Students gear up for a solar challenge

3 September 2004

Budding science and technology students from several Victorian schools will test their green energy skills in the second annual Model Solar Car Pursuit, at Federation Square on Monday 6 September.

The event, which will be held as an opener to Engineering Week, challenges primary and secondary students to design, build and test solar powered model cars. The project is supported by Monash University, the Victorian Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development (DIIRD), and Engineers Australia.

The participating schools are Melbourne High School, Geelong College, Gennazzano Convent, Box Hill High School, Brighton Secondary College, Syndal South Primary School, Trinity College, and Lighthouse Christian College (Keysborough).

Mr Paul Wellington, senior lecturer in Mechanical Engineering at Monash said the university had a long association with model solar car racing in schools. "We established the Monash Engineering Model Solar Challenge in 1987 directly after the first transcontinental solar car race -- the World Solar Challenge.

"It has introduced thousands of students to solar and renewable energy and energy efficiency principles as well as exposing them to teamwork and the challenge of competition," he said. "Many of them have gone on to university and TAFE colleges to study engineering."

Mr Wellington said the Victorian department's public awareness grant allowed the program to develop and distribute new, cheaper and more rugged solar panels, which could be optimised for varying weather conditions.

"At Monash Science Centre we have established an experimental exhibition where students can test aspects of car design such as rolling resistance, solar cell wiring and motor performance," he said.

Mr Wellington said the Pursuit would provide the participants with an excellent dress rehearsal for the 15th Monash Engineering Model Solar Challenge, which will be held at Scienceworks on October 16 and 17.

What: Model Solar Car Pursuit
Where: Federation Square
When: Monday 6 September, 1-1.30pm

For further information contact Mr Paul Wellington, Department of Mechanical Engineering, at Monash University Caulfield Campus on 03 9903 2156, or Ingrid Sanders, Media and Communications Unit at Clayton campus on 03 9905 9201.