Technology competition inspires secondary school students’ interest in engineering

More than 200 teachers and students from 18 secondary schools exhibited 100 of their outstanding projects at the “MEEM Technology Project Competition and Exhibition 2007” which took place at City University of Hong Kong (CityU) on 12 and 13 January.

The aim of event, which was organized by the Department of Manufacturing Engineering and Engineering Management (MEEM), was to honour junior secondary school students who have produced outstanding results in technology learning activities.

“The event demonstrates CityU’s commitment to promoting technology education and reaching out to the secondary school sector in Hong Kong,” said Professor Chan Chi-hou, Dean of CityU’s Faculty of Science and Engineering and Acting Head of the Department.

“We also hope to instill in students an interest to pursue an undergraduate education in science and engineering through this event,” he added.

To give participants a glimpse of life at CityU, they were given a tour of the laboratories under the Department.

Participants were Form 1 to Form 3 students studying design and technology subjects. The projects submitted, mostly innovative devices for use in daily life, such as environmentally-friendly clocks, lamps and robots, were their school assignments.

Wong Chung-hin, a Form 3 student from Po Leung Kuk C W Chu College, said participation in the event was a good opportunity to see the technology projects of other school, reinforcing his interest in design and technology.

The Department offers a bachelor’s degree programme in Design and Technology to groom the next generation of engineers and mid-level managers who will sustain development in the technology industry in Hong Kong and the mainland.

A total of 42 prizes were announced at the prize presentation ceremony on 13 January. They were awarded on the criteria of creativity, application of technology, appearance, production technique and presentation. Carmel Divine Grace Foundation Secondary School turned out to be the big winner, clinching the Overall Best Prizes and the First Grade Prizes in the Form 1, Form 2 and Form 3 sections.

The event was sponsored by Win Hanverky Holdings Ltd and was jointly organized with the Electronics Technology Education Association (H.K.), Hong Kong Robotic Olympic Association and Chinese Technical Press Ltd.