Congratulations to the winners of of the 2016 UNSW Bragg Student Prize for Science Writing!
Winning entry: “From here to the stars: discovering the supernovae” by Marissa Petrakis from Meriden School
Runner up: “Can you hear me?” by Gemma Macaulay-Black from Frensham
Runner up: “An innovative instrument: the scanning helium microscope” by Chelsy Teng from James Ruse Agricultural High School
The Bragg Prize is an annual award celebrating the best non-fiction science essay written for a general audience. An initiative of UNSW Press, UNSW Science and Refraction Media, the UNSW Bragg Student Prize for Science Writing is designed to encourage and celebrate the next generation of science writers, researchers and leaders.
This year, the topic was ‘World-Changing Australian Inventions and Discoveries’. Students were asked to pick an invention or discovery that inspired them, and in 800 words or less, describe how the discovery came about and what it does, discuss its importance for the world today and what it means for our future.
Judges assessed entries based on the suitability of their chosen topic, language and tone, accuracy, imaginative quality and overall quality of writing. The panel of judges included Kathy Bail, Chief Executive of UNSW Press; Heather Catchpole, Creative Director of Refraction Media; Jo Chandler, Editor of The Best Australian Science Writing 2016; Stephanie Schwarz, a teacher at Moriah College in Sydney; and Deborah Smith, Media Officer in the UNSW Faculty of Science and former Science Editor of The Sydney Morning Herald.
This year’s winning entry came from Marissa Petrakis, a year 10 student from Meriden School, who wrote about the discovery of supernovae. Marissa has won a $500 UNSW Bookshop voucher, a subscription to the Australian Book Review and a trip to the Bragg Prize award ceremony and launch of The Best Australian Science Writing 2016 in Sydney in early November.
Runners up were Gemma Macaulay-Black, in year 8 at Frensham, and Chelsy Teng, a year 9 student from James Ruse Agricultural High School, who shared the stories behind the great Australian inventions of the cochlear implant and the scanning helium microscope.
Congratulations to everyone who entered the UNSW Bragg Student Prize for Science Writing! The quality of the entries was exceptional. Thank you also to our amazing partners and sponsors!
Click here to read the winning entry of the student science writing competition, and share this fantastic example of inspiring science writing with your class.
Click here to read the entry from Frensham’s runner up, Gemma Macaulay-Black, and click here to read the entry from James Ruse’s runner up, Chelsy Teng.
Click here to find out more about the UNSW Bragg Student Prize for Science Writing.
