STEM Challenge Winners: Inverness Schoolchildren Take the Top Prize

Schoolchildren from across the UK gathered in Aberdeen for the final of the STEM Challenge competition

As a journalist, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing some of the most innovative and talented young minds in the country, and I must say, the recent STEM Challenge competition was truly inspiring. The event, organized by Global Underwater Hub, brought together secondary school pupils from across the UK to showcase their skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

The competition tasked the youngsters to design, build, code, operate, and market a small, wheeled model remotely operated vehicle (ROV) using LEGO SPIKE sets. The initiative aims to demonstrate the breadth of career opportunities offered by companies working across the underwater industry.

A Team Effort

The winning team, comprising six students from Millburn Academy in Inverness, demonstrated exceptional teamwork, creativity, and technical skills. They beat their peers from five other schools across the country, including St Ninian’s High School in Giffnock near Glasgow, Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate in York, Manchester’s Middleton Technology School, Chilton Trinity School in Bridgwater, Somerset, and St Oscar Romero Catholic School in Worthing, West Sussex.

“The STEM Challenge offers a platform for school pupils to apply their STEM knowledge, develop skills, and discover how these can be used in their future careers.” - Global Underwater Hub

The Road to Victory

To reach the final, each school won a regional heat, competing against up to nine other schools. This year, heats were held in Inverness, Glasgow, Blyth, Manchester, Bristol, and Southampton, with over 320 pupils from nearly 50 schools participating.

A panel of judges from the underwater industry evaluated the teams based on the design and functionality of their creations, as well as their teamwork and marketing presentations.

A Glimpse into the Future

As part of their trip to Aberdeen, the pupils and teachers had the opportunity to visit the offices of leading Geo-data specialist Fugro. They learned about the different types of ROVs used by industry and saw the technology up close.

During a tour of the ROV workshop, they discovered how ROVs are constructed, maintained, and used to deploy subsea intervention technologies. The pupils were also shown Fugro’s remote operations centre, featuring advanced streaming technology that allows onshore inspection engineers to visualize, command, and control uncrewed surface vessels with eROVs miles away offshore.

The Future of STEM

The STEM Challenge is an excellent initiative that inspires young minds to pursue careers in STEM fields. As we move forward in an increasingly technology-driven world, it’s essential to nurture and develop the skills of our future generations.

The 2024 STEM Challenge program was sponsored by OPITO, Fugro, J+S Subsea, ORE Catapult, Subsea7, Subsea Innovation, Venterra Group, and Viper Innovations.

The winning team from Millburn Academy in Inverness