Bragg Science Writing Competition 2024

Students for all year groups on the Junior Campus took the opportunity to conduct research and write an engaging science paper that fit the parameters set out in the competition. The contest is run annually by the University of NSW; the topic for 2024 was “Biodiversity and community - Working together to protect the environment”

Students had 800 words to describe some great community interaction with conservation and biodiversity. Students had to include their research references and worked on the task in science class and at home.

Students wrote exciting pieces about community groups and epic apps that are being used to allow citizen scientists to track biodiversity with their phones. There was a piece on the Quaker’s Hill Landcare group working to fix their local environment, and Ocean conservancy.org working to protect our oceans.  The Australian Museum’s Frog ID app was well researched, as was an app to track koalas and one to identify and register the location of birds.

The winner was awarded a $500 UNSW Bookshop voucher. Two runners up also received book vouchers. The winning essay will be included in the 2025 edition of the highly acclaimed anthology The Best Australian Science Writing, where it will appear alongside essays by some of the country’s leading science writers.

Unfortunately, students at St Andrews did not receive the top 3 prizes, but we won the award for having the most student entries to the competition. Five science books are now in the junior library ready to borrow. Congratulations to the St Andrew’s College students who participated in the competition, and a big thank you to Mr Dewar for his encouragement and his assistance to ensure our student’s work met all the guidelines and were submitted on time.

Mrs Deb Rosinski

Science Teacher