Lakes Grammar student Cohen Baldwin wins Origin’s Little Big Idea competition

A Warnervale student who came up with an incredible idea to replace street lights with bioluminescent trees has won a national award.

Naturally lighting up trees as a replacement for street lights.

This is the idea that has seen a Warnervale Year 6 student take out a national award which attracted more than 1100 entries.

Cohen Baldwin, 11, from Lakes Grammar Anglican School, has been awarded $10,000 for winning Origin’s Little Big Idea competition in the Grade 5-6 category.

The 11-year-old was recently announced the winner at a surprise ceremony held at his school.

“I couldn’t really comprehend it all, it took me a while to wrap my head around it,” Cohen told the Express.

Cohen Baldwin was announced as the winner at a surprise event with Dr Jordan Nguyen. Picture: The Jasper Picture Company

“I don’t really like surprises and found out my parents had known for a few weeks.

“Now it’s sunk in … it’s a big deal. All of the ideas that came in were really cool.”

Cohen’s idea is called “Biolume” and is a device that injects illuminating microorganisms into trees, allowing them to naturally emit light in a similar way to a street lamp.

He said he came up with the idea as part of his Year 6 science fair project.

“I genetically modified three strains of bacteria to illuminate under a UV light,” he said.

The idea grew from there with Cohen explaining “the Biolume is a device that will modify a tree to illuminate and replace street lights”.

Cohen Baldwin’s submission to the competition explained his Biolume idea.

The 11-year-old is currently working on a prototype for the device to illuminate trees.

“A Biolume tree is a sustainable and renewable source of light that will help reduce our carbon footprint.”

Cohen said he had been leaning about climate change at school and when he heard about the Little Big Ideas competition there was only one thing on his mind.

“I thought about trees, they are pretty much every where and are completely natural. Bacteria is also natural so I thought ‘why can’t I use this concept on a tree?’” he said.

“My device would act as a dispenser. It's purpose is to inject the bioluminescent material into the trees DNA.”

While most children would be running to the shops to spend their money, Cohen is looking at developing a prototype for his Biolume and using the money to buy a 3D printer.

Cohen celebrated with his school mates and teachers. Picture: The Jasper Picture Company

“I want to make Biolume a reality,” he said. “I am going to test it on three saplings.”

He said street lights take up 2-3 per cent of energy on a global scale.

“Bioluminescent trees means a massive reduction in power and a reduction in the carbon footprint,” he said.

Cohen said while he had a keen interest in space and aeronautics, he had found a true passion in biomedical engineering.

“Biomedical engineering seems the way to go for me right now,” he said.

Biolume was awarded by a judging panel including biomedical engineer and inventor Dr Jordan Nguyen, former NSW Young Australian of the Year Macinley Butson, founder of Australian not-for-profit SolarBuddy Simon Doble and Origin’s general manager of future energy and technology Joanna Nelson.

Dr Nguyen said Cohen’s idea would inspire new ways of thinking. Picture: The Jasper Picture Company

Dr Nguyen described Cohen’s idea as a great example of how imagination and passion can inspire new ways of thinking about our world.

“The young inventor has identified energy production as an opportunity for innovation, coming up with a creative solution by harnessing his passion for biology and sustainability,” he said.

Origin’s Little Big Idea competition encourages Australian kids to explore their creative potential to solve real-world problems.