Workshops For Year 9, 10, 11 and 12 Students

“Engineering design for optimised performance” - Mechanical Engineering Workshop

This work shop will show students how mechanical engineers can use the basic theories that students are taught in school plus more advanced theories taught at university to optimise the design of a simple mechanical part. It will also expand upon this by encouraging students to use their judgement these theories.

A key aspect to mechanical engineering design is designing parts that are both strong enough while reducing material use and keeping sustainability. There is much theory on this, but because of uncertainty in things such as manufacturing and material properties an engineer must also use their judgment.

In the past few years, Swinburne University of Technology has held a number of events and workshops in various engineering disciplines such as Robotics and Mechatronics, Electrical and Electronic, Mechanical, Biomedical, Product Design and Civil Engineering to help secondary school students choose their future profession.

This workshop is ideal for students interested in careers that use creativity and scientific knowledge to produce improved and innovative technology for society's benefit.

“Build an Electronic Die” - Electrical/Electronics Engineering Workshop

Students will construct a small electronic die in a practical exercise involving soldering and testing of the final product. Students will keep the circuit constructed and be able to amaze their fellow students with their construction skills or improve their knowledge of probability.

The Workshops

"Build your own smart car" - Robotics & Mechatronics

Students will construct a motorized robot car from Lego pieces, then program it to explore its operations, e.g. racing around the room, dodging obstacles, and following light sources etc. A photo or video of their own robot cars may be taken during the workshop, as a memoir of your experience in Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering.

“Building the Bionic Human” - Biomedical Engineering

In this workshop we will investigate the ways engineers are currently working with doctors and biologists to create replacement parts for the body. You will have the opportunity to work in teams to discuss the critical factors we need to think about when designing things for the body and work with the team to develop your own ideas on how to create the perfect hip implant to help people live longer more active lives.

“Design and Make” - Product Design Engineering Workshop

This is a workshop in Product Design Engineering where students will be guided through the design of a product, for example furniture and then assisted to transfer it onto a computer. Their design will then be created with the use of a computer controlled machine and if possible be finished and taken away at the end of the visit to Swinburne. This will enable students to experience what students in the Product Design Engineering course do during their studies.

“Spectroscopy - making rainbows in a box” - VCE Physics Unit 2 Wave-like properties of light

In this hands-on laboratory, students will each use a simple cardboard box spectrometer to explore a variety of different light sources. Some of these sources students will be familiar with; incandescent lights, fluorescent lamps and light emitting diodes (LEDs). Many are more exotic; numerous atomic vapor lamps, plasma sources and the inside of lasing cavities. The workshop is designed to stimulate discussion on what light can tell us about the world we live in.