IET: Students battle it out in engineering challenge grand final
Tuesday, 19 June 2012 2:33 PM
Students from three schools will battle it out to be crowned the winners of a UK engineering challenge.
Teams from Lomond School (Helensburgh, Scotland), Ellesmere College (north Shropshire) and Church Stretton School (Shropshire) will compete in the national final of the Faraday Challenge. The season of events is run by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and the final is taking place in central London on Friday (22 June).
Each team has beaten off stiff competition from 160 schools to make it to the final, which will see them design and manufacture a “re-hydration station” for athletes competing in long distance events. The devices will be tested and a panel of judges will crown the winners at the end of the day.
The judges will be joined by retired Olympic race walker, Chris Maddocks, the only male athlete to ever have competed in five consecutive Olympics. He will also give a short presentation on his experience of competing in five consecutive Olympics and the importance of adequate hydration and nutrients in the performance of athletes.
Dee Halil, IET Education Manager, said: “Over 1,900 students have taken part in this year’s challenge, so the students have done amazingly well to make it to the final. The engineering solutions they have presented have been fantastically creative.
“Students have been given a peek into the life of a real engineer, the variety of engineering out there and the central role it plays in our everyday lives.”
The winning team will receive a cash prize of £1,000 for their school. The second and third-placed teams will receive £500 and £250.
Ends
About the Faraday programme:
§ As part of the IET Faraday education programme, 55 Faraday Challenge Days have been hosted at schools and academic partner universities across the UK.
§ The IET Faraday Challenge Days are part of a wider IET Faraday education programme, made up of a whole host of teaching resources and activities to inspire and attract the engineers of tomorrow.
§ The IET Faraday Challenge Days has been granted the Inspire mark by the London 2012 Inspire programme. The London 2012 Inspire programme recognises innovative and exceptional projects that are directly inspired by the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
§ The events aim to encourage more young people to study and consider exciting and rewarding careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) by encouraging creativity, innovation and problem solving skills.
§ Members of each team are 12 - 13 year old students studying Science, Design Technology and Maths.
For more information, visit: http://faraday.theiet.org/
Notes to editors:
Interview opportunities are available with IET spokespersons.
The IET is Europe’s largest professional body of engineers with over 150,000 members in 127 countries.
For more information, visit www.theiet.org.
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Media enquiries to:
Robert Beahan, Media Relations Manager
T: +44 (0)1438 767336
M: +44 (0)7595 400912
E: rbeahan@theiet.org
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