CQ STEM students explore sea grass

CQ STEM students explore sea grass health as part of Healthy Harbours and Habitats grand challenge

Dr Emma Jackson with Will, Annie and Jade from Tannum Sands State High School after collecting seagrass flowers for future study.

Thirteen students from across the Central Queensland region participated in an immersion excursion to CQUniversity, Gladstone Campus on October 25, as part of the Queensland Virtual STEM Academy Grand Challenge: Healthy Harbours and Habitats.

Year 5 - 9 students travelled from North Blackwater, Rockhampton, Tannum Sands and Gladstone.

Axel, from Capricornia School of Distance Education, searching rock pools

Over the past seven weeks, they have been part of the online STEM program and studying the health of the Gladstone Harbour, the ecological and economic impact of introduced and invasive species, and the importance of seagrass meadows to the harbour ecosystem.

The students will be ideating solutions to the problem of degrading harbours and habitat health and presenting them to a team of Queensland Virtual STEM Academy staff, CQUniversity researchers and invited guests from participating schools.

Dr Emma Jackson explaining to the STEM students how a shark egg can wash up on shore

They were granted very species access to seagrass meadows and coral rockpools that form part of important research under the guidance of CQUniversity's Dr Emma Jackson.

Dr Jackson exposed the students to the various species of seagrass and how each of them plays a role in harbour health.

Students have also been working with Mac Hansler from Gladstone Healthy Harbours Partnerships to understand how the health of the harbour is actually measured and what measures are currently in place to regenerate the important seagrass meadows in the region.