How it started
STEM Wana was established in January 2019 and became a registered charity in March of the same year. Its mission: to engage and inspire a new generation of scientists, technologists, engineers, and mathematicians (STEM) through creative community initiatives and events.
In October 2019, the team at STEM Wana — along with a generous group of volunteers (who donated over 10,000 hours of their time!) and more than 47 exhibitors — put on Aotearoa’s first-ever STEM Festival. Described as a hands-on, learn-by-doing experience, the festival was a celebration of discovery. The free, one-day event welcomed over 3,500 visitors. Unsurprisingly, the team took home their first Event Excellence Award for their incredible efforts.
It hasn’t all been plain sailing. If you remember back to 2020 - all large-scale community events were cancelled due to the global pandemic. So, the team pivoted and created the STEM HQ Discovery Centre, which welcomed more than 3,500 visitors over three months during the summer holidays. This carefully curated space brought educational entertainment with an emphasis on play and learning, sparking curiosity and exploration. It featured six separate exhibit zones and a rotating ‘feature zone’ that changed weekly.
In 2021, with ongoing uncertainty around large-scale events, STEM Wana began developing and delivering a series of outreach activities around the Bay of Plenty. These included events such as Morning Tea with STEM Heroes and a whole host of workshops covering topics like plastic waste, electronics, home science projects, women in tech, robotics, water education, and biomimicry (examining how nature solves problems and applying the same principles to human design challenges).
It wasn’t until 2022 — with the worst of the lockdowns behind us — that the second edition of STEMFest could finally go ahead. That year, the event proved to be bigger and better than the inaugural festival, with over 5,000 attendees.
STEMFest founder Tia Lush was quoted as saying:
“After an extremely challenging and disappointing couple of years not being able to deliver large-scale events, our team were so excited to finally be able to deliver the festival. To see thousands gather on Durham Street was extremely satisfying and emotional. We were delighted to be able to bring together New Zealand’s future problem solvers for some hands-on experiments in a true celebration of STEM. We’ve had reports of our youngest visitor being 3 weeks old, and at the other end of the age range, a 93-year-old. Proof that STEM is for everyone — regardless of age!”
The fun didn’t stop there!
Following the success of the second STEMFest, the team partnered with NASA and went on tour with Molecular Biologist and NASA Astronaut Dr Kate Rubins. Free events were hosted in Palmerston North, Taupō, Rotorua, and of course, Tauranga, where whānau had the chance to hear about Dr Rubins’ adventures and mahi in space.
In early 2023, the team celebrated their second award, winning the Western Bay Community Award for Event Excellence.
Later that October, during the school holidays, the third edition of STEMFest took place — even bigger than before. With over 50 exhibitors from across the motu showcasing their mahi and industries, 10,000 tickets were issued, and around 6,000 attendees showed up to the free, all-day event.
More than just STEMFest
In 2024, the team decided to make STEMFest a bi-annual event — but that doesn’t mean the mahi stopped. Throughout the year, the STEM Wana team runs a number of events and engagements through their STEM in the Community initiative. This often targets primary and intermediate students and involves collaboration with other community partners in the STEM space.
Alongside this, STEM in the Community also hosts talks and discussions for the wider community on topics such as diversity in STEM and celestial navigation.
STEM Wana is also behind other community initiatives, including Tinkd Makerspace and the Tauranga Repair Cafe.
Tinkd Makerspace is a creative hub offering a wide range of tools, equipment, and resources for local makers. The space centres around six dedicated maker zones:
- 3D printing
- Laser cutting
- Plotter cutter (vinyl decal and HTV)
- Textiles and sewing
- Robotics
- Soldering and electronics
Tinkd is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings, as well as Sunday mornings. For more information or to sign up, visit: tinkd.nz
The Repair Cafe is part of a global movement aimed at reducing landfill waste by fixing broken items and appliances. Tauranga’s Repair Cafe is run by a dedicated group of volunteers and operates once a month. It’s a free service! Details on what they can fix, how to sign up, and when the next session is happening can be found at: tinkd.nz/repair-cafe-tauranga
The STEM Wana team are proud Basestation residents and have a small office here. If you're interested in coworking alongside amazing teams like this, visit our website: basestation.nz — or come in for a chat! You can find us at 148 Durham Street, Tauranga. We're open from 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday.