• Africa Prize finalists tackle food waste, improve cervical cancer screening, secure banking through artificial intelligence, and ensure off-grid energy is easy to use and maintain.

A more affordable, effective cervical cancer screening device, a digital platform to help farmers plan and distribute crops, a new way to secure banking through facial recognition, and a tool that monitors the condition of solar PV installations; these are the four innovations selected as finalists for the Royal Academy of Engineering’s 2020 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation.

The finalists were selected from a shortlist of 15 African innovators effecting positive change in their communities, who have all received eight months of training and support through the Africa Prize. All four finalists have developed innovative ways to solve global problems, and are developing their ideas into strong businesses that can benefit entire communities.

“Despite a global pandemic placing immense pressure on entrepreneurs worldwide, we’ve been inspired by these four innovators’ ability to adapt, collaborate, and thrive,” said Rebecca Enonchong, Africa Prize judge and Cameroonian entrepreneur.

The Africa Prize supports the brightest minds across the continent, equipping them with skills to reshape and rethink their businesses. It is the continent’s biggest prize dedicated to engineering innovation, and has a proven track record for identifying successful engineering entrepreneurs.

“The Africa Prize is more than just an award,” added Enonchong. “It is designed to upskill and support entrepreneurs in the long term, building capacity across the entire innovation ecosystem in Africa. Supporting one innovator can transform a community, and we believe that, together, our network of innovators will help transform the continent.”

To date, the 86 Africa Prize alumni businesses have raised more than 14 million USD in grants and equity and created more than 1500 new jobs, with over 50% of these going to women and a significant proportion to disabled people and youth.

The finalists

This year’s finalists hail from Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda:

• From Nigeria, Farmz2U is a digital platform that reduces food waste by helping farmers plan their crops. Data expert Aisha Raheem developed Farmz2U after a health scare prompted her to eat more healthily. She is determined to reduce food waste and improve people’s nutritional intake.

  During the COVID-19 pandemic, the disruption of traditional distribution channels has driven farmers and the rest of the agricultural supply chain online. Farmz2U has used support from the Africa Prize and the Academy’s Project CARE (COVID Africa Rapid Entrepreneurs), to ensure that it is well positioned to respond to the increased demand for its services.

• BACE API is a Ghanaian platform that uses facial recognition and artificial intelligence to verify identities remotely. Tech entrepreneur Charlette N’Guessan and her cofounders developed the software after their research revealed that Ghana’s banks have a significant problem with identity fraud and cyber-crime, with approximately $400 million spent annually by Ghanaian financial institutions to identify their customers.

  While facial recognition software isn’t new, BACE API can use live images or short videos taken on phone cameras to detect whether the image is of a real person, or a photo of an existing image. During the global pandemic, digital platforms like BACE API have become essential in replacing in-person verification processes like fingerprinting. N’Guessan’s team has signed key partnerships with Ghanaian financial institutions since joining the Africa Prize shortlist, and is using the training to refine the company’s market strategy.

• In Uganda, Remot is helping Ugandan schools, businesses and solar companies manage off-grid power systems more effectively. Created by David Tusubira and his colleagues, the system provides more than just data about energy use. Remot examines the system itself for inefficiencies and potential problems, monitoring the condition and performance of solar PV installations.

  Manufactured on site at their offices in Kampala, the hardware device nicknamed ‘Davix’, after its co-founder, is running in nearly 500 schools, 11 solar maize mills, and solar water pumps on office blocks in the DRC, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Uganda. Despite the pandemic hampering sales targets, Tusubira’s team has added nine employees since being shortlisted for the Africa Prize, and a local assembly plant is being built in Kampala, Uganda.

• Also from Uganda, Dr William Wasswa’s PapsAI speeds up cervical cancer screening, diagnosis and patient record management, making it more affordable and reliable. While digital microscopes are most effective for screening for cervical cancer, they are expensive and are rarely used in low-income countries.

  PapsAI’s digital microscope slide scanner quickly scans high-resolution cervical cell images from pap smears. Dr Wasswa also developed an analytical tool for diagnosis and classification of images, and the software assesses the likelihood of a patient contracting cervical cancer given their risk factors. A separate system manages and archives patient records using artificial intelligence. Dr Wasswa has used the COVID-19 lockdown to assess workflow at the hospital where PapsAI is being trialled, and has hired four full-time staff.

The 2020 finalists will pitch their innovations to a panel of judges and a live online audience on 3 September 2020. The winner will be announced at the virtual event, and will receive £25,000, with £10,000 awarded to each of the runners-up.

The seventh Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation is now open. Individuals and small teams living and working in sub-Saharan Africa who have a scalable engineering innovation that can solve a local challenge are invited to enter. Interested entrants can find more information here. The deadline for entries is 14 September 2020.

