In June 2024, the IB Group 4 Science Project returned, featuring the intriguing theme: 'Whitgift’s Utopia – moving Whitgift towards Utopia through scientific endeavour.'
Sixth Form students kicked off the week brainstorming investigation ideas and were then given 36 hours to conduct lab experiments, gather data, and prepare their presentations.
The groups tackled a variety of topics such as the effectiveness of cellulose insulation, the properties of bioplastic polymers, and comparing water filtration methods using UV light, physical and chemical filtering.
The week wrapped up with each group presenting their findings. Pupils, parents, and teachers attended the presentations and had the chance to vote for their favourite groups based on scientific content, presentation quality, and creativity.
Group 3 achieved 3rd place, comprising of James, Austen, Sam, and Rayan who investigated the optimal conditions for breeding woodlice as a sustainable, protein-rich edible treat. 2nd place was claimed by Group 7, led by Torran, Joseph, and Yunis for their study on the impacts of earthquake resonance on different spaghetti structures, aiming to optimise structural strength during natural disasters.
1st place was awarded to Group 4, led by Qasim, Thomas, Luca, and Eldon for their winning research on extracting Biodiesel from algae, using pond water as a starting point for producing clean energy.
Mr Hanley (Head of Science) commented “All the groups were given an open brief of using scientific endeavour to move Whitgift toward Utopia! This year’s groups were extremely innovative in their scientific research and importantly had a lot of fun in the process. Science communication was at the heart of the collaboration project and the charisma and aptitude of this year’s IB cohort shone bright!”
Well done to all the students who participated in this year’s project.