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School students see that science is exciting

June 15, 2005

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Year 10 students from nine schools in the New England region had a first-hand experience of scientific discovery and teamwork at the annual Armidale Science and Engineering Challenge.

The Armidale Challenge, staged for the third successive year at The University of New England, engaged the students in competitive activities that included designing, building and operating aircraft, bridges and catapults.

About 230 students from nine schools in Armidale, Inverell, Tenterfield Uralla and Walcha took part in the closely-contested Challenge last week, with the team from The Armidale School (TAS) finally emerging with the most points. “It was an exciting finale,” said Dr Sarah Pearson of UNE, one of the organisers of the event. “TAS and the runner-up, Armidale High School, were very close.”

This was the second successive win for TAS in the Armidale Challenge. A team from TAS will travel to Newcastle in August to compete in the Super Challenge Series with winning schools from more than 20 local Challenge events. (The University of Newcastle coordinates the Science and Engineering Challenge nationally.)

“It was an exciting day for the students,” Dr Pearson said, “and for us as organisers it was great to see them all focused on what they were doing and achieving outstanding results.”

About 25 people, including UNE lecturers, technical officers, postgraduate students and science-teaching students, and Rotary members, guided the teams through the activities in UNE’s Lazenby Hall. At the end of the day the Regional Chair for the Armidale Challenge, David Steller of Armidale Central Rotary Club, presented the trophies. He was assisted by Dr Bob Patterson, Chair of the Northern Group of the Institution of Engineers Australia. UNE, Rotary, and Engineers Australia are among the sponsors of the event.

Kathleen Mullen, a UNE science graduate and PhD student, spoke to the students about her passion for (and experience in) science. “You’ve seen today that science can be great fun,” she said. “In research you’re doing something that no one else has ever done before. You could find a cure for cancer or win a Nobel Prize.”


Media contact: Dr Sarah Pearson, Physics and Electronics, UNE (02) 6773 2061 or Jim Scanlan, Public Relations, UNE (02) 6773 3049.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at June 15, 2005 11:09 AM