The shortlist

The other 11 candidates shortlisted for the Africa Prize 2020 were:

• Aquaprotein, Jack Oyugi from Kenya – an affordable protein supplement for animal feed, made from invasive water hyacinth
• CATHEL, Catherine Tasankha Chaima from Malawi – an affordable antibacterial soap made from agricultural waste and other plant-based extracts
• CIST Ethanol Fuel, Richard Arwa from Kenya – a clean cooking ethanol made from invasive water hyacinth
• DryMac, Adrian Padt from South Africa – a containerised drying system that uses burning biomass instead of electricity to dry and preserve crops
• Eco Water Purifier, Timothy Kayondo from Uganda – a digital system that turns bones, cassava peelings, coconut shells and other waste into an activated carbon water filter
• EcoRide, Bernice Dapaah from Ghana – bamboo bicycles made by Ghanaian women and youth from sustainable materials and recycled parts
• Garbage In Value Out (GIVO), Victor Boyle-Komolafe from Nigeria – automates and digitises the collection, processing and sale of recyclable materials
• GrainMate, Isaac Sesi from Ghana – a simple handheld meter to accurately measure the moisture content of grains to prevent rotting, insect infestation and quality reduction
• Lab and Library on Wheels, Josephine Godwyll from Ghana – a mobile, solar-hybrid cart with gadgets and e-learning resources to encourage reading and teach STEAM subjects in under-resourced schools
• Safi Organics, Samuel Rigu from Kenya – a novel chemical process that turns crop waste into a range of affordable fertilisers
• Tree_Sea.mals Mini-Grid, Tracy Kimathi from Kenya – a solar system that powers communal refrigeration storage spaces in rural Kenya

Notes to editors

A full set of photographs and b-roll of the entrepreneurs can be found here.

1. About the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation

The Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, founded by the Royal Academy of Engineering, is Africa’s biggest prize dedicated to engineering innovation. It awards crucial commercialisation support to ambitious African innovators developing scalable engineering solutions to local challenges, demonstrating the importance of engineering as an enabler of improved quality of life and economic development.

An eight-month period of tailored training and mentoring culminates in a showcase event where a winner is selected to receive £25,000 along with three runners-up, who are each awarded £10,000.

The Africa Prize is generously supported by The Shell Centenary Scholarship Fund and the UK Government’s Global Challenges Research Fund. Further information can be found here:

https://www.shellcentenaryscholarshipfund.org/

https://www.ukri.org/research/global-challenges-research-fund/

Judges and mentors of the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation have provided over 1,970 hours of support to entrepreneurs since the prize was established – this equates to a value of roughly £985,000 in support. This year, they are:

• Chair of judges: Malcolm Brinded CBE FREng, President of the Energy Institute, Chair of EngineeringUK
• Dr Ibilola Amao, Founder and Principal Consultant, Lonadek Consulting
• Rebecca Enonchong, Founder and CEO, AppsTech
• Dr John Lazar CBE FREng, angel investor and technology start-up mentor

The shortlist judging panel also included Mariéme Jamme, co-founder of Africa Gathering and founder of #iamtheCODE and SpotOne Global Solutions. Jamme has recently stepped down as Africa Prize judge.

More information can be found here: www.raeng.org.uk/africaprize

2. About the Royal Academy of Engineering

The Royal Academy of Engineering is harnessing the power of engineering to build a sustainable society and an inclusive economy that works for everyone. In collaboration with our Fellows and partners, we’re growing talent and developing skills for the future, driving innovation and building global partnerships, and influencing policy and engaging the public.

Together we’re working to tackle the greatest challenges of our age.

Further information can be found here: www.raeng.org.uk

For media queries and interview requests, please contact:

Africa

• Anzet du Plessis, Proof Africa on behalf of the Royal Academy of Engineering
• anzet@proofafrica.co.za
• +27 83 557 2322

UK and International

• Engineering’s ‘COVID 19’ – exceptional individuals and teams of engineers to be honoured

• Pandemic service achievements span the whole field of engineering from ventilators and vaccines to hospital building and infection tracking 

The Royal Academy of Engineering has awarded 19 individuals and teams of engineers with the President’s Special Awards for Pandemic Service for exceptional engineering achievements in tackling COVID-19 throughout the UK.

The awards have been made to teams, organisations, individuals, collaborations and projects across all technical specialities, disciplines and career stages within the UK engineering community who have contributed to addressing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Specially commissioned silver medals will be presented to all 19 winners later this year.

The President’s Special Awards for Pandemic Services

The winners are:

