STEM

“From Year 1 where our students explore using their ‘individual creativity’ to solve problems, to Year 12 where they develop effective solutions to global issues impacting the world, our goal at VSA is to encourage our students to use their unique skills and ideas to positively contribute to the future of sciences and technology. By introducing STEM resources early on, we create a supportive environment for our students to explore their curiosity and to spark their passion for a future career in a STEM field.”

Dr. Maggie Koong, Head of Academy at VSA.

Student Projects

Year 2 Reducing Global Footprint using 3D Printing

During the early years, students focus on creative thinking and 'positive growth mindset’': learning from failure and using creativity to solve their problems. After a guest lecturer from the University of Hong Kong gave a sharing on how they cooperated with marine biologists to develop 3D-printed artificial coral reefs to restore Hong Kong’s marine ecology, the Innovation Coaches at VSA led the Year 2 students to think about using 3D technology to creatively “solve” problems around them. One of the students, Jonas, wanted to reduce global footprint and learned that food production accounts for a quarter of total global greenhouse gas emissions: “Cows and cars emit a lot of carbon dioxide, causing global warming and the serious greenhouse effect. I have designed this 3D printed meat so we may eat beef with confidence and without harming the environment.”

- Year 2 Jonas

“During the instruction of TinkerCad, a 3D Designing tool, we give students the opportunity to learn in the path they want to; either direct support from the teacher, teacher-guided learning, or independent learning. This allows students to ask themselves how do I learn, and what kind of support do I need to be successful? We try not to stifle creativity by encouraging their wild ideas. We also provide emotional support; when a student makes a mistake or faces a challenge we try to talk to them about how these can lead to great learning opportunities and can be overcome by asking for help or researching or trying something new.”

- Mr. John Hendrickse, one of the Innovation Coaches at VSA

Year 10 Upcycling Food Waste into a Biobased Fertilizer Alternative

Common food waste (agar, coffee residue, and eggshells) was experimented on by a group of Year 10 students and was successfully converted into a biobased alternative to commercial fertilizer. The experiment took the first runner-up in the Hong Kong Student Science competition 2021. “Food waste is rich in nutrients and should be reused to protect our earth’s resources. Along with my classmates, we developed a biobased fertilizer that was created using leftover agar, coffee residue and eggshells. In our investigation, we have proven it to be an effective, natural, and economical alternative to commercial fertilizers. For my IB personal project I am also experimenting with extracting potassium from bananas, using the knowledge gained from both biology and inorganic chemistry, so to discover potential usage of banana peel waste. By bringing these natural alternatives to the market, we could help reduce the environmental impacts of wasted food and take our part in fighting climate change.”

- Year 10 Kyan

Year 11 Solving Environmental Pollution by Creating Biodegradable Plastic

In taking an active part in protecting the ocean wildlife, VSA students took initiative in creating biodegradable plastic using clamshells. The project took gold in The Global Youth Science and Technology Bowl. "The problem of plastic pollution in Hong Kong is an urgent issue. We know from the EPD's data that food waste and plastic waste account for 30% and 20% of landfills each year. In order to achieve the goal of removing plastic and improving environmental pollution, we have derived the use of clamshells to create plastic substitutes. The IB curriculum emphasizes action, teamwork, and especially the ability to solve problems in the real world. With the guidance of school teachers, we have worked tirelessly to conduct various tests, such as the product’s toughness, strength, and water absorption to ensure its quality and safety. Ultimately, we used clamshells commonly found in food waste; demineralized them, and extracted their chitin to make biodegradable plastics. We hope to continue with our work until the plastic reduction goal is achieved one day.”

- Year 11 Mathias and Sophie

Year 12 Tackling Water Over-Consumption by Developing an Incremental Innovation to Taps and Sinks

As part of the IB programme’s Design Technology class, a Year 12 student Kevin developed a modern dual usage meter-filter to combat the increasing water scarcity issue being faced globally.

“As the population of the world grows and the environment becomes further affected by climate change, access to fresh drinking water dwindles and it is our responsibility to be self-aware of our household water consumption. In my effort to tackle the over-consumption of water, I decided to make an incremental innovation by creating a water meter-filter, that can inform users immediately of the total amount of water usage on their water taps or showerheads. This can increase their awareness and reduce mindless over-consumption of household water. I took great consideration of the functionality, design and usability of the product, and tested successfully with the 3D printed prototype. Upon graduation, I will work towards providing this to the public for trial and feedback and continue its development.”

- Year 12 Kevin

Year 12 Reducing Cities’ Carbon Emission Levels by Designing Green Architectural Features

The IB’s Extended Essay, a 4,000-word research paper, is a self-directed research paper. In his paper, Year 12 student Nathan investigated the feasibility of adapting green design features for cities’ compact residential estates, with the goal of reducing overall carbon emission levels.

“To tackle the global issue of climate change, with a focus on the reduction of carbon emissions into the atmosphere, I used knowledge gained from my two IB subjects, Design & Technology and Geography, to design green architectural solutions for urban areas suffering from rising temperatures, such as Hong Kong. Cities suffer from urban heat islands with rising temperatures, and as global energy consumption increases, this phenomenon will only worsen. My design for compact residential buildings, endorsed by local architects, takes into consideration wind flow, social aspects of residential living, and surrounding vegetation aspects. The key is making incremental design changes and I plan on submitting my design proposal to Hong Kong Green Building Council in the near future.”

- Year 12 Nathan