Launching students into limitless futures

With a strong belief in every student’s potential, Stephen Thrum is “futureproofing” the next generation by equipping them with versatile skills for endless career possibilities.
Stephen Thrum, a teacher at Windaroo Valley State High School in Logan, has had a career that spans from professional model-making to interning at NASA.
However, his most significant impact has been as a Space Settlement Design Coach—a role in which he has led teams of Australian school students to National and International victories over the past 16 years.
“I have had very interesting professional careers, all of which have had some form of impact on the way I teach and mentor students,” Stephen said.
“I am an excellent example to my students of how your future is not set in stone for one job/career to follow.”
In 2016, Stephen discovered his passion for teaching students from lower socio-economic backgrounds through a unique experience at NASA’s Space Camp at Cape Kennedy.
“I started with a group of students from Dubai, and I was left very unimpressed with their outlook on life,” he said.
“They were a young group of opinionated and entitled students who, when I asked them to perform a particular task in their program, turned to me and said, ‘No, I don’t want to do that. You can’t tell me what to do because you are my servant!'”
Stephen then had the privilege of teaching a group from Panama, whose families had devoted a year of hard work to bring them from South America to attend space camp.
“They were all so enthusiastic and respectful learners,” he said.
“I found that these students in particular knew what education could do not only for them but also for their communities back home.”
A highly successful coach with multiple wins under his belt, Stephen has guided his students through the rigorous Space Settlement Design Competition (SSDC), where they are tasked with designing intricate space habitats.
“The ASDC develops and enhances skill sets in discipline, time management, project management, human resourcing, and design thinking skills,” Stephen said.
“I am often quoted as saying the competition ‘future-proofs’ students by providing them with employment and enquiry skills that are transferrable to any career they may choose to follow.”
Stephen said that competitions like SSDC introduced students to real-world style problems and situations by responding to an industry-standard document – a Request For Proposal (RFP).
“The competition allows students to participate in an interesting and lengthy STEM project, even if they weren’t a STEM student at their school,” he said.
“This competition dramatically and effectively demonstrates to students how STEM is actually ever-present in their lives and futures.”