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Singapore, 7 September 2026 - As an island nation and global maritime hub, Singapore has a deep connection to the ocean. Helping the next generation understand the ocean, and the role it plays in our lives, is increasingly important. To help students engage with and understand these issues through creativity and innovation, Singapore Polytechnic (SP)’s Media, Arts & Design School (SP MAD) and OceanX have launched the first-ever OceanX hackathon in a polytechnic campus held from 7 to 10 September at SP, the hackathon challenges students to combine ocean science, storytelling, and emerging technologies to deepen the public's understanding of the ocean.

Exploring the theme of bioluminescence, students worked in interdisciplinary teams and used games, interactive design, immersive media, and emerging technologies to transform complex ocean science concepts into engaging tools for public education.

Some of the projects taking shape include:

1. An immersive simulation of piloting a deep-sea submersible where players take on the role of ocean researchers and discover bioluminescent creatures. Using interactive props such as a flashlight, the experience encourages curiosity about deep-sea biology and the importance of conserving these little-seen marine animals.
2. A game-based installation where players do not just learn what bioluminescence does, but they will take on the roles of four different deep-sea creatures (a lanternfish, bomber worm, loosejaw and cookie-cutter shark) and try to survive with their abilities. Through gameplay, visitors learn how bioluminescence helps marine life survive, communicate, hide and escape in the deep sea.
3. An immersive installation where visitors will be transported to the tiny world of microbes in the ocean. Through the use of different interactive screens, the project highlights the often-overlooked role microbes play in supporting ocean ecosystems, helping visitors understand how these tiny organisms sustain larger marine life.

Mr Mark Lu, Director of SP's Media, Arts & Design School, said, “At Singapore Polytechnic, we want our students to see sustainability not just as a subject to study, but as a challenge they can help solve. This hackathon gives them the chance to work alongside OceanX educators, creative technology practitioners, and industry mentors to turn what they have learned in the classroom into real, hands-on solutions for marine conservation. We are proud to see them rise to it, and we hope the ideas they develop here spark greater awareness and action long after the hackathon ends.”

Dr Tit Meng Lim, APAC Regional Executive Director, OceanX Education, saidThe next generation will shape how society understands, explores, and responds to the ocean. Programmes like this give students the opportunity to engage with real ocean science, then use design, technology, and storytelling to make that knowledge meaningful to others. That combination of scientific understanding and creative problem-solving is exactly what we need to build stronger ocean literacy and inspire future pathways into ocean science and innovation.