Solve for Tomorrow 2024 Major Winners – Exam Insights – Jason Zhong, Bradley Cox

Queensland-based 19-year-old, Bradley Cox, has taken out the top prize. His start-up, Exam Insights, is on a mission to provide a question bank in every classroom, built from resources students and teachers already have. Launched in late 2023, the platform centralised past exam papers into highly accessible question banks specifically for Year 12 QLD external exams, making them accessible and useful for students and educators.

After seeing the platform benefit over 22,000 users across Queensland, Brad and his co-founder, Jason Zhong, soon realised they hadn’t just solved their own problem—they’d created a solution with far-reaching potential. They expanded Exam Insights into a tool that could help anyone organise and align their own resources, reducing workloads for educators and simplifying study for students.

As the major prize winner, Brad has won $10,000 to put towards enhancing the platform with new features and services, expanding across Australia and supporting new, strategic partnerships.

Brad said, “What began as a tool to solve our own problem quickly grew into a platform designed to empower classrooms everywhere. Being selected as the winner of Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow competition is an incredible honour and validation of our work and impact on students and educators alike. STEM is an incredible field where curiosity and creativity come together to create solutions that matter. To young Aussies interested in studying STEM, I say start small, learn as you go, and don’t be afraid to fail—it’s all part of the process. Most importantly, focus on how your skills can help others. That’s where the real impact lies, and that’s what makes the journey worthwhile.”

Solve for Tomorrow 2024 Runner 19-24 – STEM Sisterhood – Keziah Furnell

Queensland-based 22-year-old, Keziah Furnell has been awarded the ‘Runner-Up 19-24’ prize with her business, STEM Sisterhood which is aimed at fostering greater participation in STEM for girls and women via a series of workshops exploring different STEM fields, problem solving and collaboration – with a particular focus on accessing girls and women in regional areas. As the prize winner in this category, Keziah has been awarded $5,000 to go towards developing a new range of workshops that will expand into more regional towns, purchase further scientific equipment for the workshops, and enable further engagement with female STEM experts to host the workshops and connect and collaborate with students.

Keziah said, “I was inspired to tackle the issue of underrepresentation of regional and public-school female STEM students when I walked into my first university engineering lecture and discovered only 12 women out of 120 students. I wanted to make girls see from a young age that the ‘play’ they engage in is science that has real scientific pathways. My workshops focus on exploring chemistry through the wonderful world of bath bombs or kitchen chemistry. I am so grateful to be chosen as a recipient of the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition and would advise any young Australians interested in studying STEM to go for it – your ideas are valid and important, and anyone has the capacity to change the world.”

Solve for Tomorrow 2024 Runner up 14-18 – Enlight – Shuwei Guo

Sydney-based 16-year-old, Shuwei Guo is the minor winner within the 14-18 year-old category with his personalised education platform concept, Enlight – an innovative, free and AI-powered short-form platform designed to make learning addictive by tailoring education to each individual’s knowledge level, learning type (e.g. visual learning vs. kinaesthetic) by harnessing specific nomenclature and proprietary AI models to gamify traditional education.

The $5,000 prize money will go towards establishing a pilot program within local schools, libraries and community centres, as well as working with educators to refine the platform and establishing a volunteer program of tech-savvy individuals to assist those using the platform.

Shuwei said, “I was inspired to tackle educational inequality after seeing firsthand how limited access to quality learning resources can impact students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Something imperative to my design and iteration processes was making a product that you and your friends would genuinely and consistently use – not ‘just’ another mediocre GPT wrapper. My formative experiences as a student taught me examples of how much personalised, engaging educational content can have a poignant impact in helping students reach their full potential, and I’m grateful to Samsung for the opportunity to showcase how technology can be used to create positive change in our communities.”

In addition to the prize money, each of the three winners have received a Samsung productivity pack that includes a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 5G/Galaxy A55 5G, 32″ Smart Monitor M70D UHD, and Galaxy Buds2.

Brett Turnbull, Director of Corporate Marketing at Samsung Electronics Australia, and judge on the panel for Solve for Tomorrow 2024 said, “At Samsung, we’re dedicated to empowering young Australians to turn their innovative ideas into impactful solutions. This year’s entries showcased the remarkable creativity and purpose-driven mindset of this generation, with participants tackling a diverse range of issues with passion and ingenuity. It’s inspiring to see the potential of STEM in helping develop meaningful change and shape a better future for all.”

