About

 28 Years Of Pioneering STEM EDUCATION IN AUSTRALIA

“Australia needs more highly skilled technical professionals who are both innovative and creative. Every major innovation is the result of individuals with a strong foundation in STEM—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. But the challenge lies in making these subjects both appealing and engaging to our young people. The Re-Engineering Australia Foundation (REA) is addressing this by making STEM relevant and exciting. Their programs integrate world-class technology with hands-on learning and industry collaboration. As a result, math and science classes are filling up, students are requesting after-school sessions, and they’re even eager to attend school during holidays.”

Dr Peter Farrell AM
Founder and Executive Chairman, ResMed

Founded in 1998 by Dr Michael Myers OAM, the Re-Engineering Australia Foundation (REA) was established to address a national concern: many young Australians were disengaging from engineering, science, and technical careers, even as Australia’s prosperity increasingly relied on innovation and advanced technology.
With international experience as an engineer, entrepreneur, and industry leader, Dr Myers recognised that traditional education no longer inspired students to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers. Students often struggled to connect classroom learning with real-world opportunities and future careers.
Dr Myers believed Australia needed to rethink how young people experienced education, especially in engineering and technology, to remain globally competitive. He advocated for authentic, hands-on experiences that connect learning with purpose, creativity, innovation, and industry.
This vision led to REA’s creation as a pioneering not-for-profit social enterprise dedicated to transforming STEM education through project-based learning.
REA is founded on the belief that young people learn best by solving real-world problems with industry-level technologies and collaborative skills.
What began as a small initiative, REA has grown into one of Australia’s leading STEM engagement organisations, creating pathways between schools, industry, and the community. Programs such as STEM Racing and SUBS in Schools have supported hundreds of thousands of students nationwide.
REA’s programs go beyond teaching technical knowledge. They develop critical employability skills such as teamwork, communication, leadership, project management, problem-solving, innovation, and resilience, all essential for success in today’s workforce.
Immersive and relevant education is central to REA’s approach. By connecting students with advanced technology, mentors, and real engineering challenges, REA demonstrates both what STEM careers involve and why they are important.
For over two decades, REA has evolved into a nationally respected organisation supporting Australia’s future capability needs in defence, aerospace, advanced manufacturing, space technologies, and emerging industries.
Today, REA continues to inspire the next generation of innovators, engineers, scientists, and leaders, helping build a more capable and technologically advanced Australia.

Our Vision

The Re-Engineering Australia Foundation (REA) was established to inspire young Australians to engage in education, develop innovative skills, and pursue future careers.
REA was founded on the belief that students learn best through practical experiences that connect classroom learning to real outcomes. From the beginning, REA has focused on immersive, industry-connected programs that foster curiosity, creativity, and purpose.
Our vision is to:
  • Create practical learning programs that foster student engagement, growth, and skills development.
  • Integrate employability and life skills such as teamwork, leadership, collaboration, communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, innovation, self-promotion, and public speaking into all experiences.
  • Grant students access to industrial technologies, engineering processes, and advanced manufacturing tools found in leading industries.
  • Inspire young people to develop a passion for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) by demonstrating their relevance, excitement, and real-world applications.
  • Foster strong collaboration among schools, industry, TAFE, universities, government, parents, and the broader community. This approach creates a connected educational ecosystem that reflects the needs of modern society and industry.
  • Equip young Australians with the confidence, skills, adaptability, and resilience required for global competitiveness.
  • Help position Australia as a global center for innovation, manufacturing, engineering excellence, and sovereign capability.
Dr Michael Myers recognized early that Australia’s future prosperity depended on developing a technically skilled, innovative, and adaptable workforce. He believed students needed authentic experiences that connect education to industry and future careers.
With this vision, Dr Myers brought together leaders from business, government, defence, and education to establish a practical and influential STEM education movement. These leaders agreed Australia needed new frameworks to inspire and prepare future generations for a changing world.
Among the early supporters, the Australian Department of Defence recognised the strategic importance of developing future engineering and technical capabilities for Australia’s growing sovereign defence industry. With significant investments in advanced technology programs across naval shipbuilding, aerospace, cyber security, advanced manufacturing, robotics, and land systems, Defence identified REA’s programs as an effective way to inspire students to pursue careers in over 100 critical technical and engineering fields. Patron of REA in 1994 was the Honourable John Button, renowned as the architect of the transformational “Button Plan” that reshaped Australia’s automotive industry and manufacturing sector. His support reflected a shared belief. Australia’s long-term economic strength would rely on innovation, advanced technology, engineering capability, and the development of future talent.
Since its establishment in 1998, REA has become one of Australia’s largest and most influential STEM education organisations, closely connected to industry. Through programs such as STEM Racing, SUBS in Schools, SPACE in Schools, and other project-based initiatives, more than 3,000,000 students have participated in experiences designed to inspire ambition, develop capability, and create pathways into engineering, technology, advanced manufacturing, defence industries, and innovation-led careers. Today, REA continues to build on its founding vision by delivering transformative educational experiences that improve student engagement and outcomes while contributing to Australia’s future workforce capability, sovereign resilience, and international competitiveness.

 

 

Recognition

The work of REA has been recognised by governments, industry and international organisations:

  • Peter Doherty Science Award 2005
  • Engineers Australia, Engineering Excellence Award NSW 2004 & 2006
  • Queensland Smart State Science Award 2005
  • Engineers Australia, National Presidents Award 2006
  • Warren Centre Medal for Outstanding Contribution to Engineering 2006
  • Association of Consulting Engineers (ACEA), Presidents Award for
  • Outstanding Contribution to Consulting Engineering 2006
  • Prime Minister’s Award for Skills Excellence 2006
  • Dassault Systems Global Education Award 2006
  • Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Primary School Teaching 2009
  • Order of Australia Medal for contribution to youth & STEM education 2012