GWSC Wins Twice in 2024 ‘F1 AusGP’ STEM Challenge!

Firstly, we had the highest number of registered STEM teams ever entered into this prestigious national competition, with 38 teams from GWSC endeavouring to design, build and clearly explain their model of an autonomous vehicle powered by a sustainable hydrogen fuel source….Record #1 Broken!

Teams were required to submit an initial Pitch Deck, which outlined their design and clearly displayed the model of their prototype hydrogen-fuelled autonomous vehicle. Within their ten slide presentation, they also had to outline the STEM Principles utilised when designing and building their model vehicle. Our students also had to research and address how hydrogen can be produced effectively and sustainably for autonomous vehicles, how do hydrogen-powered engines compare to traditional battery-electric engines, in addition to detailing what sensors and AI systems their team would utilise in their hydrogen-powered autonomous vehicle. Their digital slide presentations needed to also include a series of STEM-based considerations associated with form and function, scale and measurement, matter and energy, systems modelling, in addition to data collection and analysis, processing and communications technologies. Our 38 STEM Teams worked tirelessly on their presentations from the start of December, over the holidays and through to the end of February this year when their Pitch Decks were successfully submitted.

Records #2, #3 & #4 were smashed when five of our GWSC STEM Teams were informed that they would be presenting in the finals of the 2024 ‘Formula One’ Australian Grand Prix STEM Challenge. Amazingly, GWSC had the top three STEM Teams qualify for the Junior (Years 7-9) Division of this competition, whilst two of our VCE STEM Teams qualified for the Senior (Years 10-12) Division finals at the F1. This is the highest number of teams from a single school to ever qualify for the finals of the F1 AusGP STEM Challenge, the first time two teams from the same school have qualified for the Senior Division final and also the very first time that all three teams in the Junior Division final have come from the one school! #GoGlenny!

Our fab five STEM Teams then got to work on pruning their presentations down to only two minutes, practicing and perfecting their pitches through regular team meetings with support from GWSC STEM mentors. After many edits of their original Pitch Decks, and plenty of run throughs of their speeches in front of the mirror, our teams felt properly prepared and ready, set to go for the F1 finals which were contested on Friday the 22^nd of March, 2024 on the main stage in the Innovation Hub at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix.      

All five STEM teams represented themselves, their families and our college community so very well throughout the entire competition; but especially during their polished presentations in front of the huge crowd of F1 fanatics at the Albert Park race track. Our students confidently delivered their presentations on stage, in front of the expert judging panel consisting of representatives from the international aerospace/defence company BAE Systems, the Royal Australian Army, the Australian Grand Prix Corporation and also STEM Hub. It was incredible to watch all of our students up on stage as they delivered informative and highly entertaining pitches in their respective F1 finals, then engaged in rapid-fire ‘Q&A’ sessions with the expert panel where they were posed some very technical and tricky questions.

At the conclusion of the F1 AusGP ‘Junior Division’ STEM Challenge Final, our ‘Hippotonomous Vehicle’ Team were absolutely ecstatic when they were announced as Junior Champions of the 2024 'Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix' STEM Challenge! Congratulations to our victorious Junior STEM Team of Nwal Aziz, Kenuli Bandara, Liyana Bandaralage, Hailey Mak and Pratiti Sarker!

Kudos also to our ‘HINDENBURG’ STEM Team who were shortly after presented to the crowd as Senior Champions of the 2024 'Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix' STEM Challenge! Well done to the following members of our triumphant Senior STEM Team - Hamnah Aziz, Aylin Cemiloglu, Angus Laird, Jasmine Lawrence and Yu Xi Teng.

This took our Record Breaking efforts and total to 5, as we are the first school to win both divisions of the F1 AusGP STEM Challenge in the same year!

The panel of expert judges were absolutely blown away by the detail and thought which both of our victorious STEM teams had put into their hydrogen-powered autonomous vehicle designs, models and associated Pitch Deck presentations, awarding both teams unanimous victories in their respective divisions. Our two victorious STEM Teams were then presented with their winner’s trophies and certificates, in addition to an incredible F1 prize pack which consisted of AusGP caps, insulated water bottles, special stickers, track towels and tote bags. They were then invited to be interviewed by the Deputy Premier of Victoria and Minister for Education, Mr Ben Carroll, up on stage. Our winning teams both spoke wonderfully well whilst being interviewed by Mr Carroll, who was very impressed with our students’ understandings of STEM, their career aspirations and overall positive outlook on where technologies could take us in the near future.

