Powerhouse Launch New In-School Program Tackling Extreme Heat

This term, close to a thousand students from nine Western Sydney public schools are taking part in a first-of-its-kind program examining and responding to the challenges of extreme urban heat in Greater Sydney.

50°C: Climate, Heat and Resilience is a Year 9 and 10 interdisciplinary project delivered by Powerhouse through the Lang Walker Family Academy, with support from the NSW Office of the Chief Scientist and Engineer.

Over 10 weeks, students will deepen their interest and understanding of rising heat through hands-on lessons that incorporate geography, science, visual art, English and design and technology subjects.

Utilising temperature data loggers and thermal cameras, students will investigate and interpret heat data in their schools while learning about the latest climate and heat tracking technology. Students will also examine the impacts of extreme heat on our health and learn about climate-conscious urban design, allowing them to research and design heat adaptation and mitigation solutions that can be implemented locally in their communities and schools.

City of Parramatta, Blacktown City Council and Cumberland City Council are supporting the program by providing access to local heat data and conducting student tours within their LGAs to learn about existing council heat reduction programs.

Students will also be linked to leading academics from Western Sydney University, University of New South Wales and the University of Sydney who will present expert knowledge and research, while industry, advocacy and creative groups will demonstrate how they’re establishing climate resilient communities through their work. Industry, advocacy and creative collaborators include CSIRO, WSROC, Sweltering Cities, Australian Youth Climate Coalition, Sydney Water, Greening Australia, Story Factory, Melbourne Megagames, Always Collective and award-winning author James Bradley.

Participating NSW public schools include James Ruse Agricultural High School, Macarthur Girls High School, Cumberland High School, Arthur Phillip High School, The Ponds High School, Doonside Technology High School, Seven Hills High School, Granville Boys High School, and Holroyd High Schools.

Powerhouse Chief Executive Lisa Havilah said, ‘Powerhouse is proud to present the second in-school Lang Walker Family Academy program through support from the NSW Office of the Chief Scientist and Engineer. As we establish our new museum Powerhouse Parramatta, we recognise that extreme heat is one of the biggest challenges facing the region. It is our shared responsibility to inspire and empower the next generation to understand this issue and help develop impactful solutions in their local communities. Powerhouse has brought together collaborators and experts across industry, academia and local government to create this innovative program that will have lasting impact.’

NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer Hugh Durrant-Whyte said, ‘Powerhouse was a successful recipient in my office’s Natural Hazards STEM Support Program, which aims to enhance STEM skills in our students and to inspire our next generation of innovators and technologists. Their 50°C program’s use of gameplay is an excellent way to engage students as they figure out how to protect their communities from the immediate effect of heatwaves, while also showing the importance of science and government working together to solve our most pressing problems.’

Georgia Vesperman, Director of the Walker Family Foundation said, ‘We are proud to see the Lang Walker Family Academy expand its immersive STEM education experiences with this latest 50°C program to engage and challenge 1000 Western Sydney students. This follows the strong success of our Academy’s inaugural Powerhouse: Future Space program, which taught hundreds of Western Sydney students about the carbon cycle, culminating in the launch of a student-designed mission to the International Space Station.’

Sweltering Cities Executive Director Emma Bacon said, ‘Rising temperatures mean longer, hotter and more deadly summers. Communities across the country, and especially in the hot suburbs of Western Sydney, are facing sweltering days and sleepless nights. Decisions we make now about our homes, cities, workplaces and jobs will make a big difference in how safe we are in the record heat of the future. I'm excited to see where the students’ ideas can lead us.’

At the conclusion of the program, students will share their projects with key decision-makers across government, academia, education and industry at a student led 50°C Climate Summit, hosted at Western Sydney University on 11 April 2025.

For more information visit: https://ph.au/4b3H7W0