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Step 1
Speak to your teacher
Show your teacher the ANSTO National Science Week Hackathon website and ask them if they would be willing to support you with this project or if they would like to use this as a classroom activity.
Register InterestYour teacher is the one who will be required to register your team and submit your entry.
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Step 2
Team Registration
Your teacher will submit the official team registration form.
Registration closes on Friday August 6th 2021
Register Interest -
Step 3
Explore the theme
The theme for National Science Week 2021 is Food: Different by Design
Challenge themes will be published on Monday August 9th
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Step 4
Take the challenge
The hackathon kicks off on Monday August 14th, with case studies and specific challenge statements going live at 9am
Frequently asked questions
What is a hackathon?
A hackathon is an immersive experience where people come together with diverse ideas and skills to rapidly design and build products that customers would actually use. The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) will once again run one of these sprint-like events for Australian secondary students as part of National Science Week 2021. The theme of ANSTO's National Science Week Hackathon will align to the theme for National Science Week 2021 which is Food: Different by Design.
How does a hackathon work?
- While there are many variations of hackathons, it typically involves forming teams, brainstorming ideas, getting feedback from mentors and customers, and rapidly designing/building something to test in front of customers.
- Hints and some resources may be given before the official start, however, the specific problem statements and resources are released to participants when the hackathon begins.
- Resources may include innovation and design tools, data sets, access to APIs, hardware and software to aid in ideation or even building a functional prototype or minimal viable product that customers would use.
- Innovation tools such as business model canvas, interviewing and SMART goals are used to identify potential solutions and aspects of the hack that may need to be tested.
- Final solutions can be in the form of a model, prototype, diagram, app, or any design method that fits the solution created by the teams.
- This hackathon is unique as students have the opportunity to book time with ANSTO scientists, entrepreneurs with previous hackathon experience and potential customers who can give them advice and feedback.
Why participate?
The aim of ANSTO's National Science Week Hackathon is for secondary school students to gain experience in science, innovation and entrepreneurship. Students will also gain creative confidence, valuable team-working skills, interviewing skills, experience with online collaboration tools and have a chance to interact with scientists, professionals and entrepreneurs. Teams will submit a video showcasing their ideas to a panel of scientists.
Teachers may choose to use the hackathon to inspire their students in STEM and/or to get involved in National Science Week. Some options include:
- A supporting activity for students in Years 7-11 who are engaged with National Science Week
- As as activity that meets curriculum connections for Y7-10 in Science and Technology
- As a challenge for your school’s Science, STEM or Environmental Club
Who can enter?
ANSTO's National Science Week Hackathon is open to Australian Secondary School students in years 7-9 (Junior Division) and years 10-11 (Senior Division) interested in science and technology.
Recommended team size is between 3-7 students.
Students within teams can be from different year levels, but must compete in the division of their oldest student.
If you would like to make this a whole class activity, please contact us.
Submissions must be made and approved by a teacher.
When is the hackathon?
ANSTO's National Science Week Hackathon 2021 will begin on Monday, August 14th and submissions must be received by 11:59pm on Wednesday, August 16th.
In 2021 we will be offering a teacher briefing /PD for teachers on the Design Thinking Process on Thursday August 12th after school
Teachers can then lead their teams in a Design Thinking Workshop on Friday August 13th in partnership with their Team Mentor
See Key Dates and Timeline of Events below under additional information.
Where is the hackathon?
This is a virtual Hackathon. Students can participate remotely from anywhere in Australia.
Additional information
Hackathon resources
Forms and Promotional Material
Forms
Promotional Material
Mentors
ANSTO, in collaboration with nandin and the Australian Museum, are proud to welcome a panel of mentors with diverse experience and extensive backgrounds in scientific research, innovation and technology industries. Participating in the hackathon and having the opportunity to work with these amazing scientists, engineers and business people in an individualised setting is sure to inspire and engage the students in STEM-related topics.
- Mentors with hackathon experience may guide and provide feedback/advice to students on the Monday of the hackathon. This may include helping teams test their assumptions, ideate, introduce tools for innovation, and effectively present their solution.
- Students will have the opportunity to book in a session with their mentor of choice for August 17th via Zoom. This will be their opportunity to engage with the mentors and ask them exploratory questions about their problems/solutions.
