Student's self-deployable raft takes top prize
Balmacewen Intermediate School student Ben Walker won the top award for his self-deployable raft for use in floods or tsunami.
For his efforts, he was given the Best in Fair Award at the Aurora Energy Science and Technology fair this year.
Fair convener Steven Sexton said it was the first time in about 10 years a year 8 student had been awarded best in fair.
Ben's project stood out for its uniqueness to the judges.
Aurora Energy Science and Technology Fair Best in Fair award winner Ben Walker, 13, with his self-deployable raft flood protection project ''flood buddy''. PHOTO: GERARD O'BRIEN
His design featured a shipping container storage unit with four holes in it that would release an emergency raft when it filled with water if there was a flood, monsoon or tsunami.
Ben said he saw the flooding in South Dunedin and in Texas on the news and wanted to come up with a solution for it.
The design could be used at a base for rescuers to help survivors.
He had to do a lot of calculations to control the weight of the craft and container and keep it cost-effective.
He was proud to win because he put a lot of effort into the project.
In the future, Ben wanted to become an engineer.
This year, the science fair had about 280 entries from years 7-13 students from schools across Otago.
The entries are on display at Tūhura Otago Museum until Sunday.
mark.john@odt.co.nz
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Otago Daily Times
7 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
New sea ice research results ‘shocking'
Braving the midwinter conditions at noon near Scott Base, are (from left) science technician Hue Tran, with members of the Scott Base search and rescue team Daniel Beveridge, William Stewart and Alex Sewell, who helped to install the University of Otago's sea ice monitoring station (Sims) in McMurdo Sound. PHOTO: STEPHEN TRIMBLE Is it midnight or midday — at this time of year, it is almost impossible to tell at Scott Base. Staff from the Antarctic base recently spent their lunch break on the sea ice in McMurdo Sound, where they installed the University of Otago's sea ice monitoring station (Sims), for the 2025 winter season. University of Otago sea ice physicist Associate Prof Inga Smith and surveyor Dr Greg Leonard have been collecting measurements from the monitoring station for more than 20 years. The measurements help scientists understanding the seasonal dynamics of sea ice changes, which have important implications for the global climate. Recently, researchers found evidence of a major shift of the Southern Ocean which could accelerate climate change for the whole planet. Typically, as global heating melts the ice around Antarctica, climate scientists would expect saltier water at the surface of the ocean to be replaced by fresh water, because melting ice typically makes the ocean fresher. But new satellite data shows the opposite is happening, which has caught scientists off-guard. It is happening because the salt water is drawing up heat and carbon dioxide from the deep ocean, making it harder for sea ice to regrow. It had the potential to accelerate ice loss and global heating. Assoc Prof Smith said the new results were "shocking" for those researching Antarctic sea ice. The Southern Ocean plays an essential role in regulating the Earth's heat and carbon, and its disruption could trigger cascading effects on other ocean circulation systems, with potential consequences as far away as Europe. She said in a warming world, fresher water from melting of land-based ice sheets and floating ice shelves would be expected to dominate at the ocean surface. Instead, the ocean surface was getting warmer and more salty, right at the time the extent of the sea ice shrank. Researchers would explore this further in the near future, she said.
Otago Daily Times
07-08-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Student's self-deployable raft takes top prize
A Dunedin intermediate student's potentially life-saving invention has resulted in him beating much older pupils for the top prize at this year's science fair. Balmacewen Intermediate School student Ben Walker won the top award for his self-deployable raft for use in floods or tsunami. For his efforts, he was given the Best in Fair Award at the Aurora Energy Science and Technology fair this year. Fair convener Steven Sexton said it was the first time in about 10 years a year 8 student had been awarded best in fair. Ben's project stood out for its uniqueness to the judges. Aurora Energy Science and Technology Fair Best in Fair award winner Ben Walker, 13, with his self-deployable raft flood protection project ''flood buddy''. PHOTO: GERARD O'BRIEN His design featured a shipping container storage unit with four holes in it that would release an emergency raft when it filled with water if there was a flood, monsoon or tsunami. Ben said he saw the flooding in South Dunedin and in Texas on the news and wanted to come up with a solution for it. The design could be used at a base for rescuers to help survivors. He had to do a lot of calculations to control the weight of the craft and container and keep it cost-effective. He was proud to win because he put a lot of effort into the project. In the future, Ben wanted to become an engineer. This year, the science fair had about 280 entries from years 7-13 students from schools across Otago. The entries are on display at Tūhura Otago Museum until Sunday.
Otago Daily Times
05-08-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Science fair gets a fiery addition
Oscar Kissell, of John McGlashan College, shows off the pulsejet he built for the Aurora Energy Science and Technology Fair this year. Photos: Peter McIntosh A Dunedin secondary school student is planning on making a speedy modification to his go-kart by strapping his science fair project to it. John McGlashan College student Oscar Kissell, 13, made a pulsejet engine from scratch for the Aurora Energy Science and Technology Fair this year. A pulsejet engine is simple jet engine which produces thrust through a series of pulsating explosions rather than the usual continuous combustion. Oscar said he liked engines and how they worked and thought it would be fun to make one. When he told his father about his idea, his dad loved it and helped him weld exhaust pipes they found on Trade Me, he said. The pulsejet had not been tested on a moving vehicle yet, but after the science fair, Oscar was planning on strapping it to a push go-kart his grandfather had built for him. The pulsejet fired up. "It might actually require two to get going, or three or four maybe." He was not scared of any mishaps. He wanted to become a pilot when he was older, Oscar said. This year, the science fair had about 280 entries from years 7-13 students from schools across Otago. The entries are on display at Tūhura Otago Museum until Sunday.
