6 minute read
Australian students again shine on the STEM world stage: Proving Australia can produce the best students
A team of six 17-year-old students from Trinity Grammar School, Kew, Victoria, Australia, lifted the Aramco F1 ® in Schools World Champions trophy at Silverstone as the global STEM initiative held its 17th World Finals.
'Hydron' with team members Will Johnson, Benjamin Noonan, Alexander Liu, Andrew Yeang, Timothy Crichton and Alastair Murphy fought off intense competition, defeating 52 teams from 25 countries. In addition to the prestigious World Champions title, they have won a university scholarship to study Engineering at UCL in London.
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Hydron also won the Best Engineered Car Award supported by Williams F1, Fastest Car Award sponsored by Mercedes AMG F1 Team and the Ashes trophy in a competition against the UK. Hydron received nominations for three other awards: Scrutineering Award, Best Pit Display and Best Application of Project Management.
The F1 ® in Schools competition allows teams of students to research, design, test, manufacture and race a miniature Formula 1 car, using some of the advanced technology applied within real F1 ® teams. All the teams competing this week spent hundreds of hours producing their models, and Hydron rose to the top.
Taking the World Champions title was a proud moment for Hydron, with Will Johnson, Team Principal, saying: "When we set out, it was our dream to come to the World Finals, and here we are now; it's crazy to think how far we've come. We can't believe we've done it. It's not one person; it's a real team effort. The teamwork, the relationship between us and our shared ambitions all going for one thing that makes it so unique.
"Our engineers did a fantastic job designing our cars, spending thousands of hours and hours of work, doing the CAD modelling, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Finite Element Analysis, MATLAB analysis and Project Management. But the gelling of the team and working together made our car the best. Some of us are keen to look at the scholarship opportunity, which is great too. We've worked late nights, stayed back at school, and worked weekends, all in addition to our regular school load; getting through to the end was a big challenge, but it's paid off for us. We're just over the moon!"
Just as in the sport of Formula 1, teams push the boundaries of the rules and regulations in their determination to produce the best car, test and perfect their designs, and pay close attention to detail in the visual identity of their team. Hydron developed an outstanding car and showed fantastic teamwork to earn a well-deserved victory.
Team HYDRON Left to right: Alex Liu, Ben Noonan, Will Johnson, Alastair Murphy, Tim Crichton, Andrew Yeang
Dr Myers, Chairman of REA
Hydron was not the only member of Team Australia. They were accompanied at the event by:
AXION from Penrith Christian College, NSW, who finished 10th Outright.
IN MOTION, an all-girl team from Riverside College Launceston TAS, who finished 14th Outright.
AQUEOUS, a collaboration team including students from Newington College & Blue Mountains Grammar School, NSW, who finished 19th Outright.
F1 ® in Schools is a program managed in Australia by the Re- Engineering Australia Foundation Ltd (REA), whose other programs include SUBS in Schools & SPACE in Schools. All founded on a Metamorphic Learning TM Framework that creates a transition in student (and teacher) capabilities so profound that it doesn't just change a person's knowledge base; it changes them fundamentally. It builds in the students the employability skills they need to transition to the world of work, creating the next generation of innovators who will cement Australia's economic future.
Dr Myers, Chairman of REA, said, "The level of engineering design and analysis work these students undertake is world-class by any measure. There would be few engineers in Australia who could not learn from these students". "We are proud of not only the students but also their teachers, who guide their journey of discovery, and the schools that allow their desire to be the best to flourish".
Australia has a history of performing well in international STEM competitions. For the record books, Australia's success at F1 ® in Schools World Finals since 2004:
• 1st Place: 7 times World Champions
• 2nd Place: 6 times
• 3rd Place: 5 times
• 4th Place: 3 times
• 5th Place: 6 times
About F1 ® in Schools
This multi-faceted STEM competition embraces enterprise, design, engineering, marketing and teamwork. Formula 1 ® is at the heart of the initiative, with students across the globe forming F1 ® teams in miniature to design, make, test and race an F1 ® in Schools car, competing regionally and nationally, with the best teams winning a place at the Aramco F1 ® in Schools World Finals.
In the competition, student teams from around the globe design and develop a scale model F1 ® in Schools car with advanced engineering and produce highly creative and instructive presentations of their teams. The cars compete on the 20-metre racetrack at speeds of around 75 km/hr!
F1 ® in Schools puts STEM education into context with its parallels to the real world of the sport and broader industry. It makes learning more relevant, engaging and exciting with its supportive, competitive environment.
This Formula 1 ® supported global STEM programme is a proven route to motorsport and automotive careers with former participants working in Formula 1 ® teams, engine manufacturers, sports agencies and many more allied companies. It also provides the sport a unique platform for promotion to the younger generation.
Team: HYDRON
School: Trinity Grammar School, Kew, VIC
Winner: 2022 World Champions, Best Engineered Car, Fastest Car, Ashes Trophy (v UK)
Team: AXION
School: Penrith Christian College, NSW
Position: 10th Outright
Team: IN MOTION
School: Riverside College Launceston, TAS
Position: 14th Outright
Team: ARQEOUS
School: Newingtown College & Blue Mountains Grammar School NSW
Position: 19th Outright
