Two local school teams all set for STEM Racing world finals

By Navjyoti Dalal

Two student teams from Athlone are busy putting final touches on their preparations to represent Ireland at the Aramco STEM Racing world finals in Singapore. To be held between October 3 and 8, the world finals of the competition will see teams from more than 35 countries vie for the top spot.

Formerly known as F1 in schools, STEM Racing is an international STEM competition in which students design, manufacture, and race a scaled Formula 1-style car. The teams are judged on engineering design, innovation, branding, sponsorship, and project management other than race performance.

This edition of the competition began a year ago with enrolment, the national finals were held in Cork in May this year. At the event the first prize was bagged by Marist College's Stellar Racing team, also winning the categories of Fastest Car, Best Engineered Car and Best Portfolio; while Athlone Community College's Apex Racing team secured the third spot, along with winning the Sponsorship & Marketing Award. The teams are now set to compete against the brightest brains from around the world, on a 20m track.

Stellar Racing and Apex Racing have spent the last few months making several changes to their car design and the physical model, approaching businesses to raise funds, managing social media outreach to reach their desired funding goal, creating and printing a display banner among other things. They are now in the final stages of preparation and hoping to plug the gap between the funds raised and their goal.

A member of the Stellar Racing team, and also the team's manager, Ruairi Collins, is a fifth year student and deeply interested in mechanical engineering. The other members Andrés Leal and Hammad Mateen are drawn to design, architecture and medicine. Mentored and guided by their teacher Paul Hardiman, the boys brought their stengths and diverse personalities to bring the car model together.

Under the guidance of Paul Hardiman, teams from Marist College have competed in the world finals six other times in the past. Ruiari is hopeful that the seventh unlocks the podium for them. “We're very confident. This isn't our first rodeo. Our past experience at STEM Racing has richly informed our approach. We have observed the STEM Racing leaders of the past ten years and developed our strategy accordingly,” shared Ruairi, who compiled data from the last decade to get a deeper understanding of what to avoid.

Driven by precision, the boys have manufactured the car on their own, in their school. In fact, the car that brought them the winner's title is completely overhauled to become the version which will compete at the world finals. “They're two completely different cars. We used Ansys computer software to design. The whole front wing has changed, so is the rear. We have also reduced the weight of the car,” informed Ruairi.

He added that the project is is a labour of love, especially for their teacher Paul Hardiman, who they lovingly call as Marist's Formula 1 master. “Without him there wouldn't be a STEM Racing team. In 2012, a student came up to him and told him about the competition, and Paul mentored the team. Since then, Marist College has participated and reached top-10 on a number of occassion. “In the last 14 year, the students changed, but the school and Paul Hardiman remained constant,” Ruairi shared.

Apart from their engineering and designing prowess the students had to also execute fundraising for their project. Ruairi shared his gratitude to the town's business houses who have supprted them in this endeavour. “The community has really come together to make this a success for us. We have a Gofundme page online to raise funds, and have also got creative with a 'Cash for Clobber' drop off box in school. So if anyone has any unwanted clothes, or linen, please donate,” explained Ruairi who believes such a project is helpful for students not only as as learning experience, but also as a CV feature.

Mentor of the Apex Racing team Eoghan Joyce, shared that the students are excited about their debut at the STEM Racing world finals. The team of five students, Srinidhi Karthik, Orin Smith, Ella McGowan, Tadhg Johnston and Natalia Lison, will be accompanied by Eoghan and principal Lisa O'Kennedy.

Apex Racing team's Singapore dreams were materialised by community support. “We have been very fortunate,” said Eoghan at the support endowed to them at every stage of this project. From relying on local businesses and institutions like Ross Polymer, Central Bearings, TUS, and Future LWETB training centre, Garrycastle, to manufacture the car, to securing help from a Ballinasloe based printing company, KPW Print Management, to make the display stand, to raising essential funds for the entire project, Eoghan credits the community for making things possible.

Despite a big funding goal of circa €40,000, the team is close to completing it. “We have been so lucky and grateful for the community in Athlone, which has helped us with donations. The local businesses have been only supportive and helpful,” Eoghan shared.

He added that the team spent the last few months improvising on the car model, and also actively sharing updates on various social media platforms. “The students are very excited about the contest and it will be a huge opportunity for them. We also wish the best to the Marist College, who have been setting standards in STEM Racing, and veterans in the area. May the Irish representation bring home accolades,” said Eoghan, who teaches Engineering and Applied technology at ACC.