With less than a week to go before the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, and with Prohelion Static Scrutineering ahead, it’s a challenging time for our BWSC teams as they tick off all the boxes on their to do lists.

Despite working around the clock in readiness for scrutineering, team members from the Flinders Automotive Solar Team (FAST) from Flinders University in Adelaide, are heading to Palmerstone Christian College in Darwin today, keen to share stories of their BWSC journey so far in the hopes of inspiring the next generation of students.

They took their solar electric car, Investigator IV into the classroom to share their road to renewable energy solutions with Year 5 and 6 school Palmerston school students who are studying energy this term as part of their curriculum.

Jamie Jackson from the FAST team, said he expected the BWSC to be the adventure of a lifetime with so many lessons to be learned along the way.

“It’s an event with the potential to open career doors and to make lasting friendships. A chance to test yourself against the best in the world, to design, to construct, to engineer, to project manage – there’s something for everyone,’ Jamie said.

Promoting STEM and the opportunities to dream big to the next generation is one of the most rewarding aspects of the competition. And the fact that you can be part of something globally significant – do your bit to change the world,” he said.

Event Director Chris Selwood AM said the BWSC offers real world experience beyond the classroom.

‘It is a unique and practical hands-on way to learn about STEM and the importance of renewable energy, which is especially important to this cohort, as they could be the first generation to face a driving future without fossil fuels,’ Chris said.

‘Student engagement and encouraging STEM studies to address skills gaps, deliver more sustainable, renewable energy solutions and build future career paths in South Australia and the Northern Territory and are key areas of focus during the BWSC, woven through the program activities, keynote speakers, events, and event alumni, in Darwin, Adelaide and on route.

‘I look forward to the next generation of solar challengers and what they’ll achieve,’ Chris said.

Tweet