School holiday workshop connects students with renewable energy experts

High school students will have the opportunity to explore the future of renewable energy engineering and connect with industry experts at a school holiday workshop to be held at The University of Western Australia.

The Engineering for Change: Renewable and Future Energy workshop – hosted by the Girls in Engineering program for Year 10 and 11 students and supported by UWA – will offer an insight into careers that contribute towards positive environmental change.

“As the offshore wind industry continually grows around the world and starts to emerge in Australia, renewable energy engineering graduates will be well placed to seek global opportunities.”

Associate Professor Britta Bienen

Students will hear from experts in solar, wind, wave and hydrogen energy disciplines while working with other students to create and pitch future sustainable energy ideas.

Students will be mentored by Associate Professor Britta Bienen and Professor Christophe Gaudin from UWA’s Oceans Graduate School, and Professor Zach Aman and Professor Melinda Hodkiewicz from UWA’s School of Engineering.

Workshop mentor, Associate Professor Britta Bienen, from UWA’s Oceans Graduate School said the workshop would provide students with an understanding of how renewable energy fields are connected and help guide their future study path. 

“Lots of young people are passionate about sustainable energy and depending on where their strengths lie, there are many different ways to make a contribution to the renewable energy sector,” Associate Professor Bienen said.

“As the offshore wind industry continually grows around the world and starts to emerge in Australia, renewable energy engineering graduates will be well placed to seek global opportunities.”

The workshop will also provide students with a tour of future energy labs and EZONE, UWA’s new sustainable and collaborative learning precinct.

“Workshop participants will see how our engineering disciplines interlock to solve complex renewable energy problems and the unique piece of the metaphorical puzzle that each discipline can bring to the table.”

Professor Zachary Aman

Workshop mentor, Professor Zachary Aman from UWA’s Department of Chemical Engineering, said renewable energy would be a critical path for future engineers.

“Future engineers are charged with both maintaining and reversing the impact of our species on global ecosystems and ensuring everyone can reach the standard of living that we enjoy in Perth,” Professor Aman said.

“Our future students have the greatest role to play in this solution, because their lifetimes will be the ones in which the solutions are conceptualised, realised and appreciated.

“Workshop participants will see how our engineering disciplines interlock to solve complex renewable energy problems and the unique piece of the metaphorical puzzle that each discipline can bring to the table.”

The UWA Girls in Engineering outreach program inspires female students to take advantage of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) study and the career pathways available in this area. 

Engineering for Change: Renewable and Future Energy will be held on Wednesday 30 September from 1pm till 4pm at UWA’s EZONE North complex.

Registration and more information is available the Engineering for Change website