Dr Kirsten Banks, Astrophysicist, STEM advocate and Solve for Tomorrow 2024 ambassador said, “I’m continually inspired by the ingenuity and passion of young Australians, and it was exciting to see that firsthand in the submissions. The Solve for Tomorrow 2024 entries demonstrate the power of STEM to address real-world challenges, and the innovative solutions shared make me excited to see what comes next from these bright and curious minds.”

To participate in Solve for Tomorrow, young Australians aged 14-24 years needed to submit a 400-word proposal outlining the issue facing their community and how they would use STEM to solve it, attend a Design Thinking Workshop, and then submit a final video pitch proposal. A panel of judges reviewed the proposals and selected the winners based on a scoring system analysing their STEM application, creativity, feasibility, relevancy and presentation.

The Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition has been empowering young innovators since launching in Australia in 2021; reaching hundreds of students and fostering their passion for STEM while encouraging them to pursue careers in the industry.

Samsung Electronics Australia has today announced the winner of its inaugural STEM Teacher of the Year Awards, with local Pymble Ladies College teacher Mr. Asaph Becker being crowned the overall winner following a nationwide call-out.

Samsung designed the award to recognise the hard work and positive impact STEM teachers have on today’s young minds and future leaders. This follows research commissioned earlier in the year by Samsung, which showed that 59% of Australians agree that STEM teachers should receive more recognition than they currently receive¹.

Current and former students, fellow teachers, parents and industry experts were asked to nominate a teacher who makes STEM feel less like a subject and more like an adventure against specific criteria.

Mr. Asaph Becker, the Head of Robotics at Pymble Ladies College, said, “I’m incredibly honoured to receive the Samsung STEM Teacher of the Year Award, especially knowing it comes from the students I’m so passionate about supporting. My goal has always been to empower students, particularly women, to pursue STEM with passion and purpose and to build a supportive community where everyone feels they can make a meaningful impact. This award reflects the hard work of my students, who inspire me every day to make a difference.”

The entries were judged by a panel of industry experts, including Astrophysicist and STEM advocate Dr Kirsten Banks. The judges selected the winners based on how the teacher has positively impacted their students and the industry and how they continue to demonstrate their commitment to and passion for STEM.

Phil Gaut, Senior Director and Head of Display at Samsung Electronics Australia, said, “Samsung is delighted to celebrate the exceptional educators who have been awarded the STEM Teacher of the Year Awards. These teachers are at the forefront of inspiring curiosity, creativity and a love for learning in STEM, empowering the next generation to achieve incredible things. We are proud to recognise their invaluable contributions to education and their lasting impact on students and communities across Australia.”

Dr Kirsten Banks, Astrophysicist and STEM advocate, said, “I have experienced first-hand the profound impact STEM teachers have on young minds, helping them develop essential skills like critical thinking, creativity and communication. Congratulations to the inaugural winners of Samsung’s STEM Teacher of the Year Awards—this recognition is a true testament to their hard work, dedication, and the positive impact they have on shaping the innovators of tomorrow. It’s inspiring to celebrate these educators who play such a pivotal role in fostering the next generation of thinkers and problem-solvers.”

The competition received over 360 entries from across the country, with judging proving difficult because of the high calibre of entries and nominees.

The winning teacher was awarded two Samsung Galaxy Tab S9, one Galaxy Buds3 Pro and a Galaxy Fit3. The runner-up teacher, Mr. Henk Plaggemars from Woodville High School, received one Galaxy Tab S9 FE and a Galaxy Fit3, and the winning student from Pymble Ladies College received a Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+.

¹ Pure Profile research commissioned by Samsung Electronics Australia surveying 1,003 Australians aged 18+, October 2024

To celebrate World Teacher’s Day (25 October), Samsung Electronics Australia has today announced its inaugural STEM Teacher of the Year Awards.

New research commissioned by Samsung shows that 59% of Australians agree that STEM teachers should be getting more recognition than they currently receive[1]. In response, Samsung has launched its nationwide call-out to find Australia’s best STEM teachers and recognise them for their hard work and positive impact on young Aussie minds.

Current and former students, fellow teachers, parents and industry experts will have the chance to nominate the teacher who makes STEM feel less like a subject and more like an adventure and show their appreciation for their dedication and impact on their learning journey. Australians can nominate the teacher they think deserves the title of Australia’s best STEM teacher by sharing in 50 words or less why their teacher should be crowned the STEM Teacher of the Year 2024 via the competition website.

Nominations are open from now until 19 November 2024, and the entries will be judged by a panel of industry experts, including Dr Kirsten Banks, Astrophysicist and STEM advocate.

