KPU hosts 16th annual science challenge
The event allowed more than 400 high-school students to engage in STEM activities at the Richmond campus
More than 400 high-school students gathered at the KPU Richmond campus last month to take part in STEM-centred activities as part of the Kwantlen Science Challenge. (Oliver Rondou)
More than 400 B.C. high-school students took part in the 16th annual Kwantlen Science Challenge on Nov. 30 at Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Richmond campus.
The Kwantlen Science Challenge was established in 2005 by Don Mathewson, an instructor in the physics and astronomy department at KPU.
Since 2023, KPU physics instructor Kianoosh Tahani has been entrusted with the event, which gives students an outlet to take part in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-based (STEM) competitions.
Participants competed in a variety of activities, from racing student-designed boats and cars to identifying insect species and doing forensic analysis in a laboratory.
“I really enjoy science and engineering,” Grade 10 student Philip Chang says. “I wanted to put those skills to a test, and I saw that [this challenge] was happening and it looked like a very fun event.”
Neal Johnson, a teacher from Mount Douglas Secondary in Victoria, says he and his students had to stay in a hotel the night before in order to attend the competition.
“One of our teachers … talked about how she thought this was the best provincial STEM competition in the entire province because it was so diverse,” Johnson says. “Other competitions focus on one subject area or very limited skills.”
One of the challenges high-school students worked on was focused on sustainable agriculture, which was offered in 2023 and updated for this year.
“I made it too easy last year,” says Alex Bisset, head coordinator of the sustainable agriculture challenge. “I think I severely underestimated the intelligence of these high schoolers …. We added more questions where they had to have a conversation and talk about it. It wasn’t just drawing diagrams.”
The challenge included a new section on agro-ecosystems, covering biodiversity, how humans impact insects in ecosystems, and beneficial and harmful insects, Bisset adds.
The mission behind the science challenge is to inspire and engage with students about the “wonders of science,” Tahani wrote in an email statement to The Runner, in addition to creating an interactive environment where students can explore scientific concepts and develop critical thinking skills.
“These brilliant minds are the future scientists, engineers, and innovators who will reshape our society, and we are delighted to host them,” he wrote.
“We hope participants leave the event with a deeper appreciation for science and its impact on our world. We want them to feel inspired and confident in their abilities to tackle scientific challenges.”
With a higher participation rate than previous years and positive feedback from the community, the event plans to continue and grow in the future.
Tahani hopes the Kwantlen Science Challenge will attract participants from across the region and become a flagship event at KPU.
“I hope it will be a hub for scientific innovation and collaboration, with expanded activities, renowned guest speakers, and partnerships with industry leaders,” he wrote.
For more information, visit www.kpu.ca/sciencechallenge.
