Students to tackle water allocation at Regional Challenge

Chair, Darling Downs Science and Engineering Challenge, Harry Spencer

In the midst of the worst drought on record students taking part in the Regional Science and Engineering Challenge at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) will have the task of distributing water to the nation.

Who gets the water? is a new task for the 2008 Challenge which will see students from 32 schools around the Darling Downs competing for the Challenge title.

2008 Challenge Coordinator Mary McGilvray said the new activity would test the problem solving skills of the bright young minds.

'This new activity really shows students how engineering and problem solving is applied in the real world,' Mrs McGilvray said.

'Students will be set with designing a system to distribute water to locations at a pre-determined rate.'

Now in its fifth year the Science and Engineering Challenge is more popular than ever.

'This year we will have between 770 and 1,020 students on campus taking part in the Challenge,' Mrs McGilvray said.

'The competition encourages students to apply the principles of science, engineering and technology in a series of fun and competitive activities.'

Twelve new sponsors have come on board to support this year's Challenge.

'This year Civil Mining and Construction, New Hope Cooperation, Solidtech Engineering Services Pty Ltd, Opus International Consultants, Ergon Energy, GHD Pty Ltd, Humes, Rowen Meyer and Associates, Wagstaff Piling, Moonrise Estate Winery, Rimfire Winery and the Queensland College of Wine Tourism signed up to support the Challenge.

"These sponsors joined our list of existing sponsors including the Department of Main Roads, Science Centre of Innovation and Professional Practice, the USQ Student Guild, Rotary Club of Toowoomba East, Armstrong Auto Group, Engineers Australia, Buchanan Advanced Composites and Dornbusch Partners."

The 2008 Regional Science and Engineering Challenge runs from Tuesday 6 May to Friday 9 May 2008.

The Challenge commences at 9:30am each day and concludes with final testing of bridges and a presentation from 2:15 to 3:00pm.

Media are welcome to attend.

Media Contact: Amy Cass, USQ Media +61 7 4631 2092