2024 – A Year of STEAM Excellence at ISSH
With February marking the International Day of Women & Girls in Science, we take pride in reflecting on a year of outstanding STEM achievements by our students at ISSH. Their dedication, curiosity, and innovation continue to push boundaries, inspiring us all to foster a passion for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
STEM Excellence Fellowship: Nurturing Innovation
Two of our students, Lea Stangl and Gregor Wehle, successfully completed the prestigious STEM Excellence Fellowship Programme , an initiative designed to empower young minds through interdisciplinary projects in science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics.
Lea’s project, “Visions of the Future,” explored the possibilities of artificial intelligence through a creative lens, resulting in an art book that imagines the world of tomorrow. Meanwhile, Gregor focused on aviation technology, developing a machine learning model capable of distinguishing between commercial aircraft and fighter jets. Their work exemplifies the spirit of innovation that we encourage at ISSH, and we celebrate their impressive achievements.
Celebrating Excellence in Chemistry at the International Olympiad
A heartfelt congratulations to boarding student Stanisław Bektaş, who earned an Honourable Mention at the International Chemistry Olympiad in Saudi Arabia. Competing against 327 participants from 84 countries, Stanisław proudly represented Switzerland, showcasing outstanding scientific knowledge, problem-solving skills, and perseverance. His achievement is a testament to the dedication and passion for STEM that we foster at ISSH.
We are deeply grateful for the valuable partnerships that support our students’ ambitions. A special thank you to Suisse Technology Partners AG and SCIENCE.OLYMPIAD.CH for their unwavering commitment to nurturing young scientific talent. These collaborations provide our students with invaluable opportunities to challenge themselves, gain real-world experience, and reach their full potential.
At ISSH, we believe that strong partnerships with industry and academic institutions play a crucial role in empowering the next generation of scientists and innovators.
Team Ovarium’s Inspiring Visit to Amazon Web Services
Team Ovarium made an impact in the tech world by winning the national app design competition hosted by Amazon Web Services (AWS). This annual competition, held in different countries each year, took place in Switzerland in 2023/2024, bringing together eight schools and around 100 students.
A collaboration between AWS and the international NGO RightsTec Women, the competition aimed to inspire and create more opportunities for women in STEAM careers. Teams were challenged to design an app benefiting their local school or community.
Five of our Grade 10 students created ‘Team Ovarium’. Ovarium, after ovaries in Latin; ovaria, to incorporate the idea of female power and creating life. They developed ‘UnitE’, an app designed to foster connection. Their logo depicted one hand pulling up another, illustrating a message of unity through supporting one another. Their presentation covered app functionality, target audience, wireframing, market research, and iterative design improvements. Their outstanding work earned them a spot in the finals, where they presented to industry experts. One judge even declared it “one of the best presentations I have ever seen!”
Their journey continued with a visit to AWS headquarters in Zürich, where they took part in workshops and received expert mentorship from Alessandra Pasini, AWS Solutions Architect. Their passion for innovation and determination to further develop their app serve as an inspiration to us all – showing that with dedication and opportunity, young women can shape the future of technology.
This year we celebrate International Day of Women & Girls in Science, by proudly recognising the achievements of all our students – both male and female – who continue to explore, create, and innovate. By nurturing curiosity and supporting young scientists and engineers, we are shaping a future driven by knowledge, discovery, and excellence.
Here’s to another year of inspiring STEAM success at ISSH! 🚀🔬💡
