Where will your Extended Essay take you? For QAHS Class of 2025 graduate, Harima Ali, her research investigation in an innovative biodegradable water filtration system has taken her to the national stage of recognition as Australia's Grand Award winner for Innovation 2025/26 in the Australian Science Teachers Association (ASTA) iCubed Science Awards.
Harima's investigation looks into a novel, biodegradable and economically feasible water filtration method for communities living in underdeveloped countries who do not have the financial infrastructure to fund expensive filtration methods. Harima had also received a Gold CREST award, 1st Prize in Gold Coast Science Competition, and 1st Prize in Science Teachers Association of Queensland Contest for this project. Appreciation and thanks go to her supervisor Mrs Kahlia Baker and mentor Dr Darren Grice of Griffith University for their support on this investigation.
The Australian Science Teachers Association (ASTA) iCubed Awards are a prestigious national STEM competition that showcases exceptional scientific investigations and innovative engineering projects from students in Preschool to Year 12. To qualify, students must first excel in their state or territory Science Teachers Association (STA) awards.
Students compete in categories that embody the 3Is: Innovation, Inquiry, and Ingenuity.
Harima is now a published researcher with her Extended Essay on Tartrazine azo dye adsorption published in the 2nd edition of Make A Mark Journal of Aimers Foundation. Make A Mark Journal has been deposited and accepted at the National Library of Australia repository.
Harima's research project can be viewed on the ASTA iCubed Virtual Fair CLICK HERE.
Congratulations Harima. We are enormously proud of Harima's research and its potential for global impact being recognised.
Anir Lal
HOD Science