Dunedin students Drilling For Knowledge

Dunedin students from Kings High School and Bayfield High School  will get to whet their appetites for natural science with an opportunity for hands-on learning about the geography and hydrology of South Dunedin.

Thanks to funding from the Government’s Curious Minds programme, Year 10 geography students from both high schools worked with Otago Regional Council, the NZ International Science Festival, GNS Science, and the University of Otago to learn about the variability of groundwater levels and soil composition beneath their schools. 

The students  will get the opportunity to drill groundwater monitoring bores, study some of the material from the various drill cores, and analyse data from ORC’s existing groundwater monitoring network.

NZ International Science Festival director Dan Hendra said it was important students and the community understood South Dunedin’s changing environment and its effect on the area’s geography and hydrology.

 “Recent rainfall events mean it’s more important than ever that we collectively engage in what is happening directly below our feet, and this project is the first step in engaging the community through outreach to affected schools.” Mr Hendra said.

 For more information, refer: www.scifest.org.nz/2016-festival/news and https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/pupils-drill-knowledge