterbury’s science fair awards encourage students to focus on the solutions, not just the problems,” said Andrea Creighton, ECan environmental educator. “It is great to see so many students thinking creatively and practically.”
The top winner in each category receives $400 and $1000 for their school. Second place-getters receive $150 and third place-getters $80.

Top junior Environment Canterbury science fair prize winner is Emma Clucas, 11, of Cobham Intermediate. Emma worked out a way for top loading washing machines to reuse rinse water. Her design used a computer chip for programming and a container which would sit next to the machine to collect the reusable water. Her aim is that cities like Christchurch should minimise water use in the home to avoid overtaxing our underground aquifers.

Top senior Environment Canterbury winner is Shankari Ganeshan, 17, in her final year at Lincoln High School. People may have heard of sewage being reused to create biofuels. Shankari isolated a black bacterial substance from sewage samples to power a circuit and potentially create a clean, renewable source of power. “It produces no toxicity and it keeps on going. After two days, the circuit was still running,” she says. Her idea combines biology, physics and chemistry, so it is no surprise she is hoping to pursue a career as a doctor starting her health sciences degree at Otago University next year.

Other Environment Canterbury science fair winners are:
In the junior section, second equal went to Joe Coughlan and Jared Van-Vianen, of Kirkwood Intermediate, and Jeremy Penrose, of Cobham Intermediate. Joe and Jared’s project used hot composting systems to heat underfloor water pipes. Jeremy investigated ways to extract the heat from waste water and reuse it.
Kusal Ekanayake, of Oaklands School, won third prize, looking at ways to contain effluent in underground tanks without contaminating nearby groundwater.

In the senior section, second place went to Annette Carshalton, of Unlimited Paenga Tawhiti School, who looked at pollution produced by a vineyard and a dairy farm. Third place went to Annie Broughton, of Lincoln High School, who surveyed people’s travelling habits and suggested ways people could save money and reduce road congestion using car pooling and public transport.

Cr Jo Kane, ECan deputy chair, presented the Environment Canterbury awards on Sunday night, September 13, at the Christchurch Town Hall.

ENDS