A message from Ruth Shilston, Chair of the Young Members Board. In this edition of the Young Members Newsletter Ruth Shilston talks about the upcoming IMechE elections, volunteering and the Global Engineering Debate.
Welcome to the first IMechE Young Member's newsletter of 2015.
As ever, this is the time of year when I remind those of you who are professionally registered (EngTech, IEng or CEng) that you have every opportunity to stand in the upcoming IMechE elections for either Council or the Trustee Board. In summary, these groups of people decide how the Institution is run so if you would like to have an influence over the future direction of the IMechE, please consider standing. More information about the governance of the institution can be found on the governance section on the IMechE website. The nominations deadline is the 19th March and Joan Gibbons is the person to contact if you would like more information about what is involved.
If you have not previously been an active volunteer, then consider getting involved with your local panel. More information on how to volunteer in your region can be found on NearYou. Local panels organise a range of activities from promoting engineering to the next generation to technical visits and they are a great opportunity to network with like-minded engineers.
The other thing that I am really excited about is the Global Engineering Debate which Delali talks about below. Last year's trial event in Reading was a great success and we are now gearing up for events in London and Hong Kong. For me this is an example of how we as a global young member network can have a voice on an issue which affects us all. If you cannot physically attend an event in your region, then join in online via social media.
Best Wishes,
Ruth
Fritz Schumacher Award
Are you committed to utilising engineering and technology as a force for social good? If so enter the Fritz Schumacher Award by 31 March 2015
The award is intended for someone who has had marked positive effects on the quality of life of poor communities in the developing world – in Africa, Asia or Latin America. They will have created a new technology or conducted innovative research to enable product design for sustainable poverty alleviation. The prize will recognise effectiveness as well as vision.
For further information on how to apply please see the Fritz Schumacher Award page for more information or contact the Prizes and Awards department.
Successful recipients are notified by the President at the end of June and invited with a guest of their choice to a celebration of their success in London in the Autumn.
Mentor/ Mentee Forum
A Caribbean Mechanical Engineering Mentor/Mentee forum has been established by the IMechE Pan-Caribbean Group and APETT Mechanical Division
The Pan-Caribbean Group of the IMechE has teamed up with the Association of Professional Engineers of Trinidad and Tobago (APETT) to establish a Caribbean Mechanical Engineering Mentor/Mentee Forum.
The groundwork for the forum included a meeting of the Mentors on January 15th, 2015. The aim of this meeting was to discuss how to successfully establish and maintain interactivity in the forum. Committee members of the University of the West Indies (UWI) IMechE Student Chapter were also present to share their take on the expectations of the forum.
The meeting began with a presentation by Dr. Renique Murray, APETT Mechanical Division Committee member, who shared the vision of the forum. The ensuing discussions amongst all present helped decide the way forward. Coming out of the discussions were to create a LinkedIn group forum webpage for the mentors and mentees. The webpage has already gone live and to date both mentors and mentees have made and replied to posts.
One of the driving forces behind this initiative is Dr. Chris Maharaj, (IMechE Americas Region Young Member Representative and Interim Vice-Chair of the APETT Mechanical Division). Popular posts in the forum include ‘What I love most about being a Mechanical Engineer’ and ‘Engineering Interview Questions’. The uniqueness of the forum is that the posts and the associated replies are flavoured with the context of the Caribbean region. Persons interested in this forum can contact Dr. Chris Maharaj.
Global Engineering Debate
As the Global Engineering Debate working group gear up to their launch on 9 April, take a look at the highlight reel from the test event from 2014.
The launch of the Global Engineering Debate will take place on 9th April 2015 in the Lecture Theatre at One Birdcage Walk. The event will feature young engineers debating which energy sources the UK should invest the majority of its resources in, in order to meet its 2050 targets. For a preview of what to expect, have a look at the highlight reel from the test event held in Reading in 2014.
Follow the link to the event page if you would like to attend. To keep up to date with the event, follow the working group on, Twitter , Facebook or email the team via ged14@imeche.org.
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers Railway Challenge 2015
Now in its fourth year the Railway Challenge brings together teams of university students, as well as apprentices and graduates working in the railway industry across the UK, to test their business knowledge, design ability and technical skills in a live test environment.
The event will be held at the Stapleford Miniature Railway in Leicestershire from 26 to 28 June. Teams are required to design and manufacture a miniature (10¼” gauge) railway locomotive in accordance with a set of rules and a technical specification. This year there are eight teams taking part – more than ever before – and each team will be required to compete against each other in categories such as energy efficiency, ride comfort and noise.
