AN APPLECROSS Senior High School student could be heading to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, thanks to an invention helping women cycle safely.
Eva Mustapic designed a device worn to capture skirt fabric between two magnets.
The ‘Chic Magnet” prevent skirts moving while cycling, ensuring both hands are kept on the handle bars.
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READ NOWThe 13-year-old said the idea was conceived by her own experiences riding to school in a school uniform.
“I was riding my bike to school one morning and was struggling to keep my skirt in place while riding,” she said.
“I was tending to hold my skirt with one hand and only have one hand on the handlebar.
“This is where the Chic Magnet comes in as it holds your skirt in place meaning you can keep both hands on the handlebars and ride more safely.”
She hoped it would encourage more women to take up cycling.
Eva was recently named one of the leading young inventors in Australia after entering Origin’s annual littleBIGidea competition.
She was chosen from more than 1000 entrants to participate in an Engineers Without Borders design workshop in late October to help further develop her idea.
Eva will now make a final pitch for the chance to be named the national winner in her age category and score a trip to the Kennedy Space Center in the USA.
“I’m very excited but I also realise I’m up against very strong competition as there are some really great ideas from the other finalists,” she said.
“It really is a case of doing my best and hoping that my invention is selected for its simplicity and potential impact on cycling participation rates.”
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