Biomimicry Student Excellence

Biomimicry Student Excellence Incursion 2021

High Abilities Extension Program

The Designed by Nature Biomimicry Program was run by the Royal Botanic Garden Victoria (RBGV) and although we have all loved to be onsite at the Royal Botanic Gardens we still thoroughly enjoyed the online alternative.  The RBGV facilitators enthusiastically delivered a program that focused on the possibility of using inspiration in nature to create solutions to human problems.  Our students actively participated in the chats and forum and I was really impressed by the thoughtful contributions that they shared.

Congratulations to our last year Year 8 and Year 9 Students who were nominated to attend the Biomimicry Incursion. 

This STEM-based program engaged students in the emerging discipline of biomimicry (design inspired by nature). Students discovered how nature can be used for design inspiration and problem-solving, they observed the tried and tested biological strategies and patterns of nature with biomimicry educators to design their own nature-inspired innovations. 

I had the privilege of being chosen to participate in the 

Royal Botanic Gardens biomimicry workshop. It was a wonderful 

opportunity to learn about what biomimicry really was and gave me some insight into how nature has inspired the world to innovate! Though the workshop was held online from the comfort of our homes, we were given the chance to create our own biomimetic design and were able to engage in some quizzes and discussions. My favourite part of the workshop would have definitely been the kahoot we did on the adaptations of plants and functions. I left the incursion with a head full of new knowledge about biomimicry and bio-design! Thank you to Sally, Kim, and Brigette for highlighting the best parts of their job and opening up a new world of nature and science to us. 

Thank you,

Chantelle Francisco 

Thank you to the teachers at Taylors Lakes Secondary College for providing me with the opportunity to participate in the Biomimicry High Abilities Excursion online due to the current lockdown. The meeting was extremely informative and taught me many valuable lessons about the environment around us. I learnt that there are three ways in which humanity can use nature and the environment to create sustainable and useful products and objects. These are: Biomimicry (works like nature), Bio-morphism 

(looks like nature) and Bio-utilisation (uses natural processes and products). Lastly, I learnt that the Eiffel Tower is inspired by the human femur bone and that many significant architectures and structures are inspired by the natural environment around us.  

Ella-Grace Costanzo  

The Biomimicry workshop was an amazing experience and it was very interesting to see how nature plays a part in our lives. It was fascinating to unlock a different way to view how nature had inspired the design of everyday objects and the process it takes to identify the function, form and strategy.

Thanks, Sam Daniel

The Biomimicry high abilities incursion was a fun, informative and overall interesting incursion that piqued my interest as it explained the concept of biomimicry and Bio design. The session which took place over a WebEx was around three hours long, but it was worth the time as we were introduced to a range of different concepts that revolved around creating and utilising nature in designs and products to help solve problems. My favourite part of the Biomimicry incursion was the main ‘challenge’ of the incursion were everyone was tasked with creating a product or design based off a golden barrel cactus. It was amazing to see what others came up with based off the cactus and I was really intrigued by the different range of designs that were presented too. 

Jonathan Retuta

A big thank you to Mrs Nicole Carlon for facilitating the program on the day. These opportunities are excellent ways for our students to extend their learning and connect with real life applications.

Enquiries regarding extension programs at the College can be directed to Elizabeth Green.

Elizabeth Green

Instructional and High Abilities Practice Leader