Dundee Science Centre

Dundee Pupils Showcase the Appliance of Science!

A Dundee school girl has won the first ever Dundee Lord Provost STEM Inspiration Award.

Michelle Ugwoke, a Primary 5 pupil from Dens Road Primary School, was one of over 100 city pupils who entered the competition which challenged school pupils, working individually or in pairs, to submit a poster, video or model illustrating what science means to them, and what inspires them to study and enjoy STEM subjects.

STEM Challenge

DSF STEM Challenge 2024

Lohas and Michelle with Dundee Lord Provost Bill Campbell, Lorraine Lemon of Dundee Science Centre, and Paul Clancy, Chair of Dundee Science Centre.

With all entries showcased at Dundee Science Centre throughout Dundee Science Festival, the winner was singled out for creating a mindmap outlining what judges described as “an intelligent approach to problem-solving”.

Michelle was presented with a 3D printed trophy by Dundee Lord Provost Bill Campbell, with her school winning a free class visit and a shield.

Four runners-up from the school were also presented with 3D-printed trophies:

2nd – Hamfsa Hossain – P6/7

3rd – Leah Bartlett – P7

4th – Lohas Rajapathirana – P5

5th – Summer Forbes – P7

DSF Stem challenge

Summer Forbes and Leah Barlett with Caitlin MacInnes of Dundee Science Centre.

Hundreds of people enjoyed this year’s Dundee Science Festival which ran from 12-25 February, with a host of free activities and workshops at Dundee Science Centre, as well as local community centres, partner venues and online.

Lorraine Lemon, Head of Business Development, Dundee Science Centre, added, “We loved going through all the entries to the Dundee Lord Provost STEM Inspiration Award but Michelle’s jumped out as something a little different. She created a mindmap which outlines a really intelligent approach to problem solving through STEM, challenging her audience to identify the problem they’re trying to solve, brainstorm possible solutions,  plan, create and then improve.  Rather than creating an idea alone, this showed real initiative and a mature approach to putting STEM at the heart of a problem and using it to make life better.  On behalf of all the judges and wider Dundee Science Festival, we congratulate Michelle and the runners-up who all showed real imagination and thought with their submissions.”

dsf stem challenge

Hamfsa Hossain with Jak Derrick-Ross of Dundee Science Centre.

Dundee Science Festival exists to inspire, entertain and challenge people of all ages and backgrounds to explore and question the world around them. Dundee Science Festival 2024 was funded in part by Scottish Government, The Edina Trust, Michelin Tyre Plc. and NCR.

For more information, visit https://www.dundeesciencecentre.org.uk/festival/

ENDS