Johor institution wins nationwide STEM auto racing competition

KULAI: A group of trainees from SMK Bandar Putra Kulai arised successful in the nationwide Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Racing competitors in February.

The group, called SMK Bandar Putra, under the advice of English educator and group expert Nor Masdiana Abd Rahman, outmatched 200 groups across the country to secure the title of National Champion.

Nor Masdiana stated the group will certainly currently stand for Malaysia on the worldwide phase, with their following difficulty taking them to the Middle East in November, where they will certainly contend versus leading groups from around the globe.

“The competition, formerly known as F1 in Schools, involves designing and building a scaled-down Formula 1 (F1) car, requiring students to use advanced engineering software typically reserved for final-year university students.

“At SMK Bandar Putra Kulai, however, students are introduced to Autodesk Fusion 360 and SolidWorks as early as Form One.

“Our students undertake research and development just like real-world F1 engineers. They conduct wind tunnel tests, material analysis, and wheel system tests, both virtually and physically.

The entire process takes about a year,” she stated at an interview held at the institution on Saturday (March 8).

She included that after establishing 16 versions, the group’s last version, called Skylar, will certainly be made use of in the worldwide competitors.

“While the programme does not aim to train professional F1 drivers, it equips students with the necessary skills to work in an F1 support team, from design and manufacturing to marketing and resource management,” she stated.

Nor Masdiana likewise highlighted Team Layang’s success, consisting of safeguarding 8th location in the Fastest Car classification at STEM Racing Singapore 2023 and ranking 9th around the world.

“We now require RM100,000 in sponsorship to fund our journey to the international competition,” she stated.

Kulai District Education Office (PPD) education and learning policeman Razali Tamadi applauded Team Layang’s success, calling it an exceptional accomplishment for the area and the state.

“This is a huge accomplishment for our district, especially since our team was competing against elite schools, including full-boarding schools and top STEM institutions.

“Their efforts set a benchmark for other schools, inspiring more students to take up STEM as a field of interest,” he included.