Students challenged to develop solutions

On Friday 8th December 2023, Tropical North Queensland Drought Resilience and Innovation Hub (TNQ Hub) hosted the Engineers Without Borders (EWB) Challenge Showcase at the Ideas Lab on Nguma Bada campus at James Cook University (JCU). First-year engineering students from Australia and New Zealand gathered to compete in solving engineering challenges. 

Professor Allan Dale said more than 10,000 first-year university students across Australia and New Zealand participate in the EWB Challenge each year. He explained that “students work in teams to develop solutions to challenges identified by EWB Australia’s community-based partners.”

In 2023, the community-based partners are the Dawul Wuru Aboriginal Corporation (DWAC) and for the first time a second country community-based partnership with Pu Ngaol Village in Mondulkiri province in Cambodia. Chanrika Keo, Program Support Officer in Cambodia said Pu Ngaol village is home to a remote, Indigenous community. They have faced many challenges such as access to water for agriculture, water storage, lack of agriculture tools and access to sanitation. In spite of these challenges, many community members don’t want to leave Pu Ngaol,” she said.

Students were tasked with finding solutions that addresses issues such as agriculture, water supply and storage and sanitation and hygiene. In Cairns the students were tasked with designing solutions to assist the Yirrganydi people with caring for country. Professor Allan Dale said it’s great to be able to host EWB showcase as part of the TNQ Hub. “The ability to work with Traditional Owners to hear their concerns and issues firsthand and then be able to design on-ground solutions is invaluable,” he said.

Judges Gavin Singleton (Dawul Wuru Aboriginal Corporation), Sam Horseman (JCU Innovation) and EWB Australia in Cambodia were very impressed with the finalist pitches.
The award winners are as follows:
• Showcase Pitch Award – First Nations context: University of Western Australia – Modular container system
• Community Partner Award – First Nations context: Curtin University – Solution to Bush Tucker Degeneration
• Showcase Pitch Award – Cambodia context: Canterbury University – Producing waste bricks as a solution to the waste management problem in Pu Ngaol, Cambodia
• Community Partner Award – Cambodia context: Auckland University of Technology – Infrastructure to enable safe river access
• Best Stall Award: Curtin University – Solution to Bush Tucker Degeneration
• Industry Reviewer Award: RMIT – Ground water detection system to aid in flood response

Further information, email jennifer.mchugh1@jcu.edu.au