Above and Beyond

Thomas Agars is an alumnus of F1 in Schools. In 2012 he was part of the F1 in Schools World Championship winning team Cold Fusion. As part of the prize for becoming World Champion, he had the opportunity to study Aeronautical Engineering at London City University. He has recently returned to Australia to take up a role in the Space industry. An amazing story of success and no one said he couldn't.

Travis Hillman is a Talent Acquisition Specialist for Naval Group Australia, a French company and Prime Contractor for the Australian Future Submarine Project, a project that will span 50+ years and require the development of a wide range of skills to bring the project to fruition. Travis brings us all up to speed on the career opportunities in the project, and in much broader terms, defence industries in Australia.

Tim MacDonald is an Engineer who has been to places where legends emerge. He recently returned from a journey to the bottom of the Mariana Trench. Located in the western Pacific east of the Philippines, the Mariana Trench is a crescent-shaped scar in the Earth's crust. It measures more than 2,550 kilometres in length, 69 kilometres in width and is 11.9 kilometres deep. Few people have ever been to the bottom. Tim is one of them. A fantastic story about a young Engineer who followed his passions, combining a love for Engineering with a love for the sea.

Helping students understand that "No one said they couldn't" is a mantra at REA. Senator Rex Patrick is an example of this manta. Senator Patrick attended school in Whyalla South Australia before he entered the Navy where his first role was in the scullery. Senator Patrick became a submariner before transitioning into private enterprise as a specialist in acoustics. More recently he entered the Australian Senate representing South Australia. What Senator Patrick learnt growing up in a steel town, in a Navy scullery and as a submariner has served him well in the halls of Parliament House. Nothing has held him back because no one said he couldn't.

Teachers are the secret ingredient in the educational fuel that sets our children on their pathway to success. Frank Bieshaar is a teacher at Catholic Regional College North Keilor, north-west of Melbourne. Frank is unassuming by nature but is one of those teachers you remember from your days at school: The teacher who made school fun and enjoyable. Frank's involvement in F1 in Schools goes back some 14 years. He talks to Dr Myers about the value of STEM education, his thoughts on changes to the education system, which may improve outcomes and the teaching wisdom he has gained over his illustrious career.

Isak Bowden-Floyd is a graduate Ocean Engineer currently working as an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) Engineer at the Autonomous Maritime Systems Laboratory (AMSL) at the Australian Maritime College in Tasmania. His scope of work includes conducting research and development and managing operation and maintenance of both large AUV's and small ROV's. Isak discusses his career journey through Engineering and the cool projects he undertakes.

Toff Idrus, Captain, RAN, OAM (Retired), has had a remarkable career journey which spans 23 years in the Navy as a Submariner and Engineering, including multiple deployments to the Middle East area of operations. His career journey, his experiences and the feedback he provides for students starting on their career journey is invaluable mentoring advise. As the Managing Director of JFD Australia, Toff's career continues his association with undersea operations and working with the best in the world.

Dr Myers talks to two teachers, Paul Sexton from Wesley College in Perth and Rowan Cahill from Mackay North State High School in Queensland. While separated by 5,000km of Australian Desert, they came together to facilitate their students forming a long-distance collaboration team, breaking the tyranny of distance, to participate in the F1 in Schools World Finals in Abu Dhabi in 2019. They discuss the achievements and experiences of the students and the professional development outcomes the experience provided them.

Dr Myers talks to Peter Clinton, a teacher at Trinity Grammar Kew, in Victoria, about what it takes to create World Champion STEM students. In addition to the numerous Australian Championship winning teams Peter has mentored, his success includes two F1 in Schools World Championships, one 4th place, one 5th place and one 12th place against over nine million students from the 17,000 schools who compete in F1 in Schools STEM Challenge. Peter is an example of a teacher able to bring out the best in his students, guiding their enthusiasm to take on the world and win.

Dr Myers talks to Andrew Nelmes from the Surface Mining & Technology Division of Caterpillar Global Mining, about the Engineering judging process within REA programs and what it's like to be an Engineer working on some of the largest and most technically sophisticated machinery in the construction industry.

Mike Myers talks to Peter King, Manager of the Autonomous Maritime Systems Laboratory at the Australian Maritime College in Tasmania. Peter discusses his work at the Australian Maritime College (AMC), his experience in undersea exploration in the Antarctic using Autonomous Unmanned Vehicles (AUV's) and career opportunities in undersea exploration, maritime and defence research.

Brenton Wyett from Turnitin talks with Mike Myers about the importance of academic integrity at schools and in later life. Through a partnership with REA, Turnitin is making educational integrity software available to schools participating in REA programs and for REA to check the portfolios submitted by students, providing another stepping stone in helping students transition to the world of work.

Robyn Frampton, Marketing & Communications Manager at Visual Connections Australia, talks with Mike Myers about how Technology has transformed the Print, Graphics and Signage industries into highly sophisticated, highly automated and attractive work environments where career opportunities are booming.

Robyn Frampton provides a judges perspective on the role of Marketing, and the development of Trade Displays in a winning REA project. Robyn has been involved in marketing and communication throughout her career and is currently the Marketing & Communications Manager at Visual Connections Australia. Robyn has been a lead marketing and trade display judge at REA National events. Her wisdom and advice on how to approach marketing are invaluable for students.

Bruce discusses the role communications plays in developing a winning project presentation and how small tweaks, can change the perception from "I get what you are saying" to "WOW". A communications guru, his achievements range working on the bid to win the Sydney 2000 Olympics to mentoring several F1 in Schools & 4x4 in Schools Worlds Championship winning teams. Bruce's words offer a great deal of wisdom for students, teachers and industry.

David Palfreeman has participated as a judge in F1 in Schools events at a State, National and International level and provides his feedback on the process of judging students portfolios; the areas students should focus on when developing their portfolios and where they sometimes go wrong. Input from a judges' perspective on the judging process which participants in F1 in Schools, SUBS in Schools, 4x4 in Schools and Space in schools should find invaluable.

Troy Minor and Matthew Said were members of Gamma Rayzing, an F1 in Schools Team from Madeline Catholic College, Narellan NSW. They represented Australia at the 2014 F1 in Schools World Final, coming 2nd Outright, and had the opportunity of having a B-B-Q with Daniel Ricciardo. They take us on their extraordinary journey of passion and discovery, which has changed their lives forever.

Mike Myers talks to Alistair Smith, a student who competed in F1 in Schools between 2007 & 2009 going on to come second twice at the F1 in Schools World Finals. Since leaving school, Alistair has gone on to study Naval Architecture at UNSW and is now working on RAN Patrol Boat project.

Michelle Norton became F1 in Schools Royalty when she became a World Champion in 2012. Since leaving school, Michelle's career journey started by completing a Degree in Mechanical Engineering at the Australia Defence Force Academy (ADFA) which lead into a leadership role at Thales in Sydney. Michelle is an example of No One Said She Couldn't. A remarkable young lady, on an incredible journey to the top.

Hamzah Brown is a young man on a remarkable journey to the top of his chosen profession. He takes us on an extraordinary life journey from school to University and a career at Airbus in the UK, highlighting how Australian students can achieve on the world stage if they take on the challenge. A remarkable young man, on an incredible journey.