Darwin High School Wins John Monash Science Fair

At the start of week 9, students Pak Chan, Mathisha Bannahaka Mudiyanselage and Shail Matookchund represented Darwin High School at the Australian Science Fair in Melbourne and won first place for their excellence in scientific communication.

The annual Australian Science Fair, held at John Monash Science School (JMSS) and John Monash University, is considered one of the most prestigious school-based national science fairs. Students from all around Australia participate and present their science projects to a panel of judges made of esteemed academics.

The trio’s project focused on developing biodegradable plastic made from areca palms in Northern Australia to replace traditional plastic and solve the garden waste problem and plastic waste pollution in Australia. They are set to partner with Charles Darwin University to conduct lab tests in 2025 to further improve their product.

“As a team from Darwin, we are dedicated to creating a sustainable alternative for paper straws with locally sourced materials,” said Pak

“Just 12 days into the testing, our biodegradable plastic has already reduced over 95% of its mass, making it a more sustainable product compared to the paper straw,” said Mathisha.

Other than presenting the project, the three-day trip to Melbourne also included STEM challenges and events, where students are encouraged to think creatively and work collaboratively on problems. Through the program, the trio had the chance to network with other interstate science enthusiasts.

“We made a lot of good friends and had learnt a lot from them,” said Pak.

In the future, the team hopes to pitch their project to manufacturers and allow their research to be applied in the real world.

“By optimizing these parameters, the biodegradable plastic could be tailored for specific uses, enhancing its performance and broadening its applicability as a sustainable alternative in various contexts,” said Shail.