National final report

THE MARTIAN CLOCK CHALLENGE FINAL

Tomorrow’s innovators showed off their imagination and practical skills at the recent final of the Young Engineers Martian Clock Challenge. Tasked to build a clock that would work on Mars’ unique environment, teams came up with some fantastic solutions that amazed the judges and certainly showed that creativity is alive and well in our clubs.

A pre-final private visit to the Royal Observatory allowed the contestants to see how timekeeping had developed over the past millennium and to meet the experts. The actual event, held during ‘Science Week’ and at the National Maritime Museum had entries from all parts of the country and the quality of the finished clocks was outstanding. Professor Sir Arnold Wolfendale(the 14^th Astronomer Royal) praised all entrants for their superb appreciation of the many complex issues, their imagination and skill and their obvious enthusiasm in their clocks.

Best Researched Project
Level 1
Runner- up: James Popper. The Cheltenham College. Gloucestershire. £100

Winner(s): Liam Hayward, Chris Wall, Harry Streuli and Joe Hardwick. Altrincham Grammar School for Boys. Cheshire. £200.

Level 2
Runners- up: Greg Simmons and Martin Chan. Keswick School. Cumbria. £100.

Winner(s): Douglas Orr and William Otter. King Edward VI Grammar School. £200.

Best Design and Construction
Level 1
Runner- up(s) Daniel Cartmell, Joshua Powell, Alexander Weir and Maximilian Wasinski: Newland House School. Middlesex. £200

Winner: James Popper. The Cheltenham College. Gloucestershire. £500

Level 2
Runner- up: Malgorzata Cholast. The Ladies Cheltenham College. £200

Winner: Douglas Orr and William Otter. King Edward VI Grammar School. £500