The judges will select the winners based on how the teacher has positively impacted their students and the industry and on their commitment to and passion for STEM. The winning teacher will receive two Samsung Galaxy Tab S9, one Galaxy Buds3 Pro and a Galaxy Fit3. The runner-up will receive one Galaxy Tab S9 FE and a Galaxy Fit3, and the winning student will receive a Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+.

Phil Gaut, Senior Director and Head of Display at Samsung Electronics Australia, said, “As a global technology leader, Samsung understands the vital role STEM teachers play in shaping the next generation of innovators. Our insights demonstrate that Australians believe STEM teachers deserve more recognition which confirms our assumptions – that these educators are the unsung heroes of the classroom. Through initiatives such as STEM Teacher of the Year Awards, we are committed to shining a spotlight on their tireless efforts and the invaluable contributions they make to help foster the skills that will drive future innovation,”

Dr Kirsten Banks, Astrophysicist and STEM advocate, said, “I know first-hand the meaningful impact STEM teachers have on young thinkers in supporting them to develop important skills in critical thinking, creativity and communication. I strongly encourage anyone who knows of an inspiring STEM teacher to give them well-deserved recognition by nominating them for Samsung’s STEM Teacher of the Year Awards. I’m very excited to see and hear more about some of the great teachers shaping the innovators of tomorrow.”

To nominate your favourite STEM teacher for the competition, see here.

[1] Pure Profile research commissioned by Samsung Electronics Australia surveying 1,003 Australians aged 18+, October 2024

Samsung Electronics Australia has today announced the winners of Solve for Tomorrow 2023, a nationwide competition that challenges the next generation of young Australian innovators aged 14-24 to use their STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), creative, critical thinking, collaborative, and communication skills to create solutions that address the issues they are most passionate about.

Members of Team ORS from left, Michael Nefiodovas, Conor Bennett, Karam Thethy, Celine Wang, Peter Tanner, Jack Sun, Oliver Cheng, Arthur Caspelherr, and Filip Najdovski

Perth-based Team ORS consisting of Michael Nefiodovas, Conor Bennett, Karam Thethy, Celine Wang, Peter Tanner, Jack Sun, Oliver Cheng, Arthur Caspelherr, Katrina Yan, and Filip Najdovski have taken out the top prize. Their innovative idea entails a device which aims to help farmers gather and analyse data on pest populations, to reduce the amount of pesticide used. As the major prize winner, Team ORS has won $10,000 to contribute towards progressing their idea. The team’s goal is to aid farmers in making informed pesticide-led decisions, and help to balance crop protection and ecological responsibility.

Commenting on the win, Team ORS said “Everyone is very excited, our inspiration stemmed from the deep connection Australian farmers have with their environment and the rising public demand for sustainability. Leveraging our passion and expertise in mathematics, statistics, and machine learning, we saw an opportunity in the precision agriculture space where ecological care aligns with farmers’ economic interests. This recognition will allow us to advance our solution, accelerating its translation into a real farm environment.”

Progress photos of Team ORS’ prototype.

Sydney-based Amelie Ritchie and Harlen Postill have devised Petal Path, winning the minor prize for the 19-to-24-year-old bracket. The mobile app gamifies community contributions to maps then plots the best route for those who use wheelchairs or mobility aids. Sustainabili-tree created by Melbournian high school students Flynn, Mikey and George is a sustainability-focused logistic network to recycle old Christmas trees into next year’s wrapping paper. The idea has won the minor prize for the 14-to-18-year-old bracket. Both runner-up prize winners have won $5,000 to take the next step in their projects. In addition to the prize money, each of the three winning teams have received a Samsung productivity pack that includes a Samsung Z Flip5 5G, 27″ Smart Monitor M5, and Galaxy Buds2 Pro.

“This is an incredibly honouring experience,” said Petal Path App’s Amelie and Harlen. “More than 180,000 Australians wheelchair users, including one of our teammates, face increased difficulty when navigating paths and roads in poor condition. We hope our innovation will go a long way in helping those living with a physical disability find the most accessible way of reaching their destination safely. The prize money will go towards developing the app and bringing it to market.”

Minor Prize winners (19-24 years), Harlen Postill (left) and Amelie Ritchie (right)

Sustainabili-tree’s Flynn, George, and Mikey said “The Solve for Tomorrow competition gave us the spark to work on our idea and actually make it happen. Our recycling network is a two-tiered solution to help reduce waste while also increasing the joy of sustainability at Christmas time. We can’t wait to start partnering with local councils and getting the program rolled out!”

