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Day two challenge winners – TIGS – holds aloft the winnin... |
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Nina McGrath collects the trophy on behalf of the winning TIGS team f... |
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Day one winners of the challenge event, Smith’s Hill High Schoo... |
Budding scientists and engineers tackle ‘Challenge’ event
Smith’s Hill High School and The Illawarra Grammar School (TIGS) emerged as the two winning schools in the Illawarra and South East Science and Engineering Challenge held recently at the University of Wollongong.
Day one of the competition saw Macarthur Anglican School, Smith’s Hill High School, John Therry Catholic High School, Holy Spirit College, Illawarra Christian School – Tongarra Campus and Edmund Rice College compete in a number of activities.
And on day two St Mary Star of the Sea College, Heathcote High School, St Joseph’s Catholic High School, Carroll College, Cedars Christian College, Keira High, The Illawarra Grammar School and Ulladulla High School contested the same activities.
More than 400 high schools students from throughout the region took part in the event which aims to encourage more students to undertake science and mathematics in high schools.
Activities ranged from building a fixed arm helicopter or a state of the art ecologically friendly home to constructing a small hovercraft and the grand finale of building a bridge that was capable of withstanding the weight of a dynamic load.
Regional Chair of the Illawarra and South East Challenge Coordinating Committee, Professor Fazel Naghdy, said that all activities were designed to show students the practical side of careers in science and engineering.
A number of local volunteers from the Rotary Club of Wollongong as well as university staff and students assisted with the event.
Professor Naghdy said the ‘Challenge’ was a fun, yet competitive event that aims to inspire young people to consider a career in science and engineering by encouraging them to be innovative and creative as they investigate and solve the various problems presented to them in their activities.
The winner from each day of competition will represent the region in the Super Challenge series scheduled to be held later in the year.
Michelina Bajjada of UOW’s School of Electrical, Computer and Telecommunications Engineering, who helped organise the challenge, said the event was now in its third year and was increasing in popularity.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Rob Castle, officially opened each of the day’s proceedings.
The Illawarra and South East Challenge Committee thanked all those involved in the ‘Challenge’, in particular, the University of Newcastle, the Rotary Club of Wollongong, the Faculty of Informatics, Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Science at the University of Wollongong, the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Engineers Australia, the Australian Constructors Association, Andrew Corporation (Aust) Pty Ltd and the Integral Energy Power Quality and Reliability Centre.