Students compete in McMaster engineering olympics

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Students from 54 Ontario high schools are testing their skills in science, technology, engineering and math at McMaster University in Hamilton today.

More than 1300 high school students and teachers from as far away as Penetanguishene and Manitoulin Island are vying for more than $20,000 in student awards at the 26th annual McMaster Engineering and Science Olympics. They are competing in events such as leap’s angry nerds, mini car jump, biotechnology to the rescue, egg high jump and other competitions.

As Ken Coley, McMaster’s associate dean for engineering explains, ”today’s event is an event to bring high school students into the STEM world, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics and to give them a chance to be excited about that world and to experience that world in a hands-on way. And the hands-on part being really really important.”

”The registration typically opens at a minute past midnight and within 24 hours the program was full.”

The high school visitors are also taking part in design challenges, interactive demonstrations, lectures, tours and planetarium shows.