RACI Crystal Growing Competition Winners
on 05/12/2023
This year, all winning and highly commended entries in Crystal Investigation from the Oliphant Science Awards were entered into the National RACI Crystal Growing Competition. We are excited to announce a number of winners from the competition this year! K-2 1st - Remy Durham, Annesley Junior School 2nd - Clara...
Bringing Back the Bandicoots to Frank Smith
on 25/09/2023
Coromandel Valley Primary School students and their science teacher Sarah Todd recently entered the Oliphant Science Awards Citizen Science category and won the primary years category! You can view their Citizen Science entry here. And you can track their journey through the process so far through some media articles below. ...
Past experience & Photography tips from Lila & Lara
on 12/07/2023
Lila and Lara, Wilderness School Check out the video Lila & Lara created to share their Oliphant Science Awards experience with you: We love science because you can experiment, test ideas and learn from you mistakes. Science is useful, for example it’s used in cooking and sports. We love learning...
How to Create a Successful OSA Project
on 05/07/2023
Ashleigh Fourie, Southern Vales Christian College – Morphett Vale OSA past projects and the steps to achieving it My first time presenting an Oliphant science project without a group / partner was last year and it was on the topic of creating Energy Transformation. I really enjoyed the process of...
Community is the Key to Success
on 28/06/2023
By Rachel Pillar, Brayden Wilson, Natasha Florance and Lenny Laver, Kangaroo Island Community Education 2022 was quite the year for Kangaroo Island Community Education (KICE) in the Oliphant Science Awards. After several years spent building the profile of the Awards at KICE and some great successes, forty-five KICE students registered...
Tips and Suggestions from a past OSA Winner
on 14/06/2023
Connor Wallace, Scotch College I love science! I’m sure you do too, that’s why you are also interested in the Oliphant Science Awards Competition (OSAC). I am in Year 6 and will be entering the OSAC for the sixth time this year. Each year, I find it quite difficult to...
Oliphant Science Awards Photography 2021
on 20/07/2022
Each year we like to present some of the standout individual images entered in the photography competition (randomly chosen). Here is a small selection, all of which came from projects that received either awards or which came highly commended. Perhaps this helps you with your projects. Photographer: Priti Jivtani, Eman...
Science Writing ideas
on 15/06/2022
Are you stuck on your Science Writing entry? Here are some great places to start or some resources to add to your current project! Click on the links below. Bioluminescence Have you been hunting for ghost mushrooms? We are proud to have the Clean Air Society of Australia & New...
Air Quality: Emissions and Monitoring
on 15/06/2022
We're excited to have the Clean Air Society of Australia & New Zealand sponsoring the Science Writing category this year! They have an amazing prize on offer for year 9-12 students for the best student entry from Science Writing or Scientific Inquiry that addresses Air Quality: Emissions and Monitoring. The...
Programming, Apps & Robotics appointments now open
on 14/06/2022
If you have registered a Programming, Apps & Robotics project for the Oliphant Science Awards, you are now able to book your appointment with our judges! Appointments can be booked online here. Don't forget that you also need to upload your report via our online project submission platform by Friday...
Judging the Models & Inventions Category
on 08/06/2022
What is it like to be a judge in the Oliphant Science Awards? We met some previous judges and asked them why they think the Oliphants are important, why they judge and whether they had any hints or tips for entrants. Models & Inventions Category Sam Moyle (Brighton Secondary School)...
Crystal Investigation: control of temperature
on 01/06/2022
by Ian McMahon The first article in the blog focussed on two of the principal factors that can affect the success of growing award winning crystals. These were the quality of the solute, alum – how pure is it? and the quality of the solvent, water - again related to...
2022 PRC STEM Competition Open Now!
on 25/05/2022
SASTA and the Oliphant Science Awards are proud to be partnering with Inspiring SA and the Premiers Reading Challenge (PRC) to support this year’s STEM Reading and Design Challenge. This competition challenges you to read about Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) in the lead up to National Science Week....
Judging the Games Category
on 11/05/2022
What is it like to be a judge in the Oliphant Science Awards? We met some previous judges and asked them why they think the Oliphants are important, why they judge and whether they had any hints or tips for entrants. Games Category Anita Trenwith (Uni SA Connect Team: SASTA...
Eugene Lee - Oliphant Science Trophy Winner 2021
on 04/05/2022
by Eugene Lee, Pedare Christian College I'm so honoured and privileged to have received the Oliphant Trophy. I’ve participated in the Oliphant Science Awards every year since I was a Year three student in 2017, where I won the Australian Institute of Physics Prize and First Place for my Models...
Crystal Investigation
on 27/04/2022
by Ian McMahon The substance, alum, is almost the principal factor for achieving some degree of success in growing good crystals. The percentage purity of the alum needs to be high so that contaminant particles do not disrupt the proper crystal formation. The source of alum therefore must be considered...
Country Schools: Participating in the Oliphant Science Awards
on 13/04/2022
The Oliphant Science Awards (OSA) are open for all South Australian schools to enter – whether that be entering individual students or entire student cohorts. We asked the Oliphant Coordinators from 3 different regional schools about their involvement with the competition. Here are their responses along with images of some...
Tall Poppy Award for Scientific Inquiry - Prize Winner's Experience
on 06/04/2022
by Sienna Hill My name is Sienna Hill, and I am a Year 10 student at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College. Through the Tall Poppy Award that I was awarded last year, I was gifted with a Science mentor – Professor Justin Chalker. Professor Chalker serves as the...
The Science of Weather and Bushfires
on 22/07/2021
by Chris Sedunary and Belinda Dunbar, CFS The science of weather is called meteorology. At the Country Fire Service, during bushfire season we have a staff member from the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) with us throughout the season. Meteorologists study the weather and try to forecast it. Forecasting the weather...
Multimedia: the animation process
on 09/07/2021
by Asira Suetrong Are you thinking about using animation for your multimedia project? Asira provides insight into her process for animating her multimedia projects in the video below! If you're not sure where to start with your Multimedia project, check out Asira's first video which includes researching your idea and...
Priyanka’s five tips for a successful Science Inquiry!
on 08/07/2021
by Priyanka Thavarajah The first step to a successful Science Inquiry is the experiment itself. I have found that, especially in the higher years, doing an experiment around a current topic gives it purpose. Be creative with the set up to try and make the conditions as real as possible....
A short guide to Science Writing
on 01/07/2021
by Anita Suetrong Not sure where to start on your Science Writing entry? Check out Anita's tips for creating your entry in the video below! While you have to choose one of the 2021 Science Writing titles for your project, you have the freedom to write in any genre you...
1993/1994 Oliphant Science Awards Trophy Winner – Mark Hodson
on 29/06/2021
by Mark Hodson I was the first two-time winner of the Oliphant Science Awards, entering on both occasions in the computer category. The recognition and the opportunities that came with the award helped cement my love of systematic problem solving and computer programming, leading to an engineering career with international...
Regan's inspiring journey through OSA
on 24/06/2021
video by Regan Nelson Regan was first encouraged to enter the Oliphant Science Awards by his Reception teacher in 2011. He has entered a project every year since with a number of winning entries over the years! Regan always hated writing and when he was in Year 2 he was...
Bushfire Safety Tips for your Poster entry
on 11/06/2021
by Chris Sedunary and Belinda Dunbar, CFS Chris and Belinda from the CFS have put together some helpful hints for students making a 2021 poster entry about bushfire safety. You and your family's safety and survival during a bushfire can depend on how prepared you are, and the decisions you...