PHNOM PENH: E2STEM students have showed to the world how talented young Cambodians are. A group of eight has won third place for the “solution challenge” of the 2021 First Global Challenge launching their “CubeSat” prototype. Apart from the third place, overall, they were also ranked 22nd out of 160 countries participated the competition.

A huge pride for the Kingdom of Cambodia. Eight young students from Preah Yukanthor High School’s E2STEM in Phnom Penh, showcased what they got. They participated in the First Global Challenge 2021 launching their CubeSat Prototype invention.

Placing 22nd out of 160 countries globally, while third place for the “solution challenge”. One of the team members, Nho Tomaneath told EAC News that the result was unexpected.

Tomaneath says, “After we heard the result, we were very surprised because it was so unexpected for us. And then after we got that result, we went to check our leader board and we saw that we are 22nd among the 160 countries. At first, we actually ranked 34th and we didn’t expect much. But when we saw we got 22nd, we were like jumping around.”

She says it was a privilege that she was chosen among many who applied to be part of the team that will compete First Global Challenge. They first worked to participate the “solution challenge”. Then when it was announced that there would be “CubeSat Prototype challenge”. They also took the chance even without much knowledge about the second challenge. Instead, they pursued and persisted to learn more about the CubeSat Prototype.

She has added, “We never saw what CubeSat Prototype is. When they start announcing it, they give us research and documents for us to study. They also send us the kit in building it and we start learning about it.”

All their team members are beginners in robotics. They started building it in August. At that time, there was a news about UV light effect in Cambodia. That inspires them to pursue the CubeSat. Their mission was to make an advanced weather station. It could detect UV light index and the air quality. Until they finally launched on 26 September for the global competition. They launched at Tbong Khmoum province. The set up takes one hour. And the launching proper lasts four hours until it lands.

After their achievement in the First Global Challenge, the students hope that investors will see the importance of their inventions.

They wish to make it bigger by creating a start-up or turning it into a business. But before that, these young talented Cambodians would like to encourage others who has the passion and hunger for learning to start exploring their capabilities no matter what status they have in life.

She says, “Our teammate is from province. Half of out teammate. All of them at first, they also don’t know what CubeSat or coding, computer. They never touched it. But then again, they got a chance to come and study at E2STEM. E2STEM provides them like technology class and chance to explore. I think, if you are at the province, students from province, they should apply for E2STEM because I believe that this school is giving students from province a chance to their passions in technology.” For these students, the First Global Challenge 2021 is just the beginning for them to explore what they have and what they can do.

^{PHOTO: SARY}