• Ventilator Challenge UK Consortium. Dick Elsy CBE led the initiative to combine the knowledge and skills of 33 UK technology and engineering businesses across the aerospace, automotive and medical sectors, to produce more than 13,000 Smiths and Penlon ventilator devices for the NHS. 
• University College London-Ventura CPAP breathing aids were developed by a team led by Professor Rebecca Shipley and Professor Tim Baker working with Mercedes–AMG High Performance Powertrains. The team manufactured 10,000 breathing aids for use in UK hospitals and shared the designs with organisations from 105 other countries at no cost.
• University of Cambridge Open Ventilator System Initiative team led by Dr Tashiv Ramsander developed a high-performance ventilator for manufacture in low and middle-income countries that became the first intensive care quality ventilator to be manufactured in Africa.
• University of Southampton for PeRSo. The engineering team developed the Personal Respirator Southampton, a respirator for healthcare workers providing a much higher level of protection than surgical masks.
• Babcock International Group Plc for the rapid development and manufacture of a new medical ventilator product, Zephyr Plus, coordinated across several major companies in the UK and Germany, with 39 suppliers and MoD logistics. 
• Jean Morris and a team of young engineers from the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) took a central role in building and testing prototype ventilators against a developing MHRA specification.
• Dr Antony Robotham at the University of Plymouth, who designed an environmentally friendly face shield, manufactured from recycled materials that are compostable or recyclable at the end of life.
• Dr Dominic Pimenta is a cardiology registrar at one of London’s busiest hospitalswho led the design and manufacture of face shields with the team at Makerversity for frontline NHS and care home staff. His charity, HEROES, has produced 100,000 reusable face shields as well as thousands of reusable gowns and scrubs.
• Institute for Manufacturing, University of Cambridge. The IfM team helped local hospitals to make the best use of their resources, streamlining logistics for sourcing and storing vital PPE, informing decision-making on emergency demand, and developing a ventilator sharing system to be used in emergencies. 
• Tharsus for Bump, a social-distancing system providing real-time alerts when wearers get too close. Led by CEO Brian Palmer FREng and CTO Dave Swan, the technology’s smart data insights inform rapid decision making, allowing employers to maximise workplace capacity and providing data on team contact in the event of an outbreak.
• Dr Ravi Solanki and Raymond Siems, volunteers for the charity HEROES. In less than two days, their team turned an idea into a platform with genuine impact: a secure website through which more than 543,000 items of much-needed support have been provided to NHS workers, from sustainable PPE to counselling services and child care.
• Professor Chris Toumazou FREng FRS FMedSci of Imperial College London for developing a rapid, affordable COVID-19 test based on a lab in a cartridge technology that provides test results in just over an hour. A total of 5.8 million tests are now being deployed throughout NHS in preparation for the flu season. 
• Professor Zhanfeng Cui FREng and his team from the University of Oxford for the Oxford rapid viral RNA test for COVID-19. It can detect SARS-CoV-2 infection in 30 minutes and could be invaluable in developing countries because no specialist equipment is needed.
• Professor Harris Makatsoris from King’s College London for developing a ‘factory-in-a-box’ that allows the rapid manufacture of synthetic RNA vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 virus and minimises the space required for high-volume vaccine production.
• Professor Catherine Noakes from the University of Leeds for her role in advising the NHS and the government at the highest level during the pandemic, shaping life-saving guidance based on her expertise in environmental and engineering controls.
• Sewers4COVID from the University of Exeter: a team led by Professor Dragan Savic FREng applied machine learning to sewer epidemiology to estimate the number of infected people in a certain geographical area to track the spread of infection.
• BOC Customer Engineering Services, who maintained the oxygen supplies to treat COVID-19 patients across the UK. BOC engineers set up oxygen systems at six Nightingale centres, including the largest medical oxygen system ever installed.
• Matt Benson, Elliot Dervish and Jonathan Parker of Teledyne-e2v, who developed and manufactured the Handy Hook for front line NHS staff across Essex and London, to limit their interaction with surfaces carrying the virus. 
• Martyn Frackelton and Ian Watkins from Mott MacDonald, who project managed both NHS Nightingale London and NHS Nightingale North West, enabling the massive field hospitals to care for patients within two weeks of being announced.

Professor Sir Jim McDonald FREng FRSE, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, says: “The COVID-19 pandemic is the biggest public health crisis of our time and has presented society with multiple challenges. Engineering expertise and innovation has been central to the global fight to save lives and protect livelihoods. 

“I am also incredibly proud of engineers everywhere who have worked round the clock to maintain essential services, critical supply chains and infrastructure in unprecedented circumstances, using their training and skills to find innovative solutions to a host of problems and to help mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on our daily lives.”

Professor Raffaella Ocone OBE FREng FRSE, Chair of the Academy’s Awards Committee, says: “Engineering skills—including innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration—have proved to be of vital importance during the current pandemic. We were delighted that the breadth of nominations for these awards reflected so much of the extraordinary work engineers have been doing. 

“While I am delighted that we are able to recognise some of these outstanding achievements with these awards I am mindful that the important work of the vast majority of engineers will remain largely outside the public’s consciousness. They are all deserving of our thanks and admiration for their continuing positive contribution to society.”

Notes for editors

1. The President’s Special Awards for Pandemic Service were overseen by the Academy’s Awards Committee, which identifies winners for all of the Academy’s prizes and awards (with the exception of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering and the MacRobert Award for UK Engineering Innovation). 

• Professor Raffaella Ocone OBE FREng FRSE (Chair)
• Dr Alan Belfield FREng
• Professor Mojtaba Ghadiri FREng 
• Tony Graham FREng
• Professor Yike Guo FREng 
• Professor David Johnson FREng 
• Dr Raouf Kattan FREng 
• Professor Andrew Lewis FREng
• Alan Newby FREng
• Professor Graham Reed FREng
• Dr Richard Taylor FREng
• Dr John Tubman FREng 
• Jane Wernick CBE FREng

2. The Royal Academy of Engineering is harnessing the power of engineering to build a sustainable society and an inclusive economy that works for everyone. In collaboration with its Fellows and partners, the Academy is helping to tackle the greatest challenges of our age by growing talent and developing skills for the future, driving innovation and building global partnerships, and influencing policy and engaging the public. 

