Massey Mathematicians Take on National Engineering Challenge

On Saturday 8 August, 12 of our very best mathematicians took part in the 2026 New Zealand Engineering Science Competition, organised by the University of Auckland’s Department of Engineering Science and Biomedical Engineering.

The Challenge

“If an asteroid was detected today on a collision course to hit New Zealand in 2029, what is the largest size that could be safely deflected using current technologies?”

This was the real-world problem our students were challenged to investigate, requiring them to draw on mathematics, physics and computing to develop a mathematical model and work towards a solution.

The problem was released at 10.00am, with students working throughout the day before submitting their final report by 6.00pm.

Designed for Year 12 and 13 students with a passion for Mathematics and Science, the competition provides an opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to complex, real-world problems while developing creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and problem-solving skills.

Representing Massey High School were:

Brenna Wright, Samara Lauchlan, Devlynn Edwards, Karlin Yip, Cameron Lile, Liam Taylor, Tyra Xue, Sergey Lazarev, Vikranth Bugata, Rohan Mishra, Ye Min Oo Maran and Dilshan Nagra.

We are incredibly proud of our students for taking on such a challenging problem and putting their mathematical talents to the test.

Well done to all 12 students for representing Massey High School and embracing this exciting opportunity!