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2024 Sleek Geeks Science Eureka Prize recipients announced

5 September 2024

Celebrating science communication and creativity in schools

Primary and high school students from across Australia have been celebrated for their creative science films in the 2024 University of Sydney Sleek Geeks Science Eureka Prize.

This year, students were asked to use the theme 'energy' to create two-minute films that communicate scientific concepts in accessible and engaging ways.

For their insightful, creative and amusing takes on the science of energy, six finalists and 14 highly commended award winners were celebrated during the Eureka Prizes ceremony held on Wednesday 4 September 2024.

The prizes are named after the Sleek Geeks - Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, Julius Sumner Miller Fellow at the University of Sydney, and Adam Spencer, Mathematics and Science Ambassador at the University of Sydney.

Primary school finalists

Winner: Cate Y., PLC Sydney, NSW

In her fast-paced film about her favourite snack – popcorn – 11-year-old Cate conducts a series of experiments, including blowing the lid off a metal tin to show why popcorn kernels explode. Popcorn Magic: Unlocking the Energy Within covers different varieties of corn, energy and the laws of thermodynamics and solves the mystery of why some corn kernels don’t pop.

Runner up: Ayra A., Mascot Public School, NSW

With humour and everyday examples, such as toys and playground equipment, seven-year-old Ayra explores complex energy concepts, including chemical, kinetic and gravitational potential. In The Energy in Everyday Things, she explains power generation and energy transfer, encouraging everyone to be mindful of their energy use. Her approach makes learning about energy fun and accessible.

Runner up: Eugenia Y., PLC Sydney, NSW PLC Sydney, NSW

Eugenia hopes that her film Energy Adventure: Solar Panels at the Right Angle will inspire more people around the world to use solar power. The 10-year-old’s film explains why solar panels need to be angled differently in different parts of the world and conducts a comparative experiment in Sydney and southern New Zealand.

Secondary school finalists

Winner: Iestyn R., St Johns Anglican College, QLD

Fourteen-year-old Iestyn used animation software and his own illustrations to make Fusion – The Heart of the Sun. His film includes an overview of the proton-proton fusion process that occurs in the Sun’s core and shows how the Sun produces enormous amounts of energy – enough to power our planet’s processes and support life on Earth.

Runner up: Lucy T., Lakes Grammar Anglican School, NSW

Lucy’s modern and slick production, The Chemistry of Caffeine, looks at the science behind caffeine and the way it seems to provide energy. She explains how caffeine interferes with the adenosine receptors, which usually tell the brain we are tired and low on energy, therefore delaying or stopping our normal sleep response.

Runner up: Scarlett P. and Sophia L., Smith's Hill High School, NSW

In their dramatic film, Solar Superstorms, Year 7 students Sophia and Scarlett explain the energy behind solar superstorms and the cataclysmic effects if one was to hit Earth. They use dance, humour and special effects in a production that saw them participate in a NASA citizen science project and rise at 4am to film the sunrise.