For more information please contact: 

Enhanced radar detection of drones and other small objects using electromagnetic metamaterials and modelling the role of wood jams in natural flood management are among the research areas supported by the Royal Academy of Engineering through 16 new engineering Research Fellowships announced today. Together with projects such as novel techniques to enhance the safety and security of nuclear and radioactive materials, they have the potential to make a significant contribution to health, transport, next generation computing, safety and measurement systems and decarbonisation.

The Academy’s Research Fellowships are designed to advance excellence in engineering by enabling early-career researchers to concentrate on basic research in any field of engineering. Each awardee receives five years’ worth of funding to advance their research careers. They also receive mentoring from experienced Academy Fellows, providing valuable advice and industry links that will enable the researchers to establish themselves as future leaders in their fields.

Professor Philip Nelson CBE FREng, Chair of the Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellowships Steering Group, says: “I am delighted to announce the award of Research Fellowships to 16 of the most promising global research talents selected from a competitive application process. The variety and impact of the research being done by these awardees demonstrates the depth and breadth of world-leading engineering expertise we have within our universities. We would like to thank the government for the Investment in Research Talent initiative, which has provided the Academy with a significant increase in funding to attract and retain the best research talents in the UK and support their research and career development.”

The full list of Research Fellows and their projects is as follows:

• Dr Humberto Almeida Jr, Queen’s University Belfast

Uncertainty quantification in the design of future composite aerostructures

• Dr Giorgia Bosi, University College London

Engineered patient stratification and therapeutic planning: application to atrial fibrillation

• Dr Yang Cao, University of Edinburgh

Making database systems learn and making them robust

• Dr James Ewen, Imperial College London

Controlling friction through molecular engineering

• Dr Elizabeth Follett, Cardiff University

Structure and function of wood jams for natural flood management

• Dr Rand Ismaeel, University of Southampton

Monitoring of ocean methane through optical fibre isotope detection

• Dr Himanshu Kaul, University of Leicester

The Lung Pharmacome

• Dr Aurora Maccarone, Heriot-Watt University

Underwater three-dimensional optical imaging based on quantum detection

• Dr Peter Martin, University of Bristol

Transforming the national infrastructure for detecting, characterising and mapping radiation

• Dr Timothy Moorsom, University of Glasgow

Active topological plasmonics for computer processors

• Dr Greg Mutch, Newcastle University

Advancing facilitated-transport membranes for disruptive carbon dioxide separation

• Dr Auro Perego, Aston University

Novel tuneable dissipative optical frequency combs: from visible to mid-infrared

• Dr Alexander Powell, University of Exeter

Electromagnetic metamaterials for enhanced radar detection of small objects

• Dr Timothy Runcorn, Imperial College London

New fibre optics for advanced biomedical imaging

• Dr Nidhi Simmons, Queen’s University Belfast

Enabling mission-critical applications through an intelligent URLLC framework

• Dr Yuriko Suzuki, University of Oxford

Robust visualisation of blood vessels in patients with vessel-narrowing disease

Notes for editors

1. The Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellowships support early-career researchers to establish successful research careers and become future research leaders in their fields. The scheme provides funding for five years to allow awardees the freedom to concentrate on basic research in any field of engineering and establish a track record in the field. Funding for the Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellowships is provided by the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Engineering for Development Research Fellowships through the government’s Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF).

The scheme is currently open for applications until Monday 21 September 2020. In this round, we have a joint sponsorship with Orthopaedic Research UK to support research in the musculoskeletal field. The current round therefore accepts applications for any one of the following research fellowship schemes:

• RAEng Research Fellowship
• RAEng Engineering for Development Research Fellowship
• RAEng/Orthopaedic Research UK Research Fellowship

For more information, please visit: RAEng Research Fellowships

2. The Royal Academy of Engineering is harnessing the power of engineering to build a sustainable society and an inclusive economy that works for everyone. In collaboration with our Fellows and partners, we’re growing talent and developing skills for the future, driving innovation and building global partnerships, and influencing policy and engaging the public. Together we’re working to tackle the greatest challenges of our age.

For more information please contact:

Pippa Cox at the Royal Academy of Engineering

T: 020 7766 0745

E:  Pippa Cox

The Royal Academy of Engineering has announced seven outstanding engineering researchers as recipients of its prestigious Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowships. They will work on a wide variety of engineering projects, from sustainable coastal protection and reducing air pollution in cities to AI-driven developments in healthcare.

The Fellowships, which are supported by the Leverhulme Trust, allow awardees to focus on full-time research for up to a year by covering the costs of a replacement academic to take over their teaching and administrative duties. This not only allows mid-career engineers to reinvigorate their research interests, but it also gives other junior academics an opportunity to gain valuable teaching and administrative experience.

Professor Stephen McLaughlin FREng FRSE, Chair of the Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowships selection panel, said: “Academic career progression can result in increased administrative and teaching commitments, at the expense of the time available for personal research projects. The Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowships are awarded to enable mid-career academics to focus on such projects by relieving them of additional workload responsibilities.

