In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, it’s more crucial than ever that young women have opportunities to access, learn about, and develop skills in STEM. These fields represent the future of innovation, problem-solving, and economic growth – and empowering young women to pursue these careers helps close the gender gap, and ensures diverse perspectives in industries that are shaping our world.
At EVolocity, we’re proud to be at the forefront of this mission – offering students the opportunity to design and build their own electric vehicles, while developing STEM skills to last a lifetime.
Amongst the many inspiring young wāhine involved in our programme are Kavin, Soha, and Iris – year 10 students at Westlake Girls High School. Under the mentorship of Vignesh – a dedicated parent with a master’s degree in electronics and communications, these aspiring engineers are already pushing boundaries and breaking barriers.
We recently chatted with Vignesh about the students’ journey through EVolocity, and explored how these aspiring female engineers are making their mark.
Kavin, Soha, and Iris’s journey with EVolocity began last year, when they first heard about the programme. Intrigued, they attended a workshop at Auckland University to learn more.
Soon after, they got their hands on ‘Woody’ – an unfinished electric vehicle project that former students had begun building three years prior, but were unable to complete due to Covid restrictions. Determined to see it through, the girls took on the challenge of getting Woody race day-ready.
With support from Vignesh, their teacher Jez Skull, and Mr Cliff – a hard materials teacher from Onewhero Area School – who we connected them with for further guidance, the girls worked diligently in the lab every week to complete Woody’s design and build.
They particularly enjoyed learning about Arduino, designing a logo for their vehicle using Fusion 360, and developing an app that transferred data via Bluetooth, allowing them to monitor speed and battery charge levels in real-time. They even dedicated time during school holidays, going go-karting to hone their skills on the track.
However, the journey wasn’t without its challenges.
The Auckland regional final event was fast approaching – where the wāhine were set to put Woody to the test in a series of endurance and speed races against other students’ vehicles. A week prior, our team visited and provided a checklist of tasks needed to meet the Warrant of Fitness (WoF) requirements, which are vital for safety. Unfortunately, Woody didn’t quite meet the criteria.
Despite this setback, their innovative spirit shone through.
They came along on race day, and not only safely competed in a lower-speed race, but were also recognised as the winner of the innovation category.
More so, National Rally Day was only a few weeks out – and the girls were eager to compete at full capacity.
They used their insights from the WoF failures to drive their efforts – focusing specifically on areas that needed improvement, such as height protection.
“The girls found a hand trolley in Mitre10, they modified the frame, and fitted it to the vehicle. In doing so, the girls’ confidence grew, as they learned how to disassemble and reassemble parts, and this prepared them for nationals. Birkenhead Panelbeaters supported them by doing some free welding”
Their efforts paid off, when National Rally Day came around, and the girls were able to showcase Woody, and compete on Mount Smart Stadium’s track.
“Race day was definitely a highlight of the whole experience. And the girls received the Showstopper Award – that was a proud moment for everyone involved.”
This award was a testament to the girls ability to problem-solve and show persistence in the face of challenges – something which they called on during the rally day.
“After one race, Woody stopped because the chain got stuck in a different position. We got a bit worried, but the team spent a few hours working on the problem. They didn’t give up, and that enabled participation in the endurance race that afternoon.”
While Rally Day may long be over, Vignesh has continued to witness the wide-reaching impact of the girls learnings.
“They’re applying their learning in so many different areas, we’re definitely seeing an impact. They’re part of the STEAM curriculum at Westlake. When they face different challenges in their labs, they’re able to persist, and find learnings.”
Overall, Vignesh is grateful for the opportunity – noting that without EVolocity’s support (including free workshops, kits, pre-inspection support directly at school, support on queries related to electronic circuit, and the referral to Mr. Cliff), the team wouldn’t have achieved their success.
This year, the students are looking forward to building upon this success and participating in our regional and national race days again. They’re eager to show what’s possible, and are actively seeking ways to enhance their vehicle, including making improvements to vehicle stability, and incorporating new ideas like adding new sensors, storing battery voltage data in the cloud, and utilising data visualisation and trends.
Our National Rally Day, happening on November 2, is open to the public. If you’d like to support Kavin, Soha, Iris, and other inspiring young students, secure your free tickets here.
