SUTD and Science Centre Singapore Launch New Programme Aimed at Getting Youth to Solve Community Problems

09 Sep 2024

Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Heng Swee Keat, with participants at the launch of STEAMunity.

Does the smoke emitting from the burning joss paper sting your eyes? Well, a solution is in sight – and it stems from the creative minds of teenagers!
 
Together with 13 other "problem statements", the burning joss paper project is part of a new programme aimed at getting students aged 13 and above to come together to solve real world problems.
 
Called STEAMunity, this community-centric programme is a joint project by the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) and the Science Centre Singapore (SCS), supported by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and National Research Foundation (NRF). It hopes to inspire students to solve actual community problems by combining Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) with Design and Artificial Intelligence (DAI). Open to students from different schools and backgrounds, STEAMunity encourages students to break out of their comfort zones to become the next generation of design and technology innovators.
 
Seventeen-year-old Michelle Lam from Anderson Serangoon Junior College is one such innovator. One of five team members from the burning joss paper project, she said: "The STEAMunity programme equipped us with skills to look at problems, dissect them, and come up with effective solutions. Our project was to look at how best to reduce the impact of burning joss paper on the community. We designed a built-in filter system that can be attached to offering burners placed at HDB void decks to filter the byproducts produced from the burning of joss papers. In addition, the ash produced from the burning process can be collected and recycled into useful materials."
 
Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman for National Research Foundation, Mr Heng Swee Keat, was the Guest-of-Honour.

DPM Heng mingling with the students who participated in the STEAMunity programme.
 
The STEAMunity programme is divided into two phases. In the first phase, participants are exposed to SUTD's signature design modules as well as hands-on peer-to-peer learning to equip them with the necessary interdisciplinary skillsets in STEAM and DAI. Subsequently, they were tasked to use what they have learnt to solve a community challenge by working closely with a community stakeholder. This process provides them with first-hand experience of the full project lifecycle from framing a problem statement to developing a solution, pitching it to stakeholders and building a prototype.
 
Today's launch marks the completion of the first phase of the STEAMunity programme. The second phase will see the teams delve deeper into the problem space and flesh out their solutions after receiving feedback from community partners. The teams will then push towards bringing their design solution as close to implementation as possible.
 
SUTD president, Professor Phoon Kok Kwang said: "SUTD is excited to spearhead the STEAMunity programme with Science Centre Singapore. It is important to inspire and develop our youths’ interest in STEAM x DAI as they will be the next generation of design and technology innovators, and we will need them to continue bettering the world by design."
 
Associate Professor Lim Tit Meng, Chief Executive, Science Centre Board said: "STEAMunity is more than just a programme; it's a catalyst for positive change. We're proud to have developed this initiative in partnership with SUTD to empower young minds to tackle real-world challenges, cultivating innovative and creative thinkers who will shape a brighter future."
 
SUTD successfully kickstarted this first run of the STEAMunity programme with Temasek Polytechnic and will expand the programme to include Ngee Ann Polytechnic and Nanyang Polytechnic from the next run. This means that participants living in the North and West will have access to state-of-the-art makerspace facilities, such as 3D printers, laser cutters, etc. at these Institutes of Higher Learning (IHL) in the West and North. In addition to opening their facilities, these IHLs will also provide trained staff who will be on hand to guide students in the use of these tools and ensure their safety throughout the programme.
 
The next run of STEAMunity will be opened to students from all schools across Singapore. The collaboration with the various IHLs marks a significant milestone as it not only enhances the resources available to STEAMunity participants but also paves the way for greater accessibility and inclusivity across Singapore.
 
Thirteen-year-old Braedy Neo Yng Luey from Ysuof Ishak Secondary School, one of two youngest participants of the programme, has certainly benefitted from the time he has spent thus far, meeting new friends, reaching out to the community, as well as learning new skills. He shared that the programme has not only taught him the importance of teamwork, but also how to use different apps that have helped with the creation of the prototype. To overcome the challenge of not having a common time to meet up at times, Braedy said: "We overcame that by ensuring everyone does his or her part to complete the project efficiently."
 
On whether he would recommend his schoolmates to give the next run a try, he added: "I have enjoyed what I have learnt during the programme. I would encourage others to try out the STEAMunity programme to make new friends and to learn about teamwork."