Students to be given a 'hand' during Challenge

In a tough new activity designed to test the brightest young scientific minds, students will be given straws and elastic to devise a model human hand during the Regional Science and Engineering Challenge this week (May 17-20).

The annual competition, to be held at USQ in Toowoomba from Tuesday May 17 until Friday May 20, will attract almost 1000 Years 9 and 10 students from 31 schools across the Darling Downs.

Each day eight schools will compete against each other in eight different activities and the team with the most points receives a trophy. The three highest scoring teams from the Challenge will go on to compete in the Super Challenge against teams from northern New South Wales and Brisbane.

Challenge coordinator Mary McGilvray said the four-day event encouraged students to apply the principals of science, engineering and technology in a series of fun and educational activities.

'It’s wonderful to see such a large number of students getting involved in the event this year,' Ms McGilvray said.

This year’s challenges include Gold Fever, Eco-Habitech, Hover Frenzy, World Sailing Spectacular, The Dish and Future Power, and two new activities for 2011: Back to the Future II and Bio-Bot.

'For the Bio-Bot competition, students will use a range of materials such as straws and elastic to make fingers and a model hand that works in a biologically similar way to a human hand,' Ms McGilvray said.

'Students will be given an arm apparatus to place their finders onto and are assessed on the strength and dexterity of their hand and how well it can perform tasks, such as picking up items and placing them in certain positions.'

The Challenge appreciates the support of its 16 continuing sponsors but this year mourns the passing of foundation sponsor John Armstrong from the Armstrong Auto Group.

The Challenge dinner, to be held at 6.30pm on Thursday night, will feature guest speaker Lindsay Brown, Professor of Biomedical Sciences at USQ.

'Ebony Wickham will join us again as guest singer. Ebony has completed in the Tamworth Country Music Festival in previous years,' Ms McGilvray said.