Innovation Award win

Written by: Ashley Van Krieken

National Science week was a big week for myself as the Director of Yarra Ranges Tech School and the entire team.  We launched our Women in STEAM series, celebrated the culmination of the Coronavirus Youth Design Challenge with our Partner School teams, began delivery of three of our new programs – Bees with Backpacks, Wearables and Future transport and welcomed 8 Pre-Service Teachers from Deakin University.  

To conclude a long week myself and several of the team also had the pleasure to attend the Box Hill Institute Staff Achievement and Recognition Awards Program where two of the team Matthew Pattison and Phurich Pusapanich were nominated for an Innovation award through their work on the Urban Farming Rooftop Simulation program.  A standalone program in its own right and one of our most highly rated programs this will become a core part of our expanded multi-day Smart Farming program for release in 2021.

It was with a mixture of trepidation and excitement, knowing the amount of work Matt and Phurich had put into this program that I listened as the nominees for the award were introduced.  Upon hearing Matt and Phurich’s name I let out a cry of sheer excitement which had the family asking “what happened?” Matt accepted the award on behalf of Phurich and himself with one of the most wonderful, sincere and lovely speeches I have heard.  

This was a great recognition for Matt and Phurich but also the broader Yarra Ranges Tech School team including the former Director, STEM solutions Architect and support teams within BHI who created the initial program and base on which the program has been built. 

My congratulations again to Matt and Phurich.