Successful 2020 Unlocking Curious Minds contestable fund investment round proposals
Through the 2020 funding round, the Unlocking Curious Minds contestable fund is supporting 31 projects aimed at engaging more New Zealanders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
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The 2020 investment round of the Unlocking Curious Minds contestable fund awarded $1.975 million in funding spread across:
- 18 local community projects with grants of up to $30,000, and
- 13 regional projects with grants of up to $150,000.
Local Grants
| Project Title | Region | Organisation | Funding (excl. GST) | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| An experiential discovery environment which facilitates learning about genetics, identity, and society | Wellington | Massey University | $29,982 | 11 months |
| Science to support the next generation of kaitiaki in Waharoa | Waikato | Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd | $30,000 | 11 months |
| Rangi - an online weather and climate curriculum | Auckland | National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd | $30,000 | 11 months |
| Olympic Science | Otago | Otago Museum Trust Board | $21,900 | 18 months |
| Is Our Watercress Safe? | Gisborne | Massey University | $30,000 | 11 months |
| Rotorua Aquabots | Bay of Plenty | Rotorua District Council T/A Rotorua Lakes Council | $12,000 | 7 months |
| A DNA technology for enhancing student engagement with science and environmental issues | Canterbury | Murray Frederick Broom | $30,000 | 10 months |
| Understanding environmental issues through food packaging and shelf life | Manawatū-Wanganui | Massey University | $28,500 | 10 months |
| Can Physics and Augmented Reality make you better at Basketball? | Manawatū-Wanganui | Massey University | $27,200 | 11 months |
| He tumanako a tatou: empowering young people to combat climate change | Northland | Unitec Institute of Technology | $30,000 | 11 months |
| Partnership to encourage Māori and Pasifika communities into Engineering | Canterbury | University of Canterbury | $30,000 | 11 months |
| Using community engagement with networks of low-cost sensors to create healthy indoor environments | Auckland | University of Auckland | $29,684 | 11 months |
| Living and learning in a digital society: Youth voices | Canterbury | University of Canterbury | $29,872 | 11 months |
| Maths Craft in a Box | Canterbury | University of Canterbury | $30,000 | 11 months |
| The Fairfield Project - involving community in urban biodiversity monitoring and restoration | Waikato | The Kukutaruhe Education Trust | $30,000 | 10 months |
| Developing a STEM mobile makerspace programme and maker educator learning resources | Waikato | University of Waikato | $30,000 | 11 months |
| Climate Change and Our Oceans: Realising the Potential of Seaweeds | Wellington | Mountains To Sea Wellington Trust | $30,000 | 11 months |
| Microplastics detectives: Rotorua sediment under microscope | Bay of Plenty | New Zealand Forest Research Institute Ltd Trading as Scion | $30,000 | 11 months |
Regional / National Grants
| Project Title | Region(s) | Organisation | Funding (excl. GST) | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Far from Frozen II – Going to Extremes | Nationwide | Otago Museum Trust Board | $150,000 | 23 months |
| RoboPā | Waikato, Bay of Plenty | Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi | $150,000 | 11 months |
| Special Agents: the science of medicines | Otago, Southland | University of Otago | $37,261 | 11 months |
| The Travelling Augmented Reality Sandbox | Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay, Manawatū-Wanganui, Wellington | Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences Limited - Trading as GNS Science | $105,710 | 11 months |
| He kakano ahau e ruia mai e rangiatea | Northland | Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd | $150,000 | 11 months |
| KŌKŌKAHA - POWERED BY THE WIND: America’s Cup Schools’ Programme | Nationwide | Yachting New Zealand Incorporated | $150,000 | 13 months |
| Full STE(A)M Ahead – 100 women, 100 words…infinite possibilities | Otago, Southland | Otago Museum Trust Board | $30,000 | 15 months |
| Quake Kit Earthquake Monitoring Programme for Alpine Fault Schools | Tasman, West Coast, Otago, Southland | University of Canterbury | $29,329 | 11 months |
| Project Kiwrious: Activating Curious and Fearless Problem Solvers | Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay, Wellington, Canterbury | University of Auckland | $147,723 | 11 months |
| Programmable Electronics-STEAMS Education Through Digital Technology phase 2 | Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Wellington, Canterbury, Otago, Southland | Ministry of Inspiration | $100,000 | 11 months |
| Discover Hidden Worlds: GeoCamp Northland, an earth science noho marae | Northland | Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences Limited - Trading as GNS Science | $139,800 | 6 months |
| Karangatia o ngā repo me ngā tangata (Reconnecting communities with their wetlands) | Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Otago | Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd | $127,000 | 11 months |
| Community AirWatch: Building community capacity for participatory local air quality management | Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Otago | National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd | $150,000 | 11 months |