John Monash Science School’s Pitch 2 Panel challenge continued to grow momentum in 2022. For the first time since its inception, there was an opportunity for student teams to pitch face-to-face to a panel of industry professionals.
Sustainable Cities is a Year 10 unit at John Monash Science School and requires students to consider technology, innovation, design, sociology and geography as part of their solutions toolkit. Students selected a case study, “city in decline,” and went to work to reverse economic, societal, structural and environmental failures.
The top 8 teams were selected by their student peers using a internal pitch and vote system.
Students were provided with a partial template, which allowed them to provide more time on human implications and less time solving hard technical issues.
For the first time, the industry panel included a HASS representative from Monash University’s School of Social Sciences. Providing the opportunity for HASS feedback and assessment ensured that HASS occupied equal merit with STEM skills and clearly demonstrated that the best design requires technical, innovative and social solutions.
MTS developed a Credly-backed digital badge, which captured the skills required by the top 8 student teams to reach the Pitch 2 Panel challenge.
A digital badge for the industry panellists was awarded so that MTS could better capture their contribution to a community engagement activity.
This year’s panel included Monash University’s Net Zero Engagement Manager, the National Property Director of Schiavello Property, Monash Council’s Sustainability Officer and the Associate Professor and Interim Head of the School of Social Sciences at Monash University.
The industry panel continues to evolve to reflect the Sustainable Cities course content and provide students with relevant, meaningful and industry-specific feedback. Panellists and students shared their knowledge and passion for sustainable urban design in a research-driven, thoughtful, and professional forum.