Minor Prize winners (14-18 years) from left, George, Mikey and Flynn

This year for the first time, Samsung also conducted a series of in-person ‘Design Sprints’ in partnership with student advocacy organisation Student Edge which helped potential Solve for Tomorrow participants brainstorm, shape, and present their ideas. Four events were held across Sydney with 60 people in total attending. Petal Path creators, Harlen and Amelie, also submitted their winning entry off the back of attending one of these sprints.

Brett Turnbull, Director of Corporate Marketing at Samsung Electronics Australia, and judge on the panel for Solve for Tomorrow 2023 said, “At Samsung, we’re committed to providing young people a platform to propel their ideas forward and celebrate STEM knowledge by addressing real-world issues. Our research shows young Australians are a purpose-driven generation, and that’s come through in the entries this year with the diversity of topics participants tackled and the passion behind their ideas.”

The Samsung Solve for Tomorrow has been empowering young innovator since launching in Australia in 2021, reaching hundreds of students, fostering their passion for STEM, and encouraging them to pursue careers in the industry. To participate in Solve for Tomorrow, young Australians aged 14-24 needed to submit a 500-word proposal outlining the issue facing their community and how they would use STEM to solve it. A panel of judges reviewed the proposals and selected the winners based on a scoring system analysing their STEM application, creativity, feasibility, relevancy, and presentation.

Throughout Samsung’s history, we have made it our mission to devote our talent and technology in creating innovative products and services that contribute to the betterment of global society. As a global leader in technology, we also have a responsibility to leverage our innovations, skill and knowledge to bridge the widening digital divide and give more youths the opportunity to reap the benefits of digitalization.

Within the Southeast Asia and Oceania (SEAO) region, we are seeing rapid growth in the digital economy. This is fueled by factors such as increasing mobile penetration and social media usage, a booming e-commerce market, strong government push towards digitalization, and importantly, a population of young digital natives.

Youths are the future drivers for the region, both as consumers and innovators. As we celebrate Samsung Electronics’ 54^th anniversary globally on November 1^st, we remain committed to empowering our youth to meet the demands of the ever-evolving world, while at the same time, uplifting communities across the SEAO region.

Global programs with local impact

In the spirit of co-prosperity, we are committed to doing our part as a socially and environmentally responsible corporate citizen in the communities that we are in, and as champions of innovation, we continually push ourselves to do better in inspiring the next generation through technology. This year, we are excited to see Solve for Tomorrow (SFT), our global flagship STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) -based student competition, expand to more markets in SEAO, including Indonesia and the Philippines. SFT is also making headway in the Pacific Islands, with Samoa and Tonga kick-starting local editions for the very first time in August this year.

More than 500 students in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, participated in a SFT workshop in June 2023.

The 2023 edition of SFT is still ongoing in several SEAO markets, but we are already seeing massive momentum in the region, with projects covering creative solutions to address real-life challenges in a variety of themes including environment and sustainability, learning and education, wellness, and healthcare, and more. Beyond the technical competition element, our young participants also receive training in soft skills required for the future workforce, including the 4Cs of 21^st Century Skills – Communication, Collaboration, Critical thinking, and Creativity.

We estimate that over 110,000 students and over 1,000 schools are benefiting from this program so far this year, through the competition, online and offline workshops, and other SFT-related activities.

For the 2021 edition of Solve for Tomorrow in Australia, students were encouraged to create fun videos that presented social issues of personal relevance while highlighting STEM-based solutions. Tasmania-based Meg Phillips emerged as the overall winner, driven by her passion for animal conservation, with an RFID-based system to warn animals of approaching cars, with the aim of reducing wildlife casualties, as well as to keep drivers safe.

Recently, Samsung New Zealand announced its SFT 2023 winners. I am especially heartened by the winning submissions that are the embodiment of why we continue to dedicate our efforts for communities through this program. For example, 12-year old Thomas Costar’s hydro turbine mechanism that helps to generate electricity through household drainage systems – the scientific approach that he took is a great example of perseverance and design thinking.   

Samsung Innovation Campus participants in Cambodia working diligently under the guidance of mentors.

Beyond encouraging innovative thinking with SFT, we also want to empower the next generation with practical skills needed for success in an increasingly digital world. This is where Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) comes into play. Through SIC, we want to help youth develop real-world skills in the areas of AI, IoT, big data, and coding through formalized training programs, alongside other activities like Innovation Hackathons and IoT Bootcamps.

Since first launching in Indonesia and Vietnam in 2019, we continue to ramp up our work in SEAO. This year, we are excited to add Cambodia and Laos to the program roster. To date, we estimate that over 8,000 students are participating in the program from 135 schools across Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam, along with significant interest from a number of national universities too. We are encouraged by the incredibly positive feedback received from students on how the SIC program has helped change their perspectives towards data science, as well as helping them better navigate their education journey.