The teams will be scrutinised and judged over the three days of the competition by a panel of industry experts and spectators are invited to join the event on the Saturday and Sunday, with Sunday being the day with the most action as the teams go head-to-head and the winners are announced.
More detail on this fantastic event can be found on the Railway Challenge webpage. Please email Rachel Pearson to reserve your place as a spectator.
Exeter Committee Launch
The IMechE is launching a new branch of its Devon and Cornwall Area committee in Exeter.
The importance of Engineering to the South West economy is underestimated and few people realise that the region is home to some great powerhouses of industry.
In Exeter and Newton Abbot, gas turbine blades for jet engines are manufactured by Alcoa Howmet and Centrax. In Honiton, SupaCAT supplies the UK Armed Forces with all-terrain vehicles. In Plymouth, nuclear-powered submarines are refuelled by Babcock and market-leading medical equipment is produced by Becton Dickinson. In Bideford, advanced composite components are developed by Anglo-Krempel, and in Yeovil, AgustaWestland is at the forefront of helicopter manufacturing. It doesn’t stop there; the list of leading engineering companies is impressive in its length and diversity.
Engineering is even found where you might least expect it: in Blagdon, Yeo Valley employs a team of engineers at its yoghurt production facility; and in Tiverton, engineering is at the heart of Heathcoat Fabrics’ high performance textiles business.
To raise the profile of this major industry, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) is launching a new branch of its Devon and Cornwall Area committee in Exeter. The committee seeks to bring together aspiring, developing, and experienced engineers, and members of the general public to promote the benefits and achievements of the engineering profession.
Our new committee will be launched on 11 March. To mark the occasion, we have organised an event that charts the development of the most complicated piece of engineering equipment on the planet: the nuclear-powered submarine.
We hope that this will capture people’s imagination and inspire them to support the activities of the IMechE by joining our committee. This FREE event is open to the general public and is particularly relevant to our Area because Devonport submarine maintenance base is just a few miles away in Plymouth.
The newly formed Exeter branch will organise a wide portfolio of events and activities, most of which will be open to the general public and free to attend. These will include evening lectures for general interest; technical visits to local engineering firms; social and professional networking events; engineering competitions; and mentoring opportunities for local students and professional engineers.
In addition, the committee will engage with local schools to support the teaching of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects and offer careers advice to young students.
By forming a new committee in Exeter, we want to help people to realise the importance of engineering to the local economy and celebrate the achievements of local engineering firms:
“We want to show the rest of the UK that Devon and Cornwall is not just about cream teas and pasties and show local people that cutting-edge engineering happens right here on their doorstep.” (Will Newby)
Please contact Will Newby, Devon and Cornwall Area Chairman, for further information on the launch event.
Check out the Devon and Cornwall Area launch event poster here.
Rickshaw Madness
In January Marcus Nicholls (YMB vice chair), his brother Tristan and housemate Tom completed
a 3000km journey up the West Coast of India taking on the Indian roads in the January 2015 edition of the Rickshaw Run.
The charity event saw the trio cover the distance between Kochi and Jaisalmer over 13 days, with nosupport vehicles, in the notoriously unreliable Bajaj autorickshaw. The journey kicked-off on New Year’s Day following a raucous launch party. With no fixed route, the team headed North, following the coast and stopping of for excursions or when something piqued their interest. They set of with only two aims: to avoid Mumbai traffic and to avoid driving at night. By the end of the trip neither of these objectives were met.
The route took the team through an incredible variety of landscapes and beautiful scenery; from the lush green of Kerala, the forests of the Western Ghat through the beaches of Goa and into the deserts of Northern Rajasthan. Aside from the natural beauty we also experienced the unique hospitality of the locals. Everywhere we went we were met with beaming smiles and an eagerness to help us on our way.
A highlight of the trip was the invitation to visit the construction site of a new water supply for a nearby power station. “We ended up following the Project Manager, a Mechanical Engineer, onto site and were given a tour of his prized project. The ingenuity of the site manager went beyond the day job as revelled in detailing his plans to use a Bajaj engine to power a speedboat to be built on site in his downtime.”
