GATE Science is thriving at Columba College!

Every Thursday after school students who have a passion for science meet to plan and carry out research projects. In 2020, a team investigated the mummification processes of ancient Egypt (using rats instead of humans) and were awarded the Premier Award at the Otago Science Teacher’s Science Fair. Members of the GATE group have recently attended the Reverse Science Fair at the Otago Museum where they were able to talk to female scientists about their work. Two members of the group, Maia Robertson and Nora Paicu, were featured in the ‘100 Women, 100 Words… infinite possibilities’ exhibition for their enthusiasm and commitment to science. This dedication to science has culminated in the creation of the STEM Blue to recognise outstanding student achievement in the fields of Science, Technology and Mathematics, making Columba College one of the few schools to recognise excellence in this field.

Amongst this year’s projects are a Year 7 team investigating the different types of bacteria on dogs’ paws, a Y13 team testing the urban myth that microwaved water affects plant growth, and a Y12 team who are using a section of Ross Creek to see if soil chemistry influences the invertebrate populations.

The group below, Jasmine Potter and Selena Chan (Y7), are using papier-mâché to cover bird feeders to investigate if changing the colour of the feeder makes it more or less attractive to native birds. Their plan is to monitor which bird species use the nectar feeder and then to change the colour and determine if there is any difference in bird behaviour when the colour changes.

The GATE team meet in the Physics Lab and any student with a passion for science is welcome to attend.