UNSW Bragg Student Science Writing Prize Australian Curriculum links
Delivering an essay on a scientifically relevant topic utilising current research and their own ingenuity, individual style and ideas, allows students to deep dive into science writing, journalism and investigation. It has links into the English and Science curriculum and General Capabilities.
The UNSW Bragg Student Science Writing Prize was launched in 2014 as an initiative of New South Publishing, UNSW Science and Refraction Media, and supported by the Copyright Council, Australian Book Review and CSIRO Publishing.
Each year, students submit essays to a prestigious panel of judges with expertise in the curriculum, science writing and STEM research. Many students choose to enter alone, however classes can also enter as a whole and submit class entries.
You can find this year’s topic, prizes and all the information on how to enter here. The competition is open to students from anywhere in Australia in years 7-10. More information for teachers is available here.
The Bragg Prize is an annual award celebrating the best non-fiction science essay written for a general audience. An initiative of UNSW Press, UNSW Science and Refraction Media, the UNSW Bragg Student Prize for Science Writing is designed to encourage and celebrate the next generation of science writers, researchers and leaders. For an aspiring university Dean of Science or Walkley Award-winning journalist, this could be the first entry on their CV.
The Bragg Prizes are named for Australia’s very first Nobel Laureates, the father-and-son team of William Henry Bragg and William Lawrence Bragg. 2015 marked the centenary of their Nobel Prize win in Physics for their work on the X-ray analysis of crystal structures. William Henry Bragg was a firm believer in making science popular among young people. His lectures for students were described as models of clarity and intellectual excitement. More information about the Bragg prizes can be found here.
Kirrawee High school have entered the UNSW Bragg Student Prize for Science Writing for the last few years! We spoke to the teacher driving the school’s participation about how they integrate the competition in class
