Golden opportunity opens in Adelaide

A new sport engineering laboratory will give Adelaide, and indeed Australia, the competitive edge in supporting its sports men and women achieve their full athletic potential.

The Minister for the Status of Women and Member for Adelaide, Kate Ellis, today opened the University of Adelaide’s Sport Engineering Laboratory, which will help students develop skills in design and manufacture of sports and rehabilitation equipment.

This new laboratory, within the School of Mechanical Engineering, will complement the University’s Sports Engineering Degree, which was the first university in Australia to offer a course dedicated to the study of sports engineering.

“This laboratory will be an invaluable tool to assist the University of Adelaide in teaching, learning and carrying out research in sports engineering,” Ms Ellis said.

“We know that this technology, science and engineering facility will play a huge role in the future of sport. I’m pleased that this future will be secure here in Adelaide at these facilities.”

Sports engineering is fast gaining popularity and it’s pleasing to see young women enrolling in this course; with almost a quarter of students in 2008, being women.

Ms Ellis said that women remain seriously under-represented in the science, engineering and technology disciplines.

“Women make up 23.3 per cent of full time professionals in design, engineering, science and transport, and less than 10 per cent of engineering professionals are women,” Ms Ellis said.

“The Australian Government supports women in sports leadership positions through the Sports Leadership Grants and Scholarships for Women Program. This program provides funding and support for women seeking training and education in coaching and sport management.

“It also offers scholarships for women in upper sports management to gain qualifications to support them into senior executive roles.

“The addition of this new laboratory will help further strengthen women’s position in sport and Australia’s position as a leader in engineering, innovation, science and technology, around the world.”