Edna Waddell Undergraduate Scholarships for Women in Technology and Engineering

The Edna Waddell scholarships are for women entering their first year of full-time study for an undergraduate degree in engineering or technology – open to school leavers and mature women.

Edna waddell

The purpose of the Scholarships is to provide funds to help women begin study for degrees in engineering and technology at a New Zealand university. The Scholarships are for women entering their first year of full time study for an undergraduate degree. Each Scholarship will be for one year, the initial year of study.

The Scholarships are intended for school leavers and for mature women who have not previously studied technology and engineering at this level. For mature women, preference will be given to those who have worked in industry for at least three years and / or and have passed sub-degree courses in technology or engineering.

Eligibility:

Applicants will be New Zealand citizens or permanent residents with at least three years proven residence in New Zealand.

Applicants will be gaining the entry qualifications for their chosen degree.

Value and number awarded:

The target maximum value for each scholarship is $5,000.

Up to three scholarships are available each year.

Closing date:1 September

Professors Emeriti Dick and Mary Earle, who made a huge contribution to developing the biotechnology and food technology degrees at Massey University in the 1960s, established the Edna Waddell Scholarships in 2008, to encourage women to study engineering and technology.

Dick and Mary know that expansion and innovation in technology is vitally important to the New Zealand community. More people need to be technologically educated and it is desirable to have wider participation of women in the technological professions.

The scholarships are for women beginning their undergraduate degree in engineering or technology and are open to school leavers and mature women. The first scholarships were awarded in 2009, and to date 21 young women have been awarded scholarships of $5,000 for their first year of study. Of those, four chose to study food technology at Massey University.

Travelling Tartan Embedded in Art

The history of Waipu cove is depicted in detail at one of New Zealands best small museums. Follow the dramatic story of one of the most remarkable global migrations in both Scottish and New Zealand national history through the fantastic interactive displays that embody the stories of the settling Scottish to New Zealand shores. The Museum staff have succesfully run a community project that has brought together artists and practising technologists in their own Tartan Wearable Arts.

I was invited to attend the Waipu wearable arts show "Art N Tartan" on the Friday the 17th July 2015. Despite being an impartial crowd member there to enjoy the amazing show directed by Helen Francis,  I was silently cheering for the Technology Teacher from Tauraroa college, Sandra Guest. 

Sandra has for years been entering wearable arts competitions as a technology practitioner. The inspiration and encouragement the exposure gained, shares with her students at Tauraroa Area school around setting aspirational goals is priceless.

http://www.waipumuseum.com/html/events.htm

Sandra had success on the night winning the, OFF THE WALL AWARD: For Outstanding imagination and/or creative concept OUTLANDER -  Sandra Guest, Model – Natalie Guest 

Sandra's Entry - Into the section titled: Salute to Scotland

Sandra was inspired by the books of Dianna Gabaldon in which a woman travels back in time to the Battle of Culloden. Her costume conveys the many faces of the travellers who passed through the ancient stone circle at Craig na Dun in the scottish highlands.

The show and performances were well put together and it was a very proffesional seamless production. I felt quite tearful, as I watched the Maori Kapa Haka performance alongside the scottish bag pipes. I realised I was watching something truely moving as two cultures came together and shared the historical growth of a community. 

This is not an advert but a strong note of support for schools to enter students and teachers alike for 2016.

Using 3D, Student Inventiveness: Case Study

 3D Printing in Practice

Sam Beckman Year 11, ASHS

In 2014 Sam Beckman, then year 11 student at Albany Senior High School, approached technology teacher Katriona Main to ask if he could do some 3D printing for his Impact Project, here is Katriona's case study.

"My response to Sam was that would be a fantastic idea, but........the school did not have a 3D printer. So we discussed whether Sam would be interested in exploring the possibility of the school purchasing a 3D printer. He thought this would be a great project. 

Sam set about exploring the availability, specs and costs of different 3D printers and filaments to determine which would be most suitable for the school. He liaised with different suppliers over a number of weeks and invited Tim Carr of Mindkits in to demonstrate the Ultimaker 3D printer. 

http://www.mindkits.co.nz/ 

Sam explained to Tim exactly what Impact Projects were about "they are one day a week when students take control of their learning and develop a project that helps the community". In this instance it was the school community.

The Ultimaker was duly purchased, in kitset form and Sam led a posse of friends in building the kitset under the watchful tutilage of Tim, from Mindkits. Tim later told me that he was blown away with Sam and his teams work ethic and it was one of his smoothest builds ever!