- Mentors provide assistance completely voluntarily and are not considered part of the team for the purposes of intellectual property, prizes or any other licensing purposes.
- Mentoring sessions are not mandatory but highly recommended.
2021 Key Dates and Timeline of Events
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October 2020 |
Teachers can register their interest |
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July 23rd |
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| August 6th | Registration closes |
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August 9th |
Challenge themes are published Hackathon boxes are posted out to participating schools |
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August 12th |
Online teacher briefing / PD session on the Design Thinking Process |
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August 13th |
Design Thinking workshop for teams Meet your Team Mentor, start planning and choose your challenge theme |
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August 16th |
Hackathon officially kicks off at 9am Specific case studies published Sign-up for Challenge Mentor sessions |
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August 17th |
Zoom sessions with Challenge Mentors Re-work and revise prototype, model or diagram |
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August 18th |
Plan and film video submission and complete One Page Summary sheet Teachers must submit entries by 11:59pm |
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August 19th |
Shortlisting Finalists will be contacted by COB |
| August 20th |
Official judging panel Live Event Showcase and announcement of winners for each division |
Prizes
- Junior and Senior Divisions:
- FIRST PRIZE - $1000 & Science Medals
- RUNNER-UP - $500 & Science Medals
Assessment Criteria
All hackathon entries will be judged against the following criteria:
- Originality and creativity
- Accuracy and clarity of the science content and the plausibility of the solution
- Alignment to hackathon purpose
- Commercial viability (entrepreneurship)
- Future plans/pathways
- Presentation and design
- “Wow” factor/new/surprising solution
Hackathon background and rationale
This hackathon is being organised by Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) as part of Science Week 14-22 August 2021. This is following a run of successful hackathons involving ANSTO and Nandin startups. In 2018, ANSTO ran H2Go Clean water Hack bringing together university students from Australian and Sri Lanka to create novel approaches to address chronic dehydration in Sri Lanka. More recently, ANSTO and Nandin startups got together to find solutions to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, better use open data from NASA and others, and to help build sovereign supply chains that can withstand supply shock.
Further links:
- H2Go - http://www.globalwaterinstitute.unsw.edu.au/news/students-identify-novel-approaches-to-address-chronic-dehydration-in-sri-lanka
- https://www.ansto.gov.au/news/covid-19-proof-healthy-workstation-wins-acs-covid-19-online-hackathon
- https://www.theleader.com.au/story/6757416/ansto-workstation-idea-to-stop-covid-19
- https://www.ansto.gov.au/news/hackathon-success-continues
Copyright and Ownership
It’s important for students to know how to properly use other people’s content in their work. While citing resources that are used in written works is appropriate, it is actually illegal to take someone else’s digital content (pictures, music or sounds) and use it in your video presentation. There are two options to ensure that you are doing the right thing when it comes to copyright:
- Get written permission from the copyright owners before submitting your work. Make sure to cite permission at the end of your video/in your written overview.
- Use copyright-free images, music and sounds effects. Use this guide to properly attribute your sources, if needed.
Here are some helpful links to get you started:
- Arts Law Centre of Australia – Legal information of filmmakers
- Free Music Archive – Royalty free music
- Pixabay – Free images and royalty-free stock
- Freesound – Free special effects and sounds
- Creative Commons – Use and remix creative content
Submissions created by students are owned by the students. This hackathon aims to inspire students to create something new and they will own the IP to their unique idea.
Privacy, Collection Statement and Consent
The personal information that ANSTO may collect includes the names of the student, Parent/Guardian and Teacher, the name of your school, the student’s age, state or territory location, photographs, voice recordings and video recordings. ANSTO may use information obtained in the course of the hackathon in printed and digital materials and websites including reports, brochures, fact sheets, websites, case studies, promotional videos and multimedia presentations. The materials may be used by media outlets. Personal details may also be used to contact the student, Parent/Guardian or Teacher regarding future ANSTO events or to seek your feedback on the hackathon.
The information will only be used for the purposes outlined above, except where required by law. ANSTO respects your right to privacy of your information. Your contact details will remain strictly confidential and will be stored securely to comply with privacy regulations. Read ANSTO's Privacy Policy.