Coding Tutor Eva Hopewell Wowed Her Young Students
Eva taught coding to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island girls aged five to eight years through workshops run by the Girl Geek Academy at the State Library of Queensland this year.
“We taught the girls to write code and develop their own version of Flappy Bird,” Eva said.
“They gasped when I told them I was at university. They were shocked.
“A lot of my family went to QUT — my dad, cousin, uncle — so I was set on going there too.”
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As inaugural holder of the Advance Queensland STEM.I.AM scholarship and a first year student in the QUT Bachelor of Information Technology (Information Systems), Eva became an ambassador for creating positive change.
The STEM.I.AM scholarship aims to encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) at university.
QUT has more than 700 Indigenous students with an increasing number taking up STEM disciplines, according to Professor Anita Lee Hong, Director of the Oodgeroo Unit, QUT’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student support centre.
“QUT runs programs to widen participation in tertiary study of under-represented groups such as low-income people and Indigenous people, many of whom are the first in their family to enrol.
“Encouraging university participation often involves stimulating interest through on-campus and in-school activities.
“Many of our activities involve science, engineering, technology and mathematics learning and specifically target underrepresented groups including females and Indigenous students,” Professor Lee Hong said.
QUT’s STEM-specific initiatives include its Science Van, Robotics program, and female-targeted events such as the Power of Engineering.
Eva said she learned more about STEM careers as a high school student after attending the five-day on campus QUT Indigenous Australian Science and Infrastructure Development (SID) School.
“I studied maths, physics and information digital media technologies classes in high school but didn’t know what I wanted to do,” Eva said.
“QUT gave me the opportunity to explore applications of STEM in different working environments and inspired me to pursue a career within the technology industry.”
Eva just completed her first year of university and says although her path is uncertain, IT is definitely part of her future.
“The technology sector is one that is always changing, improving and innovating.
“I would like to make my mark on the world by owning my own technology company or working for a company that is a good environmental citizen and creates positive change,” Eva said.
Eva still attends the SID School that helped her focus on an IT career, only now as an Indigenous Student Ambassador.
The STEM.I.AM scholar is selected to create positive change within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities.
Scholars receive $10 000 to support their first year of university through $4500 tuition payments and $500 bookshop vouchers per semester.
QUT also offers scholarships, and targeted support services to assist students once enrolled.
“More female involvement in STEM would be good,” Eva said.
“In my classes of up to 30 students there may be only 1 or 2 other girls.”
The Advance Queensland STEM.I.AM program is led by Carbon Creative, with the support of the Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation in collaboration with State Library of Queensland, and Department of Education and Training.
It also has strong corporate support from sponsors including Google and FIRST Australia.
The program was initiated by QUT alumnus and proud Birri Gubba man from Blackwater, Wayne Denning.
Mr Denning founded award-winning creative agency and production company, Carbon Creative, aiming to give a positive voice to Indigenous Australians through innovative and engaging design content.
Carbon Creative has produced a number of television programs, and in 2013 Mr Denning made TV history producing the first ever Australian content for Sesame Street, 5 Kangaroos starring pop sensation, Jess Mauboy.
In a Ministerial Statement, Mr Denning said he approached Minister Enoch after being inspired by the work of Aboriginal engineer, inventor, author, activist and Ngarrindjeri man David Unaipon.
“Most people know very little about David Unaipon, except that he appears on our $50 note,” Mr Denning said.
“He was a visionary, pioneer and innovator who predicted the helicopter based on the way boomerangs fly, and designed the modern shearing shears.
“I want our young people to look to inspirational people like David and say ‘I too, belong in the STEM space and can make my mark on the world.’
“I was the only one in my graduating class that went to university and while the numbers for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders entering higher education today are growing, there is a long way to go to achieve parity, especially in STEM related fields.
“It’s vital to get our young people coding and doing robotics now so as to anchor their future and that’s what STEM.I.AM is all about — inspiring and empowering future generations.”
