By Benjamin Millar
High school students from across Melbourne’s west have put their knowledge into action in Victoria University’s annual Science and Engineering Challenge.
Teams of year 9 and 10 students from schools in Footscray, Werribee, Caroline Springs and Sunshine gathered at VU’s Footscray Park Campus last Wednesday to compete in eight challenges.
Challenges included building bridges from balsa wood, controlling power supply to a mock power station, constructing a bionic hand and creating a suspension system using elastic bands for a vehicle suitable to tackle the rough surface of Mars.
The challenge’s main aim is to address the skills shortage in science and engineering by inspiring young people to study maths,
physics and chemistry in their senior high school years.
Victoria University was this year ranked among the state’s best universities in engineering and technology, and computer science, in the 2019 Times Higher Education World University Subject Rankings.
VU College of Engineering and Science Dean Professor Farzad Khosrowshahi said the VU prides itself on strong industry links that prepare students for jobs of the future.
“We are thrilled to once again be named as among the best in these areas not just in Australia, but in the world,” he said.
