RMIT students power fan experiences at the Australian Grand Prix

Students and staff were front and centre at the recent motorsport event, exhibiting RMIT’s cutting-edge technologies.

The atmosphere was abuzz in RMIT’s activation at the FORMULA 1 QATAR AIRWAYS AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX 2026. From RMIT’s soccer robots to Spot the robot dog – who inspired a raucous applause when he stood on his hind legs and danced – the excitement was palpable.

Members of the RMIT Motorsport team were among the student volunteers present at the activation, welcoming thousands of fans from the record-high 483,934 attendees at this year’s Grand Prix.

Motorsport team lead and mechanical engineering student, Josephine Vallance, said it was heartening to see fans embrace RMIT’s activation so eagerly.

“Representing RMIT at the Grand Prix was such a special experience,” Vallance said.

“Being able to watch people enjoy themselves and ask questions, be curious about what we do, and be a part of the motorsport experience was absolutely amazing.”

Growing up, Vallance and her family were big motorsport enthusiasts. This initially sparked her interest in engineering – which has only become stronger since joining RMIT and discovering new opportunities to put her passion into practice.

“RMIT has opened up some amazing opportunities for me, from co-founding the Mechanical and Automotive Engineering Association to studying abroad in Japan and now leading the RMIT race team into 2026,” she said.

“These experiences have given me practical knowledge and leadership experience that go far beyond theoretical learning.”

In a panel discussion held during the first day of the event, Vallance shared her story with school students and emphasised the importance of gaining hands-on experience in the things that interest you.

“You might feel out of place at first, but once you push past that, you’ll be surprised by what you’re capable of,” she said.

Grace Jopling, RMIT alumnus and former Chief Mechanical Engineer of RMIT Motorsport, was thrilled to connect with the current Motorsport team while visiting RMIT’s activation.

“It's really special to still be connected to RMIT and to be able to see the things that RMIT is still producing now,” Jopling said.

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Showcasing RMIT's women in STEM

Josephine and the other women students and staff who operated RMIT’s activation are a shining example of the STEM pathways that girls and young women can aspire to pursue.

The topic of female representation in STEM was the focus of the Formula 1 Fan Festival panel discussion, held at Federation Square on International Women’s Day.

Professor Jennifer Palmer, Head of Aerospace Engineering at RMIT, joined the conversation alongside Katherine Richards AM CSC from Engineers Australia, Dr Elizabeth Zavitz from Monash University, and motorsport journalist Kate Peck.

“It was an honour and a pleasure to be on-stage for a panel discussion with some very accomplished women,” Palmer said.

“Talking through how to bring more women into engineering and hearing the experiences of these women in their careers was an inspiring way to start International Women’s Day.”

For Palmer, female representation in STEM is about encouraging girls to explore a breadth of fields and disciplines when they’re young so that they find their true passions.

“I want to inspire young people to share my goal of shaping the future of the aerospace and aviation sectors and advancing Australia’s space industry,” she said.

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Partnership supports STEM career pathways

RMIT’s presence at this year’s Grand Prix comes after the announcement that RMIT and the Australian Grand Prix Corporation (AGPC) have agreed to a new three-year partnership to bring more students into the world of STEM.

For the first time, a lucky group of RMIT students won four-day passes to the Grand Prix, giving them access to all the action including the main race day.

Bachelor of Applied Science (Aviation) student Anil Ryan Vas said that it was an opportunity to immerse himself in the sport he loves.

“I grew up watching F1, and I have been to a few other GPs in Singapore and Malaysia, so to check another GP off the list is a nice feeling. I got to see some drivers up close when they were arriving. I was actually at the gate on Thursday at just around 4am, and I spent all four days at the track from morning until the last event,” Vas said.

RMIT and AGPC’s partnership aims to create opportunities for students across engineering, computing and digital technologies to engage with the fast-moving world of motorsport and high-performance innovation.

The partnership is set to explore internships for students, investigate opportunities to promote and develop initiatives to support career pathways in motorsports, and identify potential research areas for student projects.

Professor James Harland, Director of the STEM Hub for Digital Innovation, who showcased RMIT’s virtual reality helicopter and humanoid robots at the Grand Prix, said that strong industry connections and a focus on real-world applications are what set STEM at RMIT apart.

“At RMIT, we're creating precincts where students can come and engage and work with the technologies,” Harland said.

“Rather than following a traditional subject or process of education where you’re just told about things, in STEM we want you to experience them.”

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16 March 2026

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