Fast forward to term 2, 2015 and Sam has started to develop a production process and costing structure for students wishing to 3D print their own items either for class work or personal interest. Sam  is now negotiating with the IT department to get "cura", the 3D printing software installed on computers across the school. The Ultimaker is proudly housed in the fabric-product design room where students are currently experimenting with combining 3D printing with textiles as part of their prototyping unit which combines "the old, the new and kiwi identity".

Katriona Main
Miro Team Leader
Product Design
Albany Senior High School

Are we ready to 3D print our own clothes?

Sam's use of 3D modelling prompted me to see what other ground breaking work is being done by 3D printers. My search linked me to the work of fashion student, Danit Peleg, who has designed an entire fashion collection using a 3D printer at home. 
http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2015/jul/28/are-we-ready-to-print-our-own-3d-clothes

What is 3D printing?

3D printing is an additive technology in which objects are built up in a great many very thin layers. The first commercial 3D printer was based on a technique called stereolithography. This was invented by Charles Hull in 1984.

3D printing or additive manufacturing is a process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file. The creation of a 3D printed object is achieved using additive processes. In an additive process an object is created by laying down successive layers of material until the entire object is created.

Many different materials can be used for 3D printing, such as ABS plastic, PLA, polyamide (nylon), glass filled polyamide, stereolithography materials (epoxy resins), silver, titanium, steel, wax, photopolymers and polycarbonate. https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=3d+printing&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=1cW-VaOuDqHFmwXdlLHIDA

Whats Next?

3D tatooing.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdCXkdZvjfg

 

STEM Education Grants for NZ schools

The Royal Society of New Zealand is delighted to be partnering with Caltex to launch ‘Fuel Your School’.  Both Primary and Secondary schools can apply for a grant of up to $5,000 for resources to help their teaching of STEM.  You can download the application form from the website from today but you will not be able to submit it online until 24th August.  This gives you plenty of time to work on your application!

I have also attached the promotion poster for your information as there is already a lot of interest from the schools.   Visit: http://fuelyourschool.caltex.co.nz  

A Nation of Curious Minds - He Whenua Hihiri i te Mahara http://www.msi.govt.nz/update-me/major-projects/science-and-society-project/

 

A quick bite of fun

Somebody in my circles shared this and I thought it would be relevant and interesting to pass on......

Doodle 4 Google 2015 

http://www.google.co.nz/doodle4google/

 Registrations close on monday 20th July so be quick

Illumination

Why is it that Humans have always linked the use of light with magic and wonder? What is about illumination that leads us to ponder on possibility? I am sure that there are many physic based ways to answer these questions.... 

Let us just go back a couple of blogs and thing on Creativity and innovation. My recent visit to the Gold Coast Australia, left me a little speechless when I saw the beach at night, completely illuminated by the high rises and the nightlife within metres of the untouched beach.

I was drawn as if by magic to an unconscious link to the relevance to different technology disciplines and how they could use this context. I have come across a couple of teachers exploring the use of light both within DVC techniques and also the creation of light utilising both negative an positive space. But feel that this is a much untapped area of potential to engage students.

 Inspirational Light frames

 DVC - Possibilities

I think that when it comes to illumination of a product in a visual presentation it can enhance the potential perception of the viewers to create something ethereal and magical. Have a look at the following garments displayed as wearable art and the way the light has captured the essence.

The possible relation to light and space is important and essentail when thinking about displaying work for visual effect.

I am sure that you could consider food presentation in the same way. I will come back to this in a later blog.

True Blue Australian Ingenuity

Just like the many thousands of other kiwi's freezing in this cold snap.....

I escaped our cold climate for a respite in the warmer weather of the 'Surfers Paradise' last week.

  I had a motive in that I was due to present at a conference on Bullying prevention in schools in New Zealand as part of my Doctoral study. I also used the trip as an opportunity to take my soon to be 16 year old on a birthday surprise. Unfortunately for me that meant 3 days of traipsing around theme parks. 

I was struck by the engineering feats of ingenuity that go into the design of the rides. Always a technologist and a teacher at heart I quickly saw a possible context that could draw in and engage students.

Dream World - Gold Coast

Tower of Terror - DreamWorld

Watching two (normally) placid individuals shriek and howl in absolute delight left me wonder what it was about theme parks that young people love so much..... Also who comes up with the designs and the sheer brilliance behind the design and manufacturing of each experience? 

Here is what I found....

 

Theme Park Engineer at Disney

World renound theme park designers

Designing the theme

Link to Technology NZC at level 1 NCEA ........

Possibility of conceptual design AS91046, Freehand sketches AS91063, Influential designer AS91067, Prototyping AS91047, Visual presentation AS91069. Not to mention that many rides now incorporate 4D experiences and therefore adding in components from digital technologies could be relevant.

I would be really keen to see some prototypes if anyone were keen to trial a project on this topic.

Have a look at this and I dare you not to be inspired!