Schools Marine Challenge winners treated to tour of QinetiQ testing facility
On the 2nd October, more than ten students and three teachers from Leigh Academy in Dartford, Kent travelled to Gosport to visit the unique hydrodynamic testing facilities owned by QinetiQ.
The students had won the South East Schools Marine Challenge in June and their prize for first place was a guided tour of the site. The facility at Haslar is owned by QinetiQ, a leading global defence and security company, and has been central to hydrodynamic research since it was founded by Robert E. Froude in 1886.
The 270m towing tank and the 5m deep Ocean Basin have been used to test a large number of ships and submarines throughout the last century and they are in great demand nowadays for both military and commercial vessels.
The tour was hosted by Andy King, one of QinetiQ's Naval Architects, and involved a presentation about the work that takes place on the site and also an interesting talk about the historical significance of the work that has taken place at Haslar.
This was all put into context using the radio controlled model powerboat that the students had designed and built for the Challenge, which they brought along with them on the trip. The students showed a real interest, asking lots of question as they toured the Ocean Basin and Towing Tank. Here they had the unique opportunity to see, at first hand, a work place that is not normally open to the general public.
They also received a tour of the workshops where the fibreglass ship and submarine models are manufactured so that they could see how QinetiQ goes about the production of scientific test equipment. This all helped to put into context what they had learnt by building their own model powerboat and some of the themes and ideas that they had learnt about in the technology classes.
Andy King commented: "I hope that the visit inspired some of the students to pursue engineering careers, specifically in marine engineering or naval architecture, in the future. They certainly showed a keen interest in the facilities we have here and asked in depth questions about the work we are involved in."
For any information about the work of QinetiQ at Haslar, please contact adking1@qinetiq.com
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