IBM: The IBM EdTech Youth Challenge

Students from Greenpoint Christian School participate in an Educator led session on Climate Change and Biodiversity.

In March 2021, the Australian Museum partnered with IBM to launch the IBM EdTech Youth Challenge.

The challenge encouraged students (with support of a teacher) to understand and identify real world issues around environmental sustainability, health concerns and disaster resilience highlighting how artificial intelligence (AI) technology and design thinking methods could be used to tackle these problems.

The competition was available to high school students from Years 7-10 nationwide. Teachers with teams of students entered compelling projects where technology was applied to help solve existing or imminent problems facing society.

With over $15,000 in prizes to be won, the program received submissions from 70 different schools. A panel of judges, including Australian Museum scientists reviewed submissions with prizes awarded to the most compelling entries.

The inspiring partnership between IBM and The Australian Museum highlighted the growth of interest in school STEM activity with the alignment providing scientific legitimacy to a newly established initiative.