Student Challenge: Real World Design

The annual Real World Design Challenge asks high school students to work on real world engineering challenges in a collaborative environment.  Each year, student teams address a challenge that confronts one of our nation’s leading industries.  This year’s Challenge: design of an aircraft wing that provides better operational performance and improved fuel efficiency.  This experience provides the students with the background and framework for competing effectively in a 21st century workforce through an innovative partnership involving government, private industry and education.

Over the past six months, representatives from PTC, MIT, Marlborough Airport, MassDOT Aeronautics Division, and the FAA assisted the students with mentoring and providing computer software for this design challenge.   Four Massachusetts high school teams participated in this year’s competition: Marlborough, Newburyport, Milton and Lowell.  With the assistance the MIT Aerospace Program, each high school team was ranked based upon their work and response to the challenge. 

Team Pizzaz of Marlborough High School, left, comprised of eight students (William Andrade, Matthew Bailey, Rachel Dass, Alec Deveau, Jessica Mendoza, Chris Ortiz, Nicholas Strella, Matthew Whitmore) and their teacher, Ken Hanson, were ranked number one and will represent the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the National Real World Design Challenge in Washington DC this weekend.  Congratulations to all students and teachers for their dedication and accomplishments.