The Science and Engineering Challenge (The Challenge) is a set of fun and competitive hands-on activities involving principles of science, engineering and technology. The concept is to immediately engage students in the activity with a minimum of introduction and theory.
Participating schools select their representative teams of between 24 and 32 students from Years 9 and 10. A total of eight different activities are set for each day, and each school allocates three or four students to each activity. Teams are divided into eight groups that compete in one full day or two half day activities.
Points are scored and tallied, and the winning school(s) on that day qualifies for the Super Challenge (state final), and may go on to the Grand Challenge (national final) event. A competitive environment is created as representative school teams are pitted against each other and against the clock in a range of science and engineering tasks.
The Tasmanian Challenge
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Heading into its ninth year in Tasmania, the Science and Engineering Challenge is an outreach program aimed at changing student’s perceptions of science and engineering. Through the Challenge, students experience aspects of these disciplines which they would not usually see in their school environment. The Challenge aims to inspire students in year 10 (and below) to consider a future career in science and engineering by choosing to study subjects such as maths, physics and chemistry (the enabling sciences) in years 11 and 12.
By participating in the Challenge students see that science and engineering involves creativity, innovation, problem solving and team work.
This year, Challenge heats will be held at Reece High School in Devonport, Launceston Christian School in Launceston and on the UTAS campus in Sandy Bay.
Please see below for the registration form. Places are limited to eight schools per day and will be allocated on a first-in basis.
The 2013 Tasmanian Challenge Series will be held on the following dates in these regions:
Participating schools select their representative teams of up to 32 students from Years 9 and 10. We welcome combined entries from smaller schools, which we will help facilitate if required. If you have 12 to 23 students, please indicate the likely number of students when you register. If you have made arrangements to combine with another school, please include this information on the registration form.
Entry to the Tasmanian Challenge Series is free due to the generous financial support from the University of Tasmania and the Tasmanian Education Department. The Challenge in Tasmania is also supported by Engineers Australia (Tasmania Division) and Rotary International clubs (in Hobart, Launceston and North West Tasmania), in collaboration with the University of Newcastle.
2013 Registration form (PDF, 385KB)
For more information about the Challenge in Tasmania, please contact Susie Haley:
Susie Haley (Outreach Officer)
School of Engineering
University of Tasmania
ph: 03 6226 7868
email: Susie.Haley@utas.edu.au
