Event date: 15 October 2025

🌟 Empowering the Next Generation through VR and STEM! 🌟

We – the PlaySTEM team from Griffith Business School, brought virtual reality to life for 400 CALD students at Warrigal Road State School.

In an inspiring step toward empowering young minds, researchers from Griffith Business School (GBS) have launched their first PlaySTEM Virtual Reality (VR) incursion at Warrigal Road State School on 15 October 2025.

Led by Dr. Jiraporn Surachartkumtonkun, Dr. Xi Wen (Carys) Chan, SFHEA, and me from the Centre for Work, Organisation and Wellbeing (WOW), alongside Dr. Jennifer-Leigh Campbell from the School of Engineering and Built Environment, the session marks a milestone in the Strengthening Multicultural Queensland (SMQ) PlaySTEM project.

With the support of Mindflight7 Mark Honnibal, we delivered interactive workshops using immersive VR technology to over 400 students, engaging them in hands-on, exploratory experiences designed to ignite curiosity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. The initiative particularly focuses on inspiring culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) female students to imagine themselves in future STEM careers.

I truly believe that “VR gives students an opportunity to see, feel, and experience what a future in STEM could look like. It helps break down barriers and makes complex concepts exciting and accessible.”

The project is part of Griffith’s ongoing commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, encouraging underrepresented groups to explore future pathways in STEM. This project aligns strongly with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 5: Gender Equality, and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, by promoting inclusive and equitable access to transformative STEM learning experiences.

The PlaySTEM initiative combines cutting-edge technology with a social purpose, empowering CALD and First Nations girls through gamified learning and immersive exploration.

The PlaySTEM team will continue to collaborate with Queensland schools throughout 2025, building on this successful launch to reach more communities across the state.