2009 CHALLENGES (BAA / Royal Navy)

This year, we’re making it easier for more of our many new clubs who’ve joined in the past few years to take part in our challenges. Clubs registering for the challenges for the first time and which make it through to the finals, will be eligible for a small assistance grant to help pay for the project build.

As ever entry in Young Engineers competitions is free and travel subsidies are available for finalists. Once registered and armed with the full design specifications, students submit their solution portfolio to be judged by real engineers who will select the finalists and provide feedback to participants. The finalists will then build their solutions to bring to an exciting final at Heathrow or HMS Sultan (Portsmouth), where we make sure everyone has a fantastic day, win or lose!

BAA CHALLENGE RACING BAGGAGE BUGGIES (age 7-19) – open again to Primary school teams!

Ever wondered how fast those little airport baggage carts that transport your precious holiday items can go? Fancy racing them to find out?

The challenge is to design and make an environmentally friendly eco powered model Racing Baggage Buggy (http://www.youngeng.org/index.asp?page=69)

RN CHALLENGE OPERATION CLEAN SWEEP (age 12-19)

Devise and build a remote control vessel to assist with the repair and rescue of a stricken cruise liner by towing it through a minefield! Like the BAA Challenge, towing is a key component (making entry into both a little easier) – except with the added challenge of keeping your electronics dry! (http://www.youngeng.org/index.asp?page=68)

Finalists of the RN and BAA Challenge will have their hands full building and perfecting their buggies and vessels, but there’s plenty of other activities on offer for club members not entering these challenges and those who don’t make the finalist cut, such as:

AIRBUS PROJECT EGGS FACTOR CHASM CROSSING (age 7-19)

A challenge you can complete from the comfort of your own lab / classroom / wherever… …the only thing that has to move is the egg! This time we’re challenging you to safely transport an egg across a bottomless chasm, video your efforts and send them into Young Engineers. (http://www.youngeng.org/index.asp?page=1060)

BLOODHOUND SSC ENGINEERING CHALLENGE

Bloodhound SSC is a new attempt to smash the world landspeed record by building a car that will travel at over 1,000 miles an hour! Young Engineers is one of the project’s educational partners and will be releasing a special challenge in January. The challenge will be school-based and will be in a similar format to Project Eggs Factor. (http://www.youngeng.org/index.asp?page=1225)

YOUNG ENGINEER FOR BRITAIN (age 12-19)

Any student working on their own innovative, creative or novel inventions in either club time, part of the curriculum or as a hobby can gain important recognition for their project as they compete to be crowned Young Engineer for Britain.  (http://www.youngeng.org/index.asp?page=66)

LRET ENGINEERING EXPERIENCE 2009 (age 16-19)

The 2008 group have just returned from an incredible, all expenses paid, trip to New York where highlights included personal tours by chief engineers of Ground Zero and the George Washington Bridge. Entrants submit personal statements and finalists are selected by telephone interview. (http://www.youngeng.org/index.asp?page=1178).

ACTIVITY BANK (age 5-19)

We’re currently finalising a few extra activities which we will add to the Activity Bank in the next few months. Don’t forget – we need Club Leaders’ help to keep this amazing resource growing! If you have run an activity which really worked well in your club, please do add it to the Activity Bank so that other clubs can try it also! (http://www.youngeng.org/index.asp?page=1178)

YOUNG ENGINEER MAGAZINE (age 16-18)

The 3rd edition, including articles on Lewis Hamilton, Nuclear decommissioning and details of IET Scholarships will be sent to school careers departments and some D&T departments. Copies can also be requested (http://www.youngeng.org/index.asp?page=1201).

CLUB RECOGNITION & REWARDS

CLUB REPORTS & GRANTS:

Don’t forget we’re keen to get our hands on information for our sponsors on what your club got up to last year. To help us, fill in our two sided Club Report – and collect your £50 Club Grant to help you run the club this year! New clubs are also eligible for a grant by reporting their planned club activities for this year. (http://www.youngeng.org/index.asp?page=1122)

SUMMER CLUB SHOWCASES:

Why not celebrate your club’s achievements at one our regional Club Showcases next Summer and while there take part in our exciting engineering challenge? It may seem a little far off to consider, but booking your place early really helps us to get an idea of numbers and plan the events accordingly. You can see fantastic video footage of last year’s Club Showcase Engineering Challenge – the ‘Rapid Relay’ at: http://www.youngeng.org/index.asp?page=71

CLUB LEADERSHIP AWARDS:

Is there an adult helper, company contact, or even student mentor whom you’d like to thank for their club support? (http://www.youngeng.org/index.asp?page=139)

2G USB STICKS and POLO SHIRTS:

With Club Leaders in mind, we’ve added these items to our merchandise range which are a great source of prizes, thank you gifts and promotional tools: (http://www.youngeng.org/index.asp?page=1124)

HOUSEKEEPING

CLUB REGISTRATION FOR 2008/9:

Hopefully your club is now up and running for the year and the membership numbers have settled so you have a fair idea how many you will have in your club this year. Please, please update your Club Profile with the number of students attending this year http://www.youngeng.org/index.asp?page=100. (Email us if you have problems). Maintaining up to date membership information is an important element of keeping our sponsors up to date!

FAX BACK FORM: In our efforts to keep our mailing costs down, and to lesson the environmental impact of over-producing printed material, we will be giving our contacts database a major overhaul. You should have recently received copies of our 2009 A4 activity posters AND an all-important fax back form. If you want to keep hearing from us PLEASE RETURN THIS FORM ASAP! (Or contact us if you haven’t received it).

Remember, get all our news first on www.youngeng.org! Other recent news items:

* Club Leader TV opportunity

* Events Calendar update - Engineering your Future Career Awareness days

* Watch Richard Hammond's Engineering Connections!

* Uncover the real stars of sport with the IET Faraday!

* The National Science Competition; the quest for the nation’s top young scientist and technologist

* New Competition: UK Space Challenge 2009 (age14-18)