The UQ Centre,
Union Road,
St Lucia
$440 per school group incl. GST
UQ will issue your school an invoice following registration through Eventbrite.
Registrations close 5:00pm Friday 30 April 2021
The Science and Engineering Challenge, run in conjunction with The University of Newcastle, helps Year 9 and 10 students to foster their interest in STEM, with the hope that more students will consider future careers in these areas.
The Challenge involves a full day of practical activities where students put their best problem-solving minds to the test designing an earthquake-proof tower, building a hovercraft or bridge, providing electricity to a city or creating an environmentally friendly house. The exhilarating day culminates in the final task, where students put their efforts to the test in front of excited onlookers. Teams design and build bridges that should withhold loads as weighted ingots (blocks of metal) travel from one side to the other. Students are encouraged to approach the challenges with creativity, innovation and team work.Through the Challenge, students experience aspects of Science and Engineering which they would not usually see in their school environment.
COST: $440 per school. Payable upon invoice from UQ after registration.
WHO ATTENDS: Each school brings a team of between 16 and 32 Year 9-10 students. A maximum of 8 schools per day compete against each other at one venue. Each school 'team' is divided into eight groups of between 2 to 4 students per group. Each group will then do either one full-day activity, or two half-day activities (i.e. one activity in the morning session, and a different one in the afternoon session).
A Teacher Information Pack will be sent to you following registration.
P: 3365 2382
E: h.burdon@uq.edu.au
(half-day)
Students plug power stations into a large board and then control the supply of power to a variety of infrastructure on the other side of the board. The infrastructure is represented by lines of switches which are turned on or off by the students.
(half day)
Students are required to design, build and use a 'bionic hand' built from PVC pipe, string, straws, and wooden sticks. Each group will then assess the effectiveness of their construction in several tests.
(half day)
Students construct a tall earthquake-proof tower using only basic materials, sound engineering principles, and ingenuity. At the end of the session the towers are put to the test on an earthquake simulator.
(half day)
Each group of students will be provided with 2 terminals, which they will use to communicate with each other using various coloured light transmitted through an optical fibre. Students will be assessed on their speed and accuracy.
(half-day)
This activity requires students to design, build, and fly a model hovercraft. Students will use a fan, propellers, a controller and other materials to construct the craft.
(half day)
The aim of this half-day activity is to develop rail networks that convey trains in the most efficient way possible. The higher the efficiency of linkage (i.e. minimum travel distance) the more points your team earns.
(full-day)
This activity requires students to design, build, and fly a model hovercraft. Students will use a fan, propellers, a controller and other materials to construct the craft.
(full-day)
Build a small bridge from balsa, pins, tape, paddle pop sticks etc. Points are awarded for strength and load-carrying capacity (tested with dynamic loads).