Team of Dubai students in top 15 of international STEM competition

Dubai - The teenagers' team made it to the world finals of the 'F1 in Schools' contest.

A team of teenagers from a Dubai school have secured a spot in the top 15 of the 'F1 in Schools' World Finals.

Emulating the famed Formula One competition, the students from grades nine to 10 took on the challenge of designing and manufacturing a miniature F1 car using CAD/CAM design tools based on an extensive set of rules provided by the organisers. The international STEM event witnessed the participation of 1.3 million students in the finals and took place virtually last month.

Comprising six students - Arnav Kedia, Alexander Ghorayeb, Nur Jannah Aisyah Torbett, Kamrin Archary, Kapil Shenoy and Tudor Balaj from GEMS World Academy - Team Delta X-15 was Dubai's official entry into the competition.

"As the team manager, I was able to work on my leadership skills and understand what it's like to actually run a company in the real world. I have learnt a lot about how a team should function in order to be as efficient as possible," said ninth-grader Arnav Kedia.

"The most enriching experience for me was being able to collaborate with experts in the fields I am interested in, such as marketing and finance, since I was able to gain skills that are definitely going to support me on my career journey."

From designing their own team uniforms and creating an F1 pit booth to marketing the enterprise, the students have been actively involved at every step of its journey.

Tenth grader Kamrin Archary, Delta X-15's Development Engineer, says, "By competing in the F1 in Schools challenge, I have learned how to use different software, such as Ansys, which has greatly impacted our final car outcome."

"F1 in Schools has also taught me the importance of always following the design cycle – ideating, creating, testing, reflecting and developing – and this will give me valuable skills I will need and use in the future."

Participants' miniature F1 cars had to weigh at least 50gm, be 170mm to 210mm long, 85mm wide and 65mm tall. They also had to build a 20-metre race circuit.

"To compete at the prestigious F1 in Schools competition required me to develop many interpersonal skills, in addition to the valuable skill of being able to design products using Fusion 360 CAD, which was my main project outcome," said Kapil Shenoy, Delta X-15's Car Designer.

"I had to use my creativity, communication and problem solving skills at all stages of our journey to overcome challenges and successfully invent our car, the X-15."

Tudor Balaj, Delta X-15's Graphic Designer, says, "I have learned how to create a problem-solving site, design aesthetic graphics and develop an effective brand identity. The F1 in Schools competition will help me with my future as it helped me learn valuable skills about creating a brand that appeals to the target audience, making a digital media campaign successful, and how to program new technologies such as the Ohbot."

Florentina Niculae-Evans, 10R2 Form Tutor, MYP Visual Arts and MYP Design Teacher, and F1 in Schools Coordinator, GEMS World Academy – Dubai added, "Delta X-15 is extremely pleased with the knowledge and understanding they have gained during their four-year journey."

• Dubai