Special shout-out to the following GWSC STEM Teams who also qualified for the finals of the 2024 'Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix' STEM Challenge and pushed our winning teams all the way to the very end of the competition whilst finishing in the top three of their respective division –

- ‘Volta Mach 1' STEM Team - Russell He, Ayden JIANG, Anuram Kathirgamarajah, Zachary Luu and Brook Senapadphakor. Well done to you all on finishing runner’s up in the Junior Division.

- 'BAAAT Mobile' STEM Team - Aadya Bahl, Anton Di Battista, Aarushi Dutta, Theary Huoch and Beatrice Yip. Congratulations on finishing in third place for the Junior Division.

- 'Wicked-01 Racing' STEM Team - Nikan Forghanbin, Mayank Marathe, Akshay Phalke, William Song and Bowie Sykes. Felicitations to you all on finishing runner’s up in the Senior Division.

All members of these three STEM teams took away limited edition Albert Park F1 Track caps in recognition of their fine efforts throughout this challenge. It was so amazing to witness the support and rounds of rapturous applause that all of our STEM Teams received from their fellow GWSC students, alongside all of the F1 fans in the audience surrounding the main stage in the Innovation Hub. We are so proud of not only our five finalists, but also the thirty-three additional STEM Teams who engaged with this special program and entered this national STEM challenge.

All ten members of our two champion STEM Teams were then taken on a special VIP Experience and Tour of the exclusive F1 Paddock, where they met enigmatic F1 driver Valtteri Bottas (‘Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber’), global F1 commentator and former Principal of the ‘Haas F1 Team’ Guenther Steiner, in addition to Toto Wolff (CEO and Principal of ‘Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team’), who all kindly stopped to take photographs with our students and also speak with them about the exhilarating world of elite motorsport. Our ‘Hippotonomous Vehicle’ and ‘HINDENBURG’ STEM Teams were then engaged in a behind the scenes tour of the F1 Team Garages, explored the FiA Media Hub and also made a quick pit stop next to pit lane, where the roar of the F1 cars was definitely deafening during their first practice session on the Albert Park track. It was indeed an incredible, potentially once in a lifetime, experience for all ten members of our all-conquering STEM teams to be involved in!

Special thanks to Mr Mark Robinson for co-ordinating our college’s involvement in this STEM challenge, in addition to mentoring and supporting our thirty-eight STEM teams throughout the entirety of this extended four month competition. Thank-you also to Ms Ivy Lai for meeting with and mentoring a number of our STEM Teams who qualified for the F1 Finals, then also assisting to supervise them at the ‘F1 AusGP’. Kudos to Mrs Adriana Marturano and Mr Ben Crossett for assisting with the supervision of our GWSC student support crew on the day of the STEM Challenge Finals at the 2024 ‘F1 AusGP’. Thanks also to the following GWSC Technology team members who kindly assisted our students to design, create and print 3D models of their hydrogen-powered autonomous vehicles - Mrs Letitia Clark, Mrs Mardi De Kretser, Mr James McIntosh and Mr Bryan Lynch-Wells. We would also like to acknowledge and share our appreciation of the following GWSC Science staff who assisted our teams prepare, conduct safely and film various experiments in the laboratory as part of their STEM Challenge presentations - Mr John Healy, Mr Jason Griffiths and Mrs Lakshmi Krishnan.

Finally, we would like to thank the FiA, the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, BAE Systems and STEM Hub for sponsoring, organising and running the 2024 ‘Formula One Australian Grand Prix’ STEM Challenge for our students. Thank-you also to the Motorsport Australia ‘Girls on Track’ and FiA ‘Driving Learning’ programs who have previously engaged our future STEM leaders in a range of unique motorsport and mentoring opportunities, which greatly assisted our STEM teams throughout this competition.

Congratulations again to Nwal, Kenuli, Liyana, Hailey, Pratiti, Hamnah, Aylin, Angus, Jasmine and Yu Xi on winning both the Junior Division and Senior Division of the 2024 ‘F1 AusGP’ STEM Challenge, it is an incredible achievement and a well-deserved reward for your dedication, teamwork and tireless efforts. We look forward to following your careers in the F1 or a STEM related field in the not too distant future!

Kind Regards,

Mr Mark Robinson.

Glen Waverley Secondary College