The theme of Queensland’s conference 'Dream, Discover, Do!' will highlight how STEAM is dynamic and fun and empowers and develops people to dream and shape the future.
The intent of the It Takes a Spark STEM Conference is to bring together Students (Year 4 to 10) and Teachers to connect with inspiring industry role models, share their current school based activities and projects using an authentic sharing and experiential model, create networks of teachers and student teams, and solve social justice design challenges.
The participation of the students is as important as teachers as our intent is to ignite, empower and nurture both to be leaders of STEM and Entrepreneurship within their schools. This is a conference designed and led by students and teachers for students and teachers.
Teachers will have both formal and informal opportunities to speak to other teachers who have enacted programs and activities in their schools and get their questions answered.
The Digi-Design workshops and Problem Solver design challenges are all hands-on so students and teachers will experience first-hand what it is like to be part of great STEM and entrepreneurial learning. This will spark new ideas about curriculum and pedagogy.
Who the conference is for…
- Year 4 to 10 students: those who are already (or aspire to be) STEM Leaders in your school OR students’ schools wish to spark an interest in, and engagement in STEM
- Teachers: those who have little experience and those who have a lot, looking to be inspired, participate in hands-on professional learning and network with peers
- Heads of Learning Areas / Curriculum: who wish to connect and elevate their STEM discipline
- Principals and Deputy Principals: to witness what is possible by embedding STEM authentically in your school
- …and the event is a 6 hour Professional Learning day for teachers – certificate provided.
Teacher Professional Development Stream
“Many teachers and schools are challenged by HOW to create STEM learning that develops students across the years to be the independent critical thinkers and problem solvers the world needs.
We will bring together some of Australia’s leading practitioners in the fields of design, technology, curriculum planning, student engagement and STEM learning to develop a special Teacher Professional Development stream at this year’s QLD It Takes a Spark STEM Conference.
Every session is designed to provide teachers with the insight, practical guidance and resources they need to improve their planning and practice upon return to their schools. The professional learning will support teachers no matter their prior background, confidence, or capability.”
TEACHER MINI-MASTER CLASSES

Sustainability Innovation Challenge
Facilitator
STEM Punks
80 minute session

Arduino in AgTech
Facilitator
IntegratedSTEM

Sustainopreneurship – Entrepreneurship and innovation for sustainability
Facilitator
Young Change Agents

Creating Impactful STEM Programs with a Digital Technologies Approach
Facilitator
Australian Computer Society
80 minute session

Introduction to the BBC Micro:bit
Facilitator
Damien Kee

Integrating Enterprise Skills in the Classroom
Facilitator
Academy for Enterprising Girls

Hands-on Science, Made Simple
Facilitator
Street Science

Teacher Networking and STEM Pathways session

Gamify your Growth with Skill Trees
Maker Queen AU
DIGIDESIGN MINI-WORKSHOPS - Students and/or Teachers

Hidden Wonders: Science Under the Microscope
Ormiston State School

Virtual pet
Damien Kee

Cut Waste and FEAST Fabulously!
OzHarvest Australia and Scenic Shores State School

Designing Safe Habitats to survive climate change
Students from Islamic College of Brisbane

Mission to Mars
Stephen Broderick, St Ursula’s College Toowoomba

Pathology in Practice
Rebecca Lush, Museum Curator, The University of Queensland

Moving and Grooving with Granny: Creating digital solutions to help our elderly exercise
Australian Computer Society

Scribbly Gum STEAM
Megan Forward

Batteryless Wearable Health and Fitness Monitoring
CSIRO

Autonomous Vehicles Challenge
STEM Punks

Black Holes and Gravitational Waves
OzGrav (ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery)

Mathematics, Geometry and Tessellations
Melanie Parry, Islamic College of Brisbane

Street Science Energy and Electrical Circuits
Street Science

Can we actually defy Gravity?
Students from Islamic College of Brisbane

Captain’s Secondary Cut: The Fastest Ideas on the High Seas
Hewlett Packard Education
STEAM Expo hands-on activities

Make the invisible visible
Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University of Queensland

Curriculum aligned virtual reality
Learning & Design Hub, QLD Department of Education

Unleash Your Sustainability Superpowers!
Academy for Enterprising Girls

Explore Electronics!
Integrated STEM

Build your own habitat with Augmented Reality
Islamic College of Brisbane

Mars AI Rover and AI SMART Home Demonstrations
STEM Punks

Explore, Design and Create with VR
edgedVR

Street Science Slime Drop In
Street Science

Highly autonomous robots assisting humans
CSIRO Data 61

Insect Pest Management for Australian Cotton
Bayer Crop Science

Blind Programming
The Glennie School

Future You – Where is the STEM in that?
Future You Australia

Cyber Guardians: Crack the Code to Online Safety!
Helensvale State School

Solar Activity: Sunspots, Prominences and Filaments
Stephen Broderick, St Ursula’s College Toowoomba

Artist Challenge
BotBuilders

MagLev Technology
WeBuild

Melting Metal Mementos
Mark Baker, Assumption College Warwick

Paper Plane Launcher
BotBuilders

Epic Garden
Epic Card Games

The Future of Transport Signalling
Cross River Rail Delivery Authority
PROBLEM SOLVERS DESIGN CHALLENGE - Students and/or Teachers

Being Real World Problem Solvers with Citizen Science
Australian Citizen Science Association

Creating a healthy food future
Professor Lindsay Brown, Griffith University

AI-Powered Waste Classifier
Southern Cross University

The Power of Design Thinking
The University of Queensland

Is someone out there?
Griffith University

Sustainable Sparks: Dream, design, do for global goals impact
Young Change Agents

