The annual Science and Engineering Challenge has attracted around 1200 Tasmanian students from 45 high schools throughout May, as part of its national 2023 event series.
Year 9 and 10 students from across the state drew on their teamwork and creativity to solve challenges involving building bridges, designing autonomous gliders, designing and build an earthquake-proof apartment block and more.
The grand finals were hosted in Hobart on Monday 22 May, with eight schools competing for the top score:
- Devonport High School
- Launceston Christian School
- Riverside High School
- St Mary’s College
- Taroona High School
- Calvin Christian School
- Kingston High School
- Combined team from Newstead Christian School and John Calvin School
Launceston Christian School took the top gong scoring the highest overall points throughout the day, with Riverside High School coming second place. The winning team will travel to Sydney in October for the national finals.
Riverside High School also took out the Tasmanian 2023 perpetual trophy, winning the final bridge building test.
Terry Bailey, Executive Dean of the College of Sciences and Engineering at the University of Tasmania said this was an opportunity for students to come together and test their problem-solving skills – a critical part of what it means to be a successful scientist or engineer.
“It’s great to see students consider a future in science or engineering, fields that we know hold incredible opportunity for fulfilling careers for the coming decades,” Mr Bailey said.
Over the next five years, 62 per cent of employment growth in Australia is predicted to come from healthcare, science and technology, education and construction. With STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) graduates in Australia making up only 25 per cent of the entire graduate cohort, the Science and Engineering Challenge inspires students to work in STEM careers.
The Science and Engineering Challenge is presented by The University of Newcastle in cooperation with The University of Tasmania, TasWater, The Tasmanian Government’s Department for Education, Children and Young People, Rotary Tasmania and Zinfra Pty Ltd.