“I am very pleased to see such a diverse range of topics covered by this year’s awards, from tackling environmental issues such as coastal protection, CO₂ emissions and air pollution, to developing and improving healthcare provision. These are research projects that could deliver significant benefits to society and the economy.”

The full list of 2020/21 Royal Academy of Engineering Leverhulme Trust Research Fellows is as follows:

• Dr Christopher Edwin Blenkinsopp, University of Bath

Dynamic Revetments: Sustainable coastal protection by working with nature

• Dr Mahsa Derakhshani, Loughborough University

Machine learning solutions for scalable, mission-critical wireless networks

• Dr Suhaib Fahmy, University of Warwick

Accelerated Distributed Machine Learning for Real World Systems

• Dr Carolina Font-Palma, University of Chester

ICED: Integrated Cryogenic separation for CO2 Emissions Decrease

• Dr Alison Jones, University of Leeds

Engineering tools for analysis of impingement in the human hip joint

• Dr William Andrew McMullan, University of Leicester

City-scale air pollution; from simulation to virtual reality

• Dr Barbara Villarini, University of Westminster

AI-Driven Organ Reconstruction and Morphological Features Extraction from Medical Images

Notes for editors 

1. The Leverhulme Trust was established by the Will of William Hesketh Lever, the founder of Lever Brothers. Since 1925, the Trust has supported grants and scholarships for research and education. Today, The Leverhulme Trust is one of the largest all-subject providers of research funding in the UK, distributing over £60m a year. The Trust provides funding across a range of academic disciplines such as arts, sciences, engineering and social sciences, with an aim of supporting talented individuals to realise their personal vision in research and professional training.

Details of researchers awarded RAEng/Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowships since 2012 are available here: RAEng/Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowships

2. The Royal Academy of Engineering is harnessing the power of engineering to build a sustainable society and an inclusive economy that works for everyone. In collaboration with our Fellows and partners, we’re growing talent and developing skills for the future, driving innovation and building global partnerships, and influencing policy and engaging the public. Together we’re working to tackle the greatest challenges of our age.

For more information please contact: 

Pippa Cox at the Royal Academy of Engineering

T: 020 7766 0745

E:  Pippa Cox

Engineering X gives £1 million worth of grants to projects across 14 countries to boost quality of engineering education and training

Engineering X – an international collaboration founded by the Royal Academy of Engineering and Lloyd’s Register Foundation – has awarded grants of up to £50,000 each to 21 projects in 14 different countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East and South America to support the delivery of skills and education programmes. The projects will help develop domestic engineering capability and ensure that critical infrastructure can be built, operated and maintained safely without an over-reliance on multinational organisations and temporary, expatriate labour.

Previous research by Engineering X published in the Global Engineering Capability Review found that for many countries there is no problem with the number of engineers they produce. However, the quality and relevance of the training of their engineers is inadequate to meet national requirements, and the engineering skills needed and training required can vary greatly between countries.

As the pace of technological change accelerates, no nation can afford to ease up on their efforts to conduct engineering in a safe and innovative way. The projects funded today are collaborative partnerships that will use potentially disruptive ideas to support domestic infrastructure and help local engineers to develop the skills and capacity to adopt emerging and life-improving technologies at scale.

Some of the projects will help to increase the uptake of engineering among school children by promoting the provision of high-quality STEM teaching. Others aim to enhance quality, challenge-oriented education in engineering institutions such as vocational/technical colleges, apprenticeship providers, and engineering universities, including furthering the impact of Africa’s first post-graduate fire safety engineering degree.

Also among those receiving grants are projects to upskill the existing engineering and technician workforce to improve safety practices and enhance their ability to use emerging technologies. These include a plan in Uganda to build entrepreneurship, leadership and management skills of women engineers and technicians through housing innovation.

A scheme to teach cybersecurity engineering in Ghana typifies projects that support policy and partnerships to develop capacity to take advantage of opportunities to tackle existing or emerging engineering and safety challenges at scale.

A full list of all the projects can be found here.

During the application process, some applicants asked—and were granted–permission to change their projects in response to the emerging COVID-19 crisis. For example, a project in Kenya to train electrical technicians on one particular off-grid solar access project proposed instead that training should switch to the installation and maintenance of solar systems for use in healthcare facilities. The project also aims that 50% of trainees should be female.

Professor Peter Goodhew CBE FREng, Chair of the Engineering X Engineering skills where they are most needed Board, said: “Many countries struggle to develop a supply of engineering talent that matches their growing and diverse needs. Prior to the current pandemic, only in some quarters was it recognised that a radically new approach to engineering education and training was required in many countries if they were ever to close their existing skills gap. Now there is a much wider acknowledgement that appropriate domestic engineering skills are vital if countries are to survive future pandemics and similar systemic shocks.

“This grants process was well under way when COVID-19 struck. We had already chosen an impressive range of projects but the ingenuity and adaptability of applicants to pivot their ideas to deliver projects in the changed circumstances makes me even more optimistic that countries have the right individuals with the ideas and talent to effect change and to ensure that their engineers enter the workforce with the right mix of skills. The aim of Engineering X is to help them and others like them to do this.”

