A key aspect of the challenge was to apply a circular economy approach to developing a solution, in that they had to re-think the system to design out waste and keep materials and products in use.
MCEC Sustainability Manager, Samantha Ferrier is the Project Coordinator and a prime example of the future career opportunities available in the sustainability field.
“It’s a unique opportunity for industry to solve real challenges by collaborating with university students. The students are highly self-motivated and passionate and are taught to apply a design and systems thinking approach. Our team at MCEC is really excited to see the solutions that the students come up with because eliminating unnecessary single-use plastic is something we’ve been working towards for some time. It’s important that the events industry is doing all we can to prevent waste by redesigning the system,” she said.
The six students are studying degrees in Marketing, Economics and Finance or Information Systems.
The ‘RMIT Impact Academy’ is designed to deliver solutions for a sustainable future by connecting students with industry projects within a simulated modern work environment.
It runs each university semester and is currently recruiting students and industry delivery partners aligned to emerging tech for good, social impact and education futures.
For more information on Sustainability at MCEC visit mcec.com.au/about-us/sustainability