Scottish charity TechFest has announced the winners of STEM Next, a global essay competition that encouraged entrants to discuss topics of current relevance and the future of industries in energy, medicine, and science.
TechFest is a charity focused on making STEM education more engaging and inclusive in schools throughout the country whilst helping to connect STEM to various sectors.
STEM Next was a solo digital project that required independent research and writing, open to students aged 16 - 18 across the world.
Participants were invited to submit an essay between 1,000-3,000 words that addressed one of the provided essay questions, with three categories available: Energy in Action, Medicine & Life Sciences and Chemistry & Biological Sciences.
The competition aimed to inspire students worldwide, drawing winners from London, Kent, Edinburgh, and Dwight Seoul in South Korea.
Samantha van Rooyen from Wimbledon High School, Earl Xavier Fornillos from St. Bonaventure’s RC School, and Ishan Madhok from St. Paul’s School triumphed as 1st place winners, each taking home a £200 Amazon voucher.
Martha Gavan, deputy managing director of TechFest, said: “STEM Next is a challenge designed in partnership with industry and education to help shape the future workforce.
“The competition is a fantastic chance for industry to connect with brilliant young minds and discover the next generation of STEM leaders.
"Early industry relationships can ignite a passion that shapes the future problem solvers in STEM. STEM Next offers an exciting opportunity for industry leaders to connect with the next generation of innovators."
STEM Next finalists 2024.
The project enabled TechFest to make introductions that provided entrants with valuable career insights while also helping to shape their interviewing skills as part of the research requirements.
Young people who competed in the STEM Next competition are eligible for CREST Awards, providing an opportunity for students to add additional achievements to their UCAS application.
In addition to developing their researching and writing skills, STEM Next also connects young people with industry professionals to learn first-hand about their chosen industry.
STEM Next is a collaboration with various partners including: Airswift, CNOOC International, Ocean Winds and Thistle Wind Partners (TWP).
Ruth Cameron, managed services director EMEA at Airswift , said: “STEM Next is shaping the skilled workforce needed to tackle future challenges. This aligns with Airswift’s goal of transforming lives through workforce solutions in STEM industries.”
Victoria Allan, Buzzard onshore mechanical support engineer at CNOOC International, said: “At CNOOC International, our focus on delivering safe and sustainable energy aligned perfectly with STEM Next, which showcased bold and practical solutions from the world’s top young thinkers this year.”
Roger McMichael, stakeholder manager at Ocean Winds, said: “Ocean Winds is leading the global energy transition into a greener future, and we believe STEM Next provided extraordinary insight from the fresh perspectives of young people.”
Kirsty Macaulay, stakeholder engagement manager at Thistle Wind Partners, said: “At TWP, we are committed to encouraging the next generation to explore STEM subjects and have been delighted supporting TechFest’s STEM Next competition. Congratulations to all of the winners!”
TechFest is interested in increasing industry partners for this project, if you are interested in sponsorship or volunteering, please get in touch via: https://techfest.org.uk/education/ages-over-11/stem-next-essay