Notes for editors

1. Engineering X is a new international collaboration, founded by the Royal Academy of Engineering and Lloyd’s Register Foundation, that brings together some of the world’s leading problem-solvers to address the great challenges of our age. Our global network of expert engineers, academics and business leaders is working to share best practice, explore new technologies, educate and train the next generation of engineers, build capacity, improve safety and deliver impact.

Engineering skills where they are most needed is a programme within Engineering X with the mission to implement capacity-building initiatives in countries that have identified engineering skills gaps and an over-reliance on multinational organisations and temporary, non-domestic workforces which limits their capability to operate and maintain critical infrastructure safely and prevents the adoption at scale of emerging and life-improving technologies.

2. Global Engineering Capability Review [A report by the Economist Intelligence Unit ISBN 978-1-909327-48-1, Royal Academy of Engineering and Lloyd’s Register Foundation, February 2020] Using the Engineering Index 2019, this measures the abilities of 99 countries to conduct key engineering activities in a safe and innovative way. It focuses on six measures of engineering capability around the world: the strength and sophistication of the country’s engineering industry, the availability and diversity of its engineering labour force, its knowledge base, built and digital infrastructure and safety standards. PDFs of the report, methodology and dataset can be found here.
   Engineering X welcomes feedbackon the Review and expressions of interest to join the programme’s community of practice.
    
3. Royal Academy of Engineering is harnessing the power of engineering to build a sustainable society and an inclusive economy that works for everyone. In collaboration with its Fellows and partners, the Academy is working to tackle the greatest challenges of our age by growing talent and developing skills for the future, driving innovation and building global partnerships and influence policy and engaging the public.
    
4. Lloyd’s Register Foundation is an independent global charity with a unique structure and an important mission: engineering a safer world. We reduce risk and enhance the safety of the critical infrastructure that modern society relies upon in areas such as energy, transport, and food. Our vision is to be known worldwide as a leading supporter of engineering-related research, training and education that makes a real difference in improving the safety of the critical infrastructure on which modern society relies. In support of this, we promote scientific excellence and act as a catalyst working with others to achieve maximum impact. We meet our aims by awarding grants, by direct activity, and through the societal benefit activities of our trading group, which shares our mission. Through our grant making we aim to connect science, safety and society by supporting research of the highest quality and promoting skills and education. www.lrfoundation.org.uk

For more information please contact: Pippa Cox at the Royal Academy of Engineering Tel. 020 7766 0745; email: Pippa.Cox@raeng.org.uk

The Academy has launched a campaign aimed at delivering a Fellowship that is Fit for the Future by the time it celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026. This is defined as a Fellowship that embodies the full breadth and diversity of engineering excellence. To achieve this ambition, the Academy is seeking to elect more outstanding candidates who:

• Are from under-represented groups, including female, Black, Asian and minority ethnic, LGBT+ and disabled engineers.
• Have come into engineering via vocational and non-traditional routes.
• Are achieving excellence at an earlier career stage than is typical.
• Work in emerging technologies and new industries, including areas that are important to address major societal challenges.

The Academy has set an aspiration that at least half of all candidates elected each year will be from these target groups, while recognising that this may not be achieved in the early years of the campaign.

To achieve this, the Academy will:

• Temporarily raise the number of Fellows that can be elected in any one year from 50 to 60, starting with the Fellows who will be elected in 2021 and concluding in our 50^th anniversary year in 2026.

• Scale up efforts to support the important work of the Proactive Nominations Panel in stimulating nominations from candidates who come from under-represented groups, including creating an augmented search process to help identify more candidates who are Black or from minority ethnic groups.

• Increase the number of Honorary Fellows that can be elected in 2021 from one to five.

In order to allow these changes to be implemented in the forthcoming membership cycle, the deadline for submission of nominations for Fellowship will be extended from 1 September to 1 October 2020.

Professor Sir Jim McDonald FREng FRSE, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, says:

“It is essential that our Fellowship represents the very best of UK engineering in all its breadth and diversity. Our relevance, credibility and impact are all entirely dependent on our ability to elect and engage Fellows who embody all dimensions of engineering excellence. Engineering is a living discipline which continues to evolve, and we need to make sure our Fellowship continues to be connected to the frontiers of our discipline as well as reflecting the strength of our engineering heritage.”

Based on the available data, the Academy Fellowship comprises of 6.4% female and 6.5% Black, Asian and minority ethnic engineers, and the average age at election has been around 55 for several years. Work is underway to collect more data on the Academy Fellowship and those supported by Academy programmes, with an Academy Diversity Data Report due to be published later this year. Current data on the Fellowship does not fully reflect the engineering workforce in the UK. According to data published by EngineeringUK and drawn from the ONS Labour Force Survey, 12% of engineers are female and 9% of engineers are from Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups. There is no equivalent data for LGBT+ and disabled engineers.

Find out more about the Fellowship here

Current Academy Fellows and Presidents of the Professional Engineering Institutions (PEIs) are the only people allowed to make nominations for Fellowship. In addition, the Academy will be seeking suggestions for potential candidates from the leaders of major engineering employers and a range of networks, trade bodies and associations who could help to identify candidates who may be less well known to existing Fellows.