As could have been predicted, the trip also gave the team a chance to put our engineering skills into action with plenty of breakdowns requiring on the spot repairs. These ranged from the simple fixes (replacing clutch cables) to the more demanding repairs (replacing a driveshaft). In addition to this, half a day was spent rebuilding the entire engine; an experience in itself as we sat around drinking tea watching the engine be stripped and rebuilt as Tristan went on various excursions with the shop owner to the local machining shop and to pick up parts.
After 13 days we rolled into the Jawahar Niwas Palace in Jaisalmer, the finish line and a chance to catch up with friends we had made on the road and others we had not seen since the start-line. It was with a heavy heart we handed back the keys to our Rickshaw and headed home. Having completed the Rickshaw Run we now have our eyes firmly set on the Mongol Rally.
This all may sound like an adventure holiday however, there was also a more serious side to the trip: raising money for two active charities in India, Khandel Light and Cool Earth. If you would like more information on the charities or to donate please see our fundraising page.
If you or any IMechE Young Member you know is hoping to take part in a charity event, the Young Members Board offers the
Community and Charity Grants, which provides up to £500 towards the costs of participating in a mechanical engineering related charitable project.
The Big Balloon Debate 2015
Which technology has most changed the way we live?
Several young engineers will attempt to convince a room full students and colleagues that their engineering discipline is the best, by highlighting their discipline’s most impressive technological achievements, and how they have changed the way we live.
The audience will have an opportunity to ask questions, and then vote for their favourite engineer! Light refreshments will be provided.
The main aim of the event is to promote engineering careers and give an insight into the various engineering disciplines (e.g. electrical, mechanical, civil).
This event is recommended for:
- KS4/5 Students who are considering a career in engineering
- Engineering students and Young Engineers
- Anyone with an interest in engineering
The event will be held on Monday 9th March from 10:00AM - 12.30 PM at the IMechE HQ.
For any queries and to confirm your attendance, please email the organising team with the name of your school (if applicable) and the number of people that will be attending.
Contact: Roshni Wijesekera 07413 558 950
Volunteering Opportunities
Inspiring the Future
The Charity, Education and Employers Taskforce have launched a new initiative to connect state
schools and colleges with employers and working individuals. Teachers and volunteers are connected through a secure website, selecting people who best meet the needs of their students from a range of sectors and professions. Volunteers can talk informally about their job, career(s) and their educational route.
The project is supported by a useful website and the team are developing a database on which companies and schools register their interest and through which they can make contact with one another. Please register your interest on the
Inspiring the Future website if you are interested in schools/ambassadorial work.
Duke of York Award for Technical Education: volunteers needed
Could you spare half a day to interview students at a University Technical College? If so, read on!
The Duke of York Award for Technical Education recognises achievement in University Technical Colleges, which offer an intensive 14-19 STEM curriculum based on real-world projects devised in partnership with employers.
The Award is offered at three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. It is based on a combination of qualifications, work experience and competencies.
Each UTC offers one or two technical specialisms in engineering, science, technology and ICT. Students also study core academic subjects including English and maths. Most students go on to further or higher education, apprenticeships or jobs in their chosen field, though some choose to change direction when they leave their UTC. Many UTC alumni will go on to join professional institutions.
The competency framework developed for the Duke of York Award draws on Registered Technician standards for engineers, scientists and IT technicians – EngTech, RSciTech and ITTech. This encourages students to see themselves as working towards professional recognition – something we hope they will achieve after they have left their UTC.
Each spring and summer, volunteers interview candidates for Duke of York Awards, using the competency framework as a template. In 2015, we need to arrange interviews in 14 UTCs around England. The minimum commitment is half a day – a morning or afternoon. UTCs don’t pay a fee or reimburse travel expenses, but volunteers invariably say they enjoy their time with the students.
Please visit www.utcolleges.org/stem-ambassadors to find out more and register your interest.
We hope you will help!
