Queensland’s next generation of engineers enjoyed a day of innovative problem solving at the University of Queensland (UQ) recently, exploring the energy crisis issue of Majority World countries and rocket building and launching.
Parklands Christian College students recently participated in UQ ‘Engineering Workshops’ activities, including an Engineers Without Borders workshop where students evaluated a variety of engineering solutions for the lack of electricity in Brazilian favelas and an aerospace engineering rocket workshop where students built and launched rockets.
Parklands Christian College teacher Odette Watson said that the activities broadened students’ perceptions about innovation’s trial and error processes and developed their confidence.
“Unpacking design limitations in various electricity projects was very beneficial, as it addressed the pressure many students feel to create a perfect finished product,” Mrs Watson said.
“They were encouraged to see innovation as a somewhat messy and imperfect process, and the struggle to find creative solutions as a worthwhile pursuit.”
Encouraging Australian school students to study Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects is becoming increasingly important as the ability to innovate will be critical to sustaining livelihoods within the globalised technology-dependent economies of the future.
Program Director Brock Little said that studying STEM subjects opens up employment avenues and equips students to be the problem solvers of tomorrow.
“STEM pathways can take an individual to such a wide variety of careers that make a positive impact in an increasingly technological world,” Mr Little said.
“There are many problems that we need to address, and people involved in STEM will be best placed to find innovative solutions to these problems, including impacts on the environment, alternative energy processes, effective disaster mitigation and management, and the growing ambition to make our species multi-planetary.
“Having participated in a similar university-funded STEM initiative in Year 12, I believe that these workshops can educate and inspire school students, just like they did for me.”
Mrs Watson said that learning STEM subjects in schools empowers students to be visionaries and agents of change.
“In a world of continually advancing technological and scientific breakthroughs, students need to be exposed to the tremendous potential for quality of life improvements offered by these advances in STEM fields, and be empowered to see themselves as participants in the changes occurring,” she said.
Year 10 student Bronte Robertson, whose highlight was the rocket workshop, said that the STEM excursion to UQ was valuable as it taught students about the importance of engineering and the variety of engineering disciplines.
“Engineering is important because it involves creating new ideas to improve all aspects of life, and we learnt how there are not only mechanical engineers, but electrical, civil, chemical and others as well,” Miss Robertson said.
More information on University of Queensland engineering activities for school groups, individual prospective students and teachers.
Main image: Parklands Christian College students at the University of Queensland during a STEM excursion.