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Photo by Lynley Gibson

STEM “Mission to Mars” course

Andrew Jones —

During the holidays 2 year nine students and one year ten students From STC went on a STEM “Mission to Mars” course. It was held over two days at the Art Institute of Canterbury.

On the course, we were paired with 20 boys and girls from different schools from all over Canterbury. We were split into groups of four and asked to create a habitat to live on Mars. Each group had a different assignment to complete. I was in communication, for example, so we made a laser capable of transmitting data to earth and back.

Other groups were assigned energy, food and habitat. There was a 3D printer available for every group so if we could 3D print an object if we could not make it out of the supplied materials.

The second day we watched documentary’s and had a mini lecture about moving to Mars. After that, we were made into two bigger groups and we made a large-scale habitat combining all the group's projects from the first day and adding oxygen and water systems.

I thoroughly enjoyed the course and would recommend it to any year nine or ten looking at doing it next year. It is free and lunch, morning tea and afternoon tea are provided.