Challenge 2009 (new)
Preliminary dates for the 2009 third annual Science and Engineering Challenge are June 10th and 11th, 2009. Please bookmark this link and continue to check back for updated 2009 information in the future.
Overview
Hundreds of high school students will once again put their scientific and lateral minds to the test when they converge on the University of Wollongong to compete in Illawarra and South East’s second annual Science and Engineering Challenge on June 25 &26. The Challenge has been expanded to two day events to involve approximately 500 high school students.
Sixteen local high schools will be invited to join this year’s challenge. Each school will need to organize a team of 32 students (year 10 preferred) and come to University of Wollongong for one day competition. Entry to the Challenge is free due to the generous financial support from various sponsors.
The Illawarra and South East Challenge is hosted by the School of Electrical Computer and Telecommunication Engineering at University of Wollongong, Rotary Club of Wollongong and Engineers Australia in collaboration with the University of Newcastle and Department of Science, Education and Training.
What is the Challenge?
The Challenge is a set of fun and competitive 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. Students will explore scientific principles for themselves rather than being guided to a predetermined answer.
Participating schools select their representative teams of 24 to 40 students from Years 9 or 10. A total of eight different activities are set for each day, and each school allocates 3~5 students to each activity. Points are scored and tallied, and the winning school on that day qualifies for the NSW Super Challenge, and may go on to the National Grand Challenge 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. Last year’s eight activities include Gold Fever, Mission to Mars, Hover Frenzy, Back to the Future, Confounding Communications, ElectraCITY, Future Power, and Leprechaun Cannon (see Challenge Activities for further information).
The Challenge program is highly regarded as a means of raising the awareness of students regarding career opportunities in the sciences and engineering. The Challenge was awarded an Engineering Excellence in 2003 and has been recognised by the International Institute of Physics based in London.
The University of Newcastle produces an Engineering Challenge newsletter "Your Challenge".If you would like to receive copies, please email: challenge@newcastle.edu.au or visit www.newcastle.edu.au/group/challenge for further information.
Organising committee
- Fazel Naghdy, SECTE, UoW (Chair)
- Zengxi (Stephen) Pan, SECTE, UoW (coordinator)
- Peter Charker, Rotary Club of Wollongong
- Shannon Svensen, SECTE, UoW
- Stephen Petrou, SECTE, UoW
- Melissa Thompson, Faculty of Science, UoW
- Lorelle Pollard, Faculty of Engineering, UoW
- Elaine Bailey, Engineers Australia
Contact us
Dr Zengxi (Stephen) Pan
School of Electrical, Computer and Telecomunication Engineering
University of Wollongong
Wollongong,NSW 2522, Australia
Office: 35.G24B | Phone: 4221 5498 | Fax: 4221 3236
Cell: 0433 799 324 Email: zengxi@uow.edu.auMs Shannon Svensen
School of Electrical, Computer and Telecomunication Engineering
University of Wollongong
Wollongong,NSW 2522, Australia
Office: 35.G43 | Phone: 4221 4500| Fax: 4221 3236
Email: shannons@uow.edu.au
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