STEM opportunities in London
Please contact Aimee Welch if you are interested in the opportunities below:
| NEW: Science Careers Talks |
| St Mary's and St John's CE Secondary School, NW4 4QR, March 16-20, from 1pm until 1:30 |
| This new secondary school would love to work with a STEM Ambassador as part of their British Science Week Celebrations. The school will be running a lunchtime session for Year 7 students and they would like to invite a STEM Ambassador to deliver a short talk or demonstration related to their job/area of interest to help illustrate potential careers leading on from the study of science at GCSE and A level. | NEW: Employability Workshop- ideal for new STEM Ambassadors | | Islington Arts and Media School, N4 3LS, 1st May 2015 from 8.30am-1.15pm | | Islington Arts and Media School will be running a ‘Presenting Yourself Day’ to increase students’ confidence when it comes to the world of work. As part of the employability skills workshop the school would like STEM Ambassadors to help coach the young people through a series of learning activities which focus on CVs, applications with personal statements and mock interviews. | |
| NEW: Gifted and Talented Wildlife Photography Project |
| Copthall School, NW7 2EP, March TBC |
| The ‘Wildlife Photography Project’ is a project for higher ability level students in Year 7. The school is looking for a STEM Ambassador with knowledge/ experience of one of the following topics: wildlife photography, zoology, conservation to come and talk to the participating students. The STEM Ambassador talk will make up the first part of the day and students will then attend the Wildlife Photography of the Year competition and London Zoo. The school would like a STEM Ambassador to give the talk / masterclass at school (at around 9am) before the students went on their school trip. The Ambassador would be welcome to accompany the class on the trip or leave after the talk. |
| NEW: Go4SET Mentoring |
| Greig City Academy, N8 7NU, Ideal visit times for ambassadors would be every other Wednesday from 8.45am to 10.45am during term time |
| The students are grouped in teams of six and their brief is to explore and propose a scheme at the school which will promote sport or improve awareness of sustainability issues through physical intervention Engineering, architecture and/or infrastructure) and education. The project duration is ten weeks and the outcome is a project report, a working model a, a scripted PowerPoint presentation and a display stand. The school is looking for STEM Ambassadors to help mentor students as they complete the project. |
| NEW: Careers Fair |
| Winchmore School, N21 3HS, March 19th 3.30pm to 7pm |
| Winchmore School will be hosting a careers fair and would like to invite STEM Ambassadors to help run a stand to represent their profession. They are particularly interested in hearing from engineers. The school is also looking for a number of volunteers to run seminars during the fair in nearby classrooms on career pathways or any subject that would support the careers fair. |
| NEW: Careers Fair- ideal for new STEM Ambassadors |
| St Augustine’s High School, NW6 5SN, Thursday April 23rd 2015, 1pm – 4pm |
| The school will be running a careers fair for their Year 10 students. The students will be given 20 minute slots to visit careers stands, ask business representatives questions about their sector, job role, entry routes into particular jobs etc. The aim is to broaden students understanding of careers available to them, help them make informed decisions and inspire them about future study/careers. The school would like to invite STEM Ambassadors to host a stall for their business/career sector and speak informally with students about jobs, entry routes, work experience opportunities, and study pathways, and help students make informed decisions when choosing their options beyond GCSE. They are looking for ambassadors working in any sciences, IT, banking/finance/maths roles, or design/technology roles. |
| NEW: STEM Reward Day |
| Whitefield School, NW2 1TR, 6th July 2015 |
| The day is a reward day for students who have made the most progress in STEM subjects. The students will design and then modify a T-shirt using SMART materials such as thermochromic paint. The STEM Ambassador would be required to help out during the day (as much time as they were able to give), sharing their knowledge of how Fashion and Science are linked. This could be a short (10 minute) talk and demonstration with a question and answer session, or a talk and help with the student’s moderation and designing of the T-Shirt. |
| NEW: Biofuel/Energy Talk |
| Kingsmead School, EN1 1YQ, Late June 2015 |
| This is a cross-cultural STEM project designed to encourage students to work on a project between 2 schools; one is based in north London (Kingsmead) and the other based in Somerset (Bridgwater). Students will have grown biofuels in their respective schools, and their results will be presented at a "scientific conference" that the two schools are organising in London at the end of June. They are looking for a STEM Ambassador to give a class talk on biofuels (future, etc.) to the students at this "scientific conference". The students would learn a great about the real world use of biofuels and STEM Ambassador support would help bring to life lessons learnt on the project. |
| NEW: STEM Careers Talks |
| Paddington Academy, W9 2DT, flexible |
| Paddington Academy would like to help their Science BTEC students understand the variety of STEM careers available. The school would like to invite STEM Ambassadors to visit and deliver a short hands on activity or talk about what their subject/career involves in order to help expose the students to as many careers/areas of science as possible. |
