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Design & Technology
In March, sector 20 of the National Exhibition Centre was filled with over 200
organisations, stands and hundreds of students aged 11-19, showcasing their projects.
Over the two days, 70,000 members of the public visited the exhibition, including
many schools and investors. There were also a number of celebrity guest judges at
the competition, including Actor Ben Miller and TV's Jason Bradbury, who loved the
Hot Rod car for the disabled. The Hot Rod project, which was made from scratch, went
on to win the Young Engineer of the Year Award. The range of Science, Technology,
Engineering and Maths projects was outstanding and, at every corner, companies
had activities to engage students' interests in the STEM subjects. Exhibitors included
Water Aid, Knex, civil engineers and the Mars Rover. There was so much to do at the
fair that even over two days not everything could be visited. On the last day, the event
finished with an hilarious, yet successful, world record attempt.
For me, the Big Bang competition was about the experience. I showcased my year 13
final project, DryPod. The product was designed to be used inside the arms and legs
of wetsuits to open the suit and therefore create better airflow. Consequently, this
will speed up the drying process. I had great fun exploring the fair, and being judged
at the competition, and will take a lot from the experience. I also met a number of
inspiring young competitors, two of whom ended up being in the final five. As well
as this, I was given a lot of valued feedback, including from a doctor of physics and
a surf instructor. A few days after the competition, I was also approached by a small
company who specialise in start-up businesses with investment interest. The positive
feedback I gained from competing has inspired me to continue with my project, which
I will be taking to meet the dragons at Radio 1's Academy later this month.
Thank you to the Foundation Governors, Totnes Rotary and David Irish for making this
opportunity possible.
Larissa Connabeer