As progress on identifying excellent candidates who are Black, Asian or from minority ethnic groups has been slower than hoped, David Waboso CBE FREng will act as a champion for this aspect of the campaign. He will support efforts to identify such candidates and ensure that processes give these candidates a fair chance of success.

Notes for Editors

The Royal Academy of Engineering is harnessing the power of engineering to build a sustainable society and an inclusive economy that works for everyone.

In collaboration with our Fellows and partners, we’re growing talent and developing skills for the future, driving innovation and building global partnerships, and influencing policy and engaging the public.

Together we’re working to tackle the greatest challenges of our age.

What we do

TALENT & DIVERSITY

We’re growing talent by training, supporting, mentoring and funding the most talented and creative researchers, innovators and leaders from across the engineering profession.

We’re developing skills for the future by identifying the challenges of an ever-changing world and developing the skills and approaches we need to build a resilient and diverse engineering profession.

INNOVATION

We’re driving innovation by investing in some of the country’s most creative and exciting engineering ideas and businesses.

We’re building global partnerships that bring the world’s best engineers from industry, entrepreneurship and academia together to collaborate on creative innovations that address the greatest global challenges of our age.

POLICY & ENGAGEMENT

We’re influencing policy through the National Engineering Policy Centre – providing independent expert support to policymakers on issues of importance.

We’re engaging the public by opening their eyes to the wonders of engineering and inspiring young people to become the next generation of engineers.

For more information please contact: Victoria Runcie at the Royal Academy of Engineering Tel. 0207 766 0620; email: victoria.runcie@raeng.org.uk

An award-winning Royal Academy of Engineering programme to boost the employment prospects of engineering graduates from diverse backgrounds has resulted in at least 250 engineering employment opportunities over the last five years, including internships, graduate placements and jobs, according to figures published today.

The Graduate Engineering Engagement Programme (GEEP) targets university engineering students and has reached over 800 students from 66 universities since it was launched in 2015. Of the students already involved in the programme 28% are female and over 90% are from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds.

Students interested in attending can apply here

The Academy has collaborated with more than a dozen leading engineering employers to provide students with training and networking opportunities that will help and encourage them to apply for engineering jobs. 

The programme will launch for its sixth year in August 2020 with a series of virtual events, starting on 19 August. These will include workshops, interview and assessment centre training, and insight sessions led by engineers. Each event also includes a speed networking session for students to meet engineering recruiters. Companies currently confirmed to support the scheme this year include AMEY, Buro Happold, National Grid, Network Rail, Rolls-Royce, Siemens, Teledyne e2v and WSP.

Engineering companies interested in the programme can contact Rachel Earnshaw for more information.

GEEP has been developed in partnership with engineering employers and is delivered by SEO London, with support from the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AfBE-UK) and the Women’s Engineering Society (WES). GEEP targets engineering undergraduates who are female or from socially disadvantaged or BAME backgrounds with a focus on universities outside the Russell Group. Research[1] shows that there is a stark difference in outcomes for engineering graduates of white and BAME origin entering engineering occupations, with 60% of white engineering graduates employed in engineering occupations after six months, compared with only 40% for BAME graduates. Following a successful three-year pilot, GEEP launched as a full-scale programme in 2018 and it was named winner of the Race Equality Award 2019 at Business in the Community’s Responsible Business Awards.

Academy CEO Dr Hayaatun Sillem CBE says:

“The Graduate Engineering Engagement Programme is a vital part of our proactive work to bring diverse talent into engineering roles and we welcome the support of engineering employers in sharing best practice and promoting inclusion in the workplace. We continue to strive for greater diversity in the engineering profession and to advance engineering’s contribution to an inclusive economy that truly works for everyone.”

GEEP participant Damilola Fari-Arole, who is now a Systems and RAM Engineer at Network Rail, says:

“The support I received from attending the programme was incredibly beneficial in my applications and interview processes. The programme gave me an opportunity to expand my network within the industry and gain valuable insight into some of the top engineering firms — allowing me to make informed choices when applying for roles in the industry.

“Through GEEP, I eventually secured a graduate engineering job in Network Rail. I would highly recommend GEEP to engineering students and recent graduates who are looking to gain engineering opportunities, but also would encourage engineering firms alike, to get involved to access and attract top emerging talent into the industry.”

Read more about Damilola’s experience here

Notes for Editors

The Royal Academy of Engineering is harnessing the power of engineering to build a sustainable society and an inclusive economy that works for everyone.

In collaboration with our Fellows and partners, we’re growing talent and developing skills for the future, driving innovation and building global partnerships, and influencing policy and engaging the public.

Together we’re working to tackle the greatest challenges of our age.

What we do

TALENT & DIVERSITY

We’re growing talent by training, supporting, mentoring and funding the most talented and creative researchers, innovators and leaders from across the engineering profession.

We’re developing skills for the future by identifying the challenges of an ever-changing world and developing the skills and approaches we need to build a resilient and diverse engineering profession.

INNOVATION

We’re driving innovation by investing in some of the country’s most creative and exciting engineering ideas and businesses.

