Stars and STEM Stories
GLOBE Malta Awarded at the National STEM Award Ceremony
The National STEM Awards 2023, hosted by the National STEM Engagement Working Group and Esplora, honors outstanding individuals and entities. Their contributions to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics were highlighted during the ceremony held at Esplora on the 26th of January 2024. The GLOBE Malta Europe Direct Gozo Air Quality Campaign won the STEM Community Project Award. Ramona Mercieca, GLOBE Deputy Coordinator, received the award on behalf of GLOBE Malta.
During the scholastic year 2022-2023, students from across Gozo (Malta) measured nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a principal pollutant from car exhaust emissions. This formed the essence of the project GLOBE Malta – Europe Direct Gozo Air Quality Campaign. The 11 participating schools were provided with the necessary equipment and guidance to measure nitrogen dioxide. Students actively participated in monitoring air quality using diffusion tubes; this hands-on approach, besides being engaging and practical, brought science and environmental issues to life. Moreover, by focusing on air quality improvement, students were being involved in handling a real-world challenge in the classroom. This community concern had the students directly seeking solutions to this local issue.
The outreach activities designed with the Gozo community in mind culminated in the celebration of achievements through a fair at Villa Rundle. Commemorating Europe Day, the fair served as a central platform displaying the project's overall efforts. The GLOBE exhibit stand had students sharing their findings with the wider community while a panel discussion served to empower the students to articulate their findings and insights, and concurrently propose practical solutions. The discussion also encouraged peer-to-peer learning, allowing students to explain complex STEM concepts in a way that is accessible to others. The sharing aspect engaged the community by connecting the project to broader European values, highlighting the importance of addressing environmental issues collectively and the just-as-important role individuals can play in it. In practice, the project taught students how to use diffusion tubes, data loggers, and tally counts to collect data on air quality, weather parameters, and traffic. After the four-week observation period, students analyzed the data, with this approach enabling the students to make informed decisions based on evidence. Involvement in the data collection process served to bring up the scientific method and helped students see how STEM knowledge can be applied to solve surrounding life challenges.
GLOBE students from the various schools participated in different ways. For example:
- Students from Laura Vicuna School and Sacred Heart Minor Seminary Gozo participated in an Air Quality Student Virtual Conference, with the students receiving great feedback from the scientists and coordinators present.
- With the help of the Rabat-Citta’ Victoria Local Council and Transport Malta, students attending Sacred Heart Minor Seminary Gozo installed four signs in the proximity of their school so that drivers turn off their engines while waiting, thus ensuring better air quality.
- Students attending Gozo College Sir Arturo Mercieca Primary School Victoria - The Happy School, put up notices to similarly stop idling of cars, and posters to use bicycles or walk to school.
- Students attending Gozo College Ġużé Aquilina Primary & Special Unit Sannat planted seven trees in collaboration with Il-Munxar Local Council.
- More tree planting was carried out by Gozo College Agius De Soldanis Middle School and Għarb Primary School. Schools also organized walks to encourage students and staff to use active transportation.
- Gozo College Ġużé Aquilina Primary & Special Unit Sannat, Gozo College Sir Arturo Mercieca Primary School Victoria - The Happy School, St. Francis Primary School Victoria Gozo Malta and Gozo College Agius De Soldanis Middle School submitted their research reports for the International Virtual Science Symposium.
The project made a positive impact on the community in terms of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by directly addressing specific goals, such as good health and wellbeing and quality education, while also contributing indirectly to other SDGs related to sustainability, climate action, partnerships, responsible consumption, and biodiversity. These examples demonstrate how the project aligned with and advanced the broader agenda of sustainable development within the community.
The collaboration between GLOBE Malta and Europe Direct Gozo to provide first-hand STEM education to students in Gozo, focusing on air quality monitoring and improvement, is a highly creative and innovative initiative that effectively addressed the community's needs. The project creatively engaged students by offering them hands-on STEM education. Instead of traditional classroom teaching, students actively participate in monitoring air quality using diffusion tubes. By actively involving students in finding solutions to air quality issues, the project fostered a long-term educational impact. It instilled a sense of responsibility and environmental consciousness in students.
This project creatively adapted STEM knowledge to make it more accessible to the participants. Instead of relying solely on theoretical concepts, the project offered students a hands-on experience by using GLOBE Protocols. This tangible, real-world application of scientific principles made STEM knowledge more accessible and engaging. By involving them in the data collection process, it exposed the scientific method and helped students see how STEM knowledge is applied to solve real problems. The project also integrated multiple STEM disciplines to address air quality issues comprehensively. This interdisciplinary approach shows students how different fields of STEM work together to solve complex problems, making STEM knowledge more holistic and practical. The project emphasized problem-solving, a key component of STEM education. It encouraged students to apply their knowledge and critical thinking skills to propose solutions to air quality challenges, making STEM more relevant and applicable.
Images courtesy Ramona Mercieca GLOBE Malta Deputy Coordinator.