STEM: Innovator's Hub

Growing Beyond Earth: Taking Off Soon!

We are thrilled to see preparations underway for the Growing Beyond Earth program. Our Year 8 Murdoch students are gearing up to begin planting in the specially designed plant growth chamber – a replica of the system used on the International Space Station.

This exciting phase will combine citizen science, sustainability, and space horticulture as students monitor seed growth under space-simulated conditions. Data will be shared with NASA and global research teams, giving our students a real-world connection to scientific discovery.

Year 7 Innovators: Building the Foundations

Our Year 7 Innovators are currently deep in the design phase of their engineering tower challenge, exploring the principles of structure, balance, and teamwork. Inspired by themes such as Smart Engineering and Historical Design, students are using spaghetti and marshmallows to build towers that are both creative and structurally sound.

We look forward to seeing their towers tested soon—and discovering which structures rise to the occasion!

Year 8 Murdoch: Testing Strength and Preparing for Space

After weeks of design and construction, Year 8 Murdoch students have completed their towers and are now putting them to the test! Using simulated earthquake vibrations and incremental loading, students are evaluating the resilience of their designs.

As they wrap up this challenge, they will transition into the next exciting phase of STEM: planting in the NASA-designed plant growth chamber. This shift from structural engineering to biological science will encourage systems thinking and reinforce the importance of sustainability in space and on Earth.

Year 9 iSTEM: Designing the Future

The Year 9 iSTEM students are preparing to launch into a guided independent project that combines design thinking and data science. This term, students will identify real-world problems, brainstorm innovative solutions, and apply digital tools such as TinkerCAD and spreadsheet modelling to prototype and evaluate their ideas.

This project is designed to foster critical thinking, creativity, and digital fluency - skills essential in any future STEM pathway.

We’re proud to see our students so engaged, curious, and capable. From designing earthquake-proof towers to preparing for experiments in space science, EMC students are truly embracing what it means to be young innovators.