Code Red: Design a Flood-Rescue Drone Prototype
Beenleigh State High School

Beating the Bee Bug
The Glennie School

Data to Action: Innovating Climate Solutions for a Safer Future
CSIRO

FUN with LEGO Robotics – Polar Bear Challenge
Grace Lutheran College

DesignDash: Helmets – Necessary or a Nuisance?
Brisbane South State Secondary College

Becoming a Game Designer and Entrepreneur
Epic Card Games

Intelligent machines that learn??
Islamic College of Brisbane

Captain’s Primary Cut: The Fastest Ideas on the High Seas
Hewlett Packard Education

Automating Australian Agriculture
Queensland Computers
QUEENSLAND
FRIDAY, 20 JUNE 2025
AGENDA
8.15 AM
REGISTRATION, COFFEE/TEA & NETWORKING
8.45 AM
MASTER OF CEREMONIES
Acknowledgement of Country, Welcome to Participants, Set up for the Day, Housekeeping
9.00 AM
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
9.40 AM
TEACHER ONLY PARALLEL SESSIONS – ROTATION ONE
Teacher Mini-Masterclass
40 minutes
- Hands-on masterclass on STEM topic that will make a difference for teachers to enact in their school
Breakout Rooms
Pre-registration required
9.40 AM
DIGIDESIGN MINI-WORKSHOPS + STEAM Expo – ROTATION ONE
40 minute session
- Parallel mini-workshop sessions on specific STEM topic that link to the theme
- For Teachers and Students
- Demonstrate hands-on STEM activities for Year 4 to 10 students
- Presented by students / educators / universities / sponsors / organisations
- STEAM Expo: 10-15 min activity, moving between activities during the 40 minute session with the opportunity to engage in multiple STEM experiences
Breakout Rooms
Pre-registration required
10.25 AM
MORNING TEA
An opportunity to network with other teachers and students, and explore EXPO
11.00 AM
PROBLEM SOLVERS DESIGN CHALLENGE – ROTATION TWO
80 minutes – parallel sessions
- Aimed at Year 4 to 10 students and teachers
- This session involves real life design challenges where attendees are led through the design process to ideate and present possible solutions
Breakout Rooms
Pre-registration required
11.00 AM
Teacher Masterclass
80 minute session
- Hands-on masterclass on a STEM topic that will make a difference for teachers to enact in their school
Teacher Networking and STEM Pathways session
- An opportunity to connect with other teachers and presenters to share ideas, possibilities and practices
- Meet with sponsors in the STEM Expo area to discuss (without students) how they can support you in delivering and inspiring STEM in your school
Breakout Rooms
Pre-registration required
12.25 PM
LUNCH
An opportunity to network with other teachers and students, and explore EXPO
1.00 PM
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
1.40 PM
TEACHER ONLY PARALLEL SESSIONS – ROTATION THREE
Teacher Mini-Masterclass
40 minutes
- Hands-on masterclass on STEM topic that will make a difference for teachers to enact in their school
Breakout Rooms
Pre-registration required
1.40 PM
DIGIDESIGN MINI-WORKSHOPS + STEAM Expo – ROTATION THREE
40 minute session
- Parallel mini-workshop sessions on specific STEM topic that link to the theme
- For Teachers and Students
- Demonstrate hands-on STEM activities for Year 4 to 10 students
- Presented by students / educators / universities / sponsors / organisations
- STEAM Expo: 10-15 min activity, moving between activities during the 40 minute session with the opportunity to engage in multiple STEM experiences
Breakout Rooms
Pre-registration required
2.30 PM
FEEDBACK AND CONFERENCE COMPLETION
- Awarding of prizes to attendees
- Completion of feedback form
2.45 PM
CLOSE OF CONFERENCE
REGISTRATION INFORMATION

VENUE
Islamic College of Brisbane
45 Acacia Road
Karawatha QLD 4117
DATE Friday, 20 June 2025
TIME / AGENDA 8.15am open
8.45am start – 2.45pm finish
Read School FAQ’s – suggestions on who should attend, answers about what stage you are at and if the conference will suit, registration T&C’s, and more…
Teachers are able to attend without students
We recommend max 25 students per school with minimum teacher ratio of 1T:10S
CONFERENCE RATES
Educator / Teacher: Early bird $205.00
Regular fee $245.00
Teacher presenter: complimentary*
Student: Early bird $30.00
Regular fee $35.00
Student presenter: $27.50*
Pre-service, Aide/Support staff, Homeschool educator: Early bird $79.00
Regular fee $99.00
Includes Morning tea and Lunch for Educators and Students
Early bird registration ends Friday 23rd May 2025
Upon registration you will receive a confirmation email and invoice, payment is via direct deposit or credit card. For full details click on the register button alternatively call Rachel on +61 (0) 411 270 277 to coordinate your registration or ask any questions. Workshop selection will open 3 to 4 weeks prior to the conference, we will email the registered teachers and contact person.
CREATE SPARKS IN LEARNING FOR TEACHERS, STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS! BECOME A SPONSOR…
To discuss sponsorship contact Dr Adrian Bertolini – Conference coordinator
Email: adrian@spark-educonferences.com.au or Call +61 0 413 036 382
GET IN TOUCH WITH US
Rachel Manneke-Jones
Registration & Bookings
Ph: 0411 270 277
E: rachel@spark-educonferences.com.au
Dr Adrian Bertolini
Conference Co-Ordinator
Ph: 0413 036 382
E: adrian@spark-educonferences.com.au
Stay Connected
Facebook: @SparkSTEMConference
Instagram: Spark.in.STEAM
LinkedIn: spark-educonferences
© 2025 Intuyu Consulting Pty Ltd