Swinburne University in Melbourne recently hosted its sixth annual Start Talking competition, which aims to empower students to act as science communicators and hone their research and presentation skills.
The international competition invites students from Swinburne’s Australia and Malaysia campuses, as well as universities worldwide, to enhance their digital and communications skills.
The competition enhances skills that are integral to building students’ future careers and also provides students with the valuable opportunity to expand networks by engaging with STEMM students from universities across the world. Topics presented at the competition ranged from sustainable natural urban lighting to animal conservation for environmental and cultural impact.
An illuminating view of the future
For the first time in the competition’s history, the same recipient took out the honours for both the Judges’ Choice and the People’s Choice categories. Sanchita Vinayagam, a student from Universiti Putra Malaysia, wowed the judges and audience with her ‘Glow in the dark: Lighting the future with bioluminescent trees’ presentation.
Vinayagam’s project explored the idea of using nature’s own mechanisms to solve some of our greatest environmental challenges. Specifically, the possibility of genetically engineering trees to glow in the dark by incorporating bioluminescent properties from organisms like jellyfish or fireflies.
She says her vision for cost-effective, aesthetically pleasing and eco-friendly urban landscapes could revolutionise urban lighting, adding that the competition challenged her to develop a creative way to explain complex biotechnology concepts.
“Participating in this competition allowed me to expand my skills in research communications and creative thinking,” Vinayagam says.
Sharing success
Vinayagam generously offered her People’s Choice title to the runner-up team, ‘The Lights of the Malayan Tiger’ by Swinburne’s own Nursyahida Binti Abdul Rashid, Celine Amelia Anak Deans, Siti Karmila Binti Awg, and Siti Nurmaisarah Binti Azman.
“Our project focused on creating a sperm bank for the Malayan tiger to help preserve this endangered species. Our inspiration came from our desire to align with Sustainable Development Goal 15, which focuses on life on land,” a spokesperson for the team, who study at Swinburne’s Sarawak campus in Malaysia, says.
“It’s significant because it ensures future generations will still have the opportunity to witness and appreciate our national animal, a vital part of Malaysia’s heritage and biodiversity.”
“The skills we’ve developed at Swinburne were instrumental in achieving this success. Our experiences taught us how to approach challenges with a practical mindset, communicate ideas clearly, and apply theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios.”
STEMM communication excellence
The competition required students to attend extracurricular workshops that help them develop public speaking and networking skills. They then presented a four-minute pitch of their social impact-focused STEMM-related idea to the panel of judges spanning community, industry and local government.
Senior lecturer in microbial biotechnology and Work Integrated Learning (WIL) at Swinburne, and leader of the Shaping STEMM Futures program, Dr Bita Zaferanloo, says the Start Talking competition is instrumental in providing students with the skills they need to thrive in their careers.
“Effective communication and digital skills are crucial for building a successful career in STEMM, especially for students pursuing research or entrepreneurship,” Zaferanloo says.
“Our program bridges the gap between disciplinary knowledge and the demands of diverse career opportunities, providing students with a platform to develop and refine these skills while expanding their professional networks. This equips them with practical communication tools to thrive in a competitive landscape.”
She says, “the quality of students’ presentations never fails to impress and shows their creative thinking and passion”.
“Sanchita’s idea highlighted the real-world impact that can be achieved by abstract thinking and problem-solving. Her presentation showed the power of effective science communication, and demonstrated how complex topics can successfully be relayed to a broad audience.
“The team project awarded People’s Choice is a testament to the importance of impactful research in areas of cultural and social significance.”
