Second Place Nationwide at NZ Engineering Science Competition
A team of Saint Kentigern students achieved an outstanding result at the New Zealand Engineering Science Competition (NZESC), placing second nationwide after an intensive day of mathematical modelling and applied problem-solving.
Held on 2 August, the eight-hour competition challenged teams to respond to a contemporary energy question: If New Zealand built gravity batteries near wind farms, how much energy could be stored during a period of strong wind? Working collaboratively throughout the day, our students examined real-world wind-generation data, tested different mathematical approaches, and calculated how much excess energy could theoretically be captured and stored. Alongside refining equations and building a coherent model, the team also considered practical environmental constraints to ensure their final report was grounded in realistic conditions.
With 268 teams competing from across the country, the standard was exceptionally high. The students’ second-place finish reflects not only technical capability, but also the clarity of their thinking, the quality of their collaboration, and their ability to translate complex ideas into a structured and defensible model under time pressure.
Reflecting on the experience, the students noted that the most challenging aspect was integrating multiple ideas into one workable process. While generating individual solutions was achievable, weaving them into a cohesive model required careful discussion, shared decision-making, and a clear division of responsibilities. They also recognised how strongly mathematics and engineering shape sustainable innovation: modelling enables environmental impacts to be anticipated before they occur, and engineering design provides practical systems that can act on those predictions. For the team, the competition reinforced an important shift in mindset that sustainability is not an add-on, but a starting point for new ideas.
Written by Kaiyue (Alan) Chen, Daniel Xian, Joey Zhang, and Yi Nan Chen.
