The finale of the previous event was on Friday, June 28, at Borde Hill House and Gardens as students raced hovercrafts around a special track.
The latest challenge, which was launched in the Council Chamber of Mid Sussex District Council, will see students designing a drone that can deliver a payload while completing circuits around the South of England Showground.
Professor in Astronomy at Sussex University Stephen Wilkins was at the launch and gave a fascinating presentation about the James Webb Telescope, which he works on.
He told the Middy: “STEM careers are incredibly important to our society. We are here today because of science. It allows us to live longer, healthier lives. It allows us to avoid really dangerous work. Technology has really transformed our society. But also I think just learning about how the universe works is incredibly exciting and interesting. You can just enjoy learning things and I think STEM subjects are just a way of doing that, so it has all these tangible benefits to our society but it's also fun.”
Chairman of the Town Team’s STEM Challenge, Flowserve’s Nick Green, said to the students: “It’s so important that we continue to promote our STEM subjects through schools and encourage yourselves to continue to study these subjects beyond your GCSEs.”
Jim Davidson from Make UK, which represents all of the engineering and manufacturing businesses in England and Wales, said: "As a nation, making things is absolutely critical to our economy. One of the biggest challenges for pretty much every company I speak to is that they actually need to find fresh new talent to drive their businesses forward and some of that is because of the rapid change in technology, and the opportunities that brings to those organisations.”
He said: “I can’t wait to come back in July to see some of these amazing machines.”
Dr Jeremy Crooks, who is one of the judges, said students will have to give a ten-minute presentation about their drone designs at the Friday, July 4, event. He said: “It may seem quite frightening but it will actually be one of the bess things you ever do because it’s so much fun and you’ll learn so much from it.”
In addition students will also have to ‘defend’ to judges about how they went about their projects.
Many engineering and medical companies are participating in the event to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths careers to the students. This year, Thales is joining the team of Flowserve, PSM Marine Engineering, Adelphi, Nuffield Hospital, Bike Smart, Edwards, Balfour Beatty and Rotary. The companies will each provide STEM Ambassadors to work with every school and show them real world workplaces. The students will also prepare a Marketing and Business Management Plan with help from Nuffield Health.
East Grinstead and Uckfield MP Mims Davies, who was at the event, called the Mid Sussex STEM Challenge ‘brilliant’, saying there are ‘some amazing global businesses’ and engineering innovators in Mid Sussex.
She said: “The opportunity to meet your ambassador and work together and really have an understanding of the talent we have in Mid Sussex, this is a great opportunity for you as young people.”
1. Mid Sussex STEM Challenge
Professor in Astronomy at Sussex University Stephen Wilkins gave a presentation about the James Webb Space Telescope Photo: Lawrence Smith
2. Mid Sussex STEM Challenge
Flowserve’s Nick Green, chairman of the Town Team’s STEM Challenge Photo: Lawrence Smith
3. Mid Sussex STEM Challenge
Jim Davidson from Make UK Photo: Lawrence Smith
4. Mid Sussex STEM Challenge
Dr Jeremy Crooks Photo: Lawrence Smith