This month, we are announcing our inaugural 2006 award for Excellence in Education Technology. With a prize pool of $10,000, we are seeking to make a significant statement in our drive to promote the study and use of electronic technology in all facets of society. SILICON CHIP has survived and grown over 18 years, due to the support of our readers and advertisers. Now we want to give something back, to promote electronics in Australia.

While so much of the media keeps harping on about the loss of manufacturing and skills to Asia, we know that the real story is much more upbeat. Yes, most consumer product manufacturing has moved off-shore but there still remains a lot of niche manufacturers in Australia, producing all sorts of specialised equipment. Our universities and TAFE colleges are also centres of excellence, often doing wonderful research and development with resources that are only a fraction of those available to overseas academic institutions.

We want to promote this excellence. We also want to publish some of the many stories of interesting research in our universities and ultimately, we want to make awards for the best projects.

Furthermore, we want to promote the interest in electronics in schools. There is quite a substantial amount of electronics in the secondary schools’ curricula now but some teachers go out of their way to be innovative in teaching and encouraging their students, to produce great assignments and participate in interesting group projects. An example of this was the automated pedestrian crossing system devised by students at Sydney’s East Hills Girls Technology School. We reported on that story in the February 2005 issue.

Who knows where those girls at that school will end up, because of their participation in that electronic project? MD of a technology company? Research scientist? Technology adviser to an insurance company or government institution? Whatever the outcome, they will all be enriched by the experience.

So here we are in December 2005 announcing what we hope will grow to become a significant annual event, promoting excellence and giving acknowledgement to those lecturers and teachers who are trying to make a big difference. We know that most universities and TAFE colleges have all but closed for the end-of-year holidays and that schools are also very close to the end of term but the message should get out there.

If you are a secondary school teacher or lecturer at a tertiary institution, make sure you are in the running for the awards next year. And if you are a school student or you have a son or daughter in secondary school, make sure your school knows about the award. Better still, why not think about starting your own project which could be in the running?

Leo Simpson