We are immensely appreciative and humbled by all the cooperation, support, and the sharing of information and learnings from the various governmental agencies and educational organizations who have graciously partnered with us on this journey. These partnerships ensure that the local editions are tailored for the unique education needs of each community, enhancing the learning experience for students, and amplify the program’s impact across the region by increasing awareness of it and supporting its rollout in the markets.

There is no doubt that having passion for education played a significant role in the remarkable success that we have achieved in the spirit of co-creation with initiatives like SFT and SIC.

As an added plus, the activation of programs like SFT and SIC created more opportunities for Samsung to further contribute to local communities and education. For example, this year in Indonesia, we signed two agreements, one is with the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Republic Indonesia to roll out the ‘Samsung Digital for Indonesia’ program in support of the local smart madrasah program, and the other one with the Institute of Technology Bandung for developing digital technology on sustainable environmental conservation.

Looking to the next 54 years and beyond

At Samsung, we passionately believe that doing good is in fact, good business. We are committed to ongoing community engagements and impactful contributions, to continue growing with the SEAO region. At the same time, we look forward to working together with future generations of innovators, encouraging them to be bold and push the boundaries of innovation to shape a brighter future – not just for the next 54 years, but for generations to come.

Samsung Electronics Australia has today announced the launch of Solve for Tomorrow, a nationwide competition challenging Australia’s next generation of innovators to unleash their creativity by using STEM[1] to help solve an issue they are passionate about.

Young Australians aged 18-24, are invited to upload a video to TikTok[2] explaining the social issue that matters most to them and how they would solve it using STEM skills.

Solve for Tomorrow is designed to challenge young Australians to demonstrate their proficiency in STEM and to consider how they can be applied to solve real world issues such as climate change, sustainability or inclusivity. The program is also aimed at encouraging young people’s interest in these subjects to help them consider future career pathways.

STEM and problem-solving skills are predicted to be some of the most important in our future. According to The World Economic Forum[3], 50 percent of all employees will need reskilling by 2025, as adoption of technology increases. Moreover, critical thinking and problem-solving top the list of skills employers believe will grow in prominence in the next five years. It’s also predicted that 75 percent of the fastest growing occupations will require STEM skills and knowledge[4].

“Young Australians are incredibly purpose led and can apply their creativity to challenging the status quo and delivering meaningful change in their communities. We want to harness this creativity with Solve for Tomorrow and encourage the next generation to change the world through STEM,” said Shaneez Johnston, Head of Corporate Affairs, at Samsung Electronics Australia.

“Problem solving and STEM skills are critically important for young people, both with regards to the future workforce and what jobs of the future will require, but also in our ability to overcome significant challenges through critical thinking.”

The competition starts today (November 22) and closes on December 20 with winners to be selected based on a judging criteria that looks at relevance, creativity, feasibility, application of STEM and overall presentation.*

There are five chances to win with one entrant receiving $10,000 in cash to put towards making their Solve For Tomorrow idea a reality. There are also two runners-up prizes of $5,000 and two people’s choice awards. Each winner will also receive a Samsung Tech Pack valued at $4,705, which includes a Smart Monitor M7, Galaxy Z Fold3 smartphone and Galaxy Tab S7 FE tablet.

To accompany the launch, Samsung has launched its Australian TikTok channel @samsungAU.

“Young people have grown up with social media and sharing video content so we wanted the competition mechanic to feel native to this audience. We are asking entrants to submit their ideas via video on either TikTok or our website, which also allows them to showcase their creativity on the platforms and mediums they love most,” said Ms Johnston.

Launched in the U.S. in 2010, Solve for Tomorrow is a global initiative that asks participants to use their knowledge in STEM to unleash their imaginations into tangible solutions that can solve societal problems. The core objective of Solve for Tomorrow is to drive awareness of STEM learning to encourage more young people to consider the subjects that will impact on their future careers.

For more information on Solve for Tomorrow and how to enter please visit: https://www.samsung.com/au/solve-for-tomorrow/.

*T&Cs apply. Entry is limited to Australian residents aged 18 – 24yrs. Entry closes 20 Dec 2021. For full terms and conditions and entry instructions visit: https://www.samsung.com/au/solve-for-tomorrow/terms

[1] Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths

[2] Entries can also be submitted via www.samsung.com/au/solve-for-tomorrow/

[3] World Economic Forum, The Future of Jobs Report 2020

[4] The Australian Industry Group. Progressing STEM Skills in Australia, March 2015