Students from around the region descended into CQUniversity for a week-long festival of STEM

The future of Australian race car engineers was on display at a CQUniversity festival in Mackay.

CQUniversity's science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Festival in 2021. Picture: CQUniversity

Engineering smarts and competitive spirits locked horns when the Festival of science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics arrived in Mackay.

Some of Mackay’s brightest minds took part in several competitions during the festival, including the CQU Pedal Prix, at CQUniversity.

The racing event was designed to help attract students into STEM and expose them to a different stream of education.

CQUniversity Co-ordinator and Whitsunday STEM Challenge secretary Leanne Williams said the racing aspect was designed specifically for sporty students.

“While it may seem like all fun and games for students to race around a specially designed track at speeds up to 70km/h, teams were required to demonstrate a range of skills to design a vehicle that was streamlined and easy to drive over eight hours,” she said.

CQUniversity's science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Festival in 2021. Picture: CQUniversity

There were 13 high schools taking part in the annual event, with Mackay Northern Beaches State High School finishing as the overall winners of the competition.

Ms Williams said the event was also important for promoting career paths for women in the STEM industry.

“Only one quarter of students studying STEM in Australia are women, but events such as these work to change society’s gender assumptions about scientists and increase the public visibility of women in STEM,” she said.

“We have seen first-hand how community-wide engagement activities can encourage and motivate students to go onto higher education and choose a career in STEM.”

Originally published as Students from around the region descended into CQUniversity for a week-long festival of STEM