| NEW: School Science Conference- ideal for new STEM Ambassadors |
| University of Westminster, 22nd April 2015 |
| The School Science Conference is an interactive conference with workshops, lectures and hands-on demonstrations to excite and enthuse London students, (years 9 to 11) to study science and to showcase science careers. The organisers would like to invite STEM Ambassadors to run interactive hands-on demonstrations with an “Ideal Homes” exhibition type of feel where healthcare professionals can display aspects of their profession in a visual and interactive way for students. Table stands, poster boards etc. will be provided. |
| Engineering Talk to Inspire Gifted Students- still looking for volunteers |
| Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School, N1 9QG, Thursdays once a month starting in March |
| The school will be running a mini-lecture series for a cross section of year groups with the gifted and talented pupils from younger years joining older pupils. The school would like to invite an engineer to deliver a talk on their career/ projects they are currently working on as part of the lecture series to help broaden their students’ horizons and inspire this gifted group of students in STEM. |
Primary Schools Opportunities
| NEW: Viewing the Solar Eclipse |
| Yerbury Primary School, N19 4RR, 16th March to 20th March |
| The solar eclipse falls during British Science Week and the school would like would like as many of their pupils as possible to safely view the solar eclipse that takes place on the morning of the 20th March. They are looking for a STEM Ambassador to visit the school to deliver a related talk or help the school in advance with any ideas about how to help pupils view the eclipse e.g. by making keyhole cameras etc. The school is also looking for any STEM Ambassadors who wish to visit during that week and deliver a talk or activity to enthuse students about any aspects of science or engineering. |
| NEW: Meet a Scientist Event- ideal for new STEM Ambassadors |
| Holy Family Catholic School, E17 9RT, Mondays, Tuesday or Thursday in May 2015 |
| Pupils from three different primary schools have been offered the opportunity to have exciting science lessons at Holy Family Catholic School and as part of this programme the school would like to illustrate the range of science careers available. The school will be hosting a ‘meet a scientist’ event for the Year 6 pupils and would like to invite STEM Ambassadors to participate and give a very short talk or demonstration related to their scientific career. |
| NEW: British Science Week Celebrations |
| Brecknock Primary School, NW1 9AL, March 16th - 20th |
| The school would like to work with STEM Ambassadors during British Science Week. They are very flexible regarding what type of support volunteers could offer, but would like as many classes as possible to meet a ‘real life’ scientist/engineer/ etc. The school don’t have a particular theme but classes will be doing work linked to their current science topics, for example Year 5 are doing a topic called 'Mission to Mars' and Year 4 are looking at states of matter through their topic on 'Chocolate, although STEM Ambassadors could deliver a stand-alone talk or demonstration to inspire the pupils. Teachers and TAs would be on hand to support volunteers. |
| NEW: Science Week School Assembly | | St Vincent's Catholic Primary, W1U 4DF, March 16th-20th 2015- preferably Monday or Wednesday | | Science & Engineering Week at St Vincent’s this year has the theme of Technology and the schools would like to look at how computers and technology are utilised within the scientific field. They would also like the pupils to become more aware of associated scientific and engineering careers. Ideally, they would like an Ambassador to speak to the pupils during a whole school 20 minute assembly, possibly with a short, more in-depth presentation or demonstration to one of the older classes afterwards. | | NEW: STEM Club Support | | Primrose Hill Primary School, NW1 8JL, Flexible | | The school have taken a cross-circular approach to their science, technology and computing learning this year. They will be running a STEM club after school for about 6-8 weeks and would love some help getting this up and running. The school are looking for a STEM Ambassador to come and assist with the club, including helping the teacher with activity ideas and look at how pupils could to conduct experiments, use technology and computing in a project. | Maths Investigations- still looking for volunteers |
| Greenleaf Primary School, E17 6QW, flexible |
| The school would like to invite a STEM Ambassador to visit the school to help deliver activities/workshops/assemblies related to their whole school maths target. This year, the have a focus on maths investigations: children challenging themselves, showing greater resilience, developing independence, higher level/critical thinking, reasoning and justifying their opinions (speaking and listening focus) and would welcome STEM Ambassador support. |
| |
| British Science Week Activities - still looking for volunteers |
| Harris Primary Academy, N15 4AB, Any time between Mon 16th - Thurs 19th |
| The school will be celebrating British Science Week and would like STEM Ambassadors to bring lessons to life and deliver a talk or hands on activity to inspire the students. They are looking for STEM Ambassadors with an interest in or knowledge of any of the following areas: growing, plants, forces and magnets, water cycle, Earth and space, being healthy. |