Budding entrepreneur and Holy Family Catholic Primary School Menai student Lilah Brock’s  STEM MAD National award-winning invention makes being sun safe easy.

Lilah’s Sun Brush is a sunscreen applicator designed to be quick and easy to use and helpful for children with sensory issues.

Engineering and mathematics were strong in her work, with a prototype brush made of hard plastic and soft pony hair.

Lilah received the 2023 STEM MAD National Best Application of Maths in Context Award – Primary for her project which involved calculating how many millilitres of sunscreen the Sun Brush could hold.

She was also a finalist in the Best Innovation for Health Award.

Lilah said about 15,000 people get skin cancer in Australia each year, a statistic which inspired her invention.

“When I went to the beach, I saw so many people sunburnt or really red,” she said.

“I thought to myself ‘why are people not wearing sunscreen?’”

“We surveyed our local community and found most people would prefer using a brush applicator for sunscreen application. It spreads and rubs into skin easily and without any hassle.”

Principal John Kennedy said the school community was proud of Lilah’s ingenuity.

He said her accomplishment reflected both her unique thinking and the spirit of innovation the school’s STEM-focused curriculum promotes.

“Our school embraces and nurtures a culture that encourages creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

“Together, we continue to shape future leaders and thinkers who will undoubtedly make a positive impact on the world.”

About STEM MAD

STEM MAD (Make A Difference) asks Catholic primary and secondary school students across Australia to apply Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics principles and Gospel values to identify and solve a real-world problem.

Projects also draw on research, ingenuity, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to create a measurable positive impact on society.

Lilah’s project fulfilled UN sustainable development goal three, good health and wellbeing, and goal thirteen, climate action.