We’re building global partnerships that bring the world’s best engineers from industry, entrepreneurship and academia together to collaborate on creative innovations that address the greatest global challenges of our age.

POLICY & ENGAGEMENT

We’re influencing policy through the National Engineering Policy Centre – providing independent expert support to policymakers on issues of importance.

We’re engaging the public by opening their eyes to the wonders of engineering and inspiring young people to become the next generation of engineers.

For more information please contact: Victoria Runcie at the Royal Academy of Engineering Tel. 0207 766 0620; email: victoria.runcie@raeng.org.uk

A major retrofit of public transport for infection control is underway to maximise safety for passengers and staff, but has been challenging for transport operators, according to a paper published today by the National Engineering Policy Centre. The paper, which was put together in consultation with the transport industry, outlines the complexity of finding technological solutions, with many new innovations available, but limited evidence of effectiveness and restricted access to COVID-19 test facilities.

Report: A rapid review of the engineering approaches to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission on public transport (216.74 KB)

Engineering controls have been in place on the transport system from early on in the lockdown, including screens to protect bus drivers, automatic door opening and revised cleaning protocols. However, scientific evidence suggests there may be a risk of airborne transmission of the virus, which can be reduced with an increase in fresh air through ventilation.

The Royal Academy of Engineering and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers consulted their networks to collect insight into what was being done to improve ventilation and cleaning practices across the transport sector. Techniques being explored include:

• Ultraviolet air cleaning within the ventilation system
• Electrostatic treatment of airflow
• Air cleaning to filter out bacteria and viruses with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters
• Antimicrobial and antiviral surface coatings

Different approaches are required for ventilation and surface decontamination depending on the specific type of vehicles and carriages but some transport providers have been working together and sharing their learnings. For example, First Group Trains and Buses are now using a product initially trialled by Transport for London.

Operators are also adapting transport hubs and applying digital technologies to manage passenger flow by:

• Modifying interchanges: enhanced ventilation and surface decontamination at stations and interchanges and provision of frequent hygiene points to encourage hand washing and use of hand sanitizer.
• Reducing contact: No touch bins, toilet flushes and doors reduce some of the frequent touch transmission points. Voice activated information stations and mobile ticketing can reduce interaction with touch screens.
• Maintaining distancing: Mobile and e-tickets that work across transport modes can help limit queuing at pinch points in stations. Seat reservation, distanced seating and temporary seat blockers are being used to uphold social distancing measures within carriages and effective communication can help avoid congestion in stations.
• Protecting staff: Staff can be protected with physical barriers, and appropriate PPE is important. However, it is also important to consider how ventilation and decontamination affect drivers and staff before deploying any engineering solution.
• Monitoring: Remote monitoring of traveller numbers and early identification of signs of crowding can enable mitigation responses. Longer term data trends can also allow planning for anticipated demand peaks so transport capacity can be increased where possible.

Clive Burrows FREng, Group Engineering Director at First Group plc and a Fellow of the Academy, says: “The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the public to consider alternatives to using public transport. As the restrictions are lifted, transport operators have been working hard to reduce the transmission risks from multiple common touch points and a high turnover of passengers in close proximity throughout the day.

“The steps being taken to adjust cleaning practices and retrofit existing models are vital in the context of this and future pandemics – but they will also have additional health benefits by limiting the spread of other viruses like influenza and the common cold. Design for infection control should be considered alongside the environmental implications as we design and develop future generations of public transport.”

Notes for Editors

1.    A rapid review of the engineering approaches to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission on public transport

The review is available here and forms part of guidance prepared for the government.

Report: A rapid review of the engineering approaches to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission on public transport (216.74 KB)

2.    About the National Engineering Policy Centre

We are a unified voice for 43 professional engineering organisations, representing 450,000 engineers, a partnership led by the Royal Academy of Engineering.

We give policymakers a single route to advice from across the engineering profession.

We inform and respond to policy issues of national importance, for the benefit of society.

3.    The Royal Academy of Engineering

The Royal Academy of Engineering is harnessing the power of engineering to build a sustainable society and an inclusive economy that works for everyone.

In collaboration with our Fellows and partners, we’re growing talent and developing skills for the future, driving innovation and building global partnerships, and influencing policy and engaging the public.

Together we’re working to tackle the greatest challenges of our age.

For more information please contact:

Jane Sutton at the Royal Academy of Engineering

T: 0207 766 0636

E:  Jane Sutton

Industry-wide professional standards are to be established for data science to ensure an ethical and well-governed approach so the public can have confidence in how their data is being used.

The Royal Statistical Society (RSS) will be leading on the work along with the BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT (BCS), the Operational Research Society (ORS), the Royal Academy of Engineering, the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the Royal Society and the  Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA), to collaboratively shape and develop the data science profession.

While the skills of data scientists are increasingly in demand, there is currently no professional framework for the field. The organisations involved aim to fill that gap by developing the necessary industry-wide standards. Starting with existing academic qualifications, the work will progress on to current professional standards. The group will work with universities to ensure that educational programmes deliver the right skills and knowledge for those looking to enter the profession.

Never has data and the role of data science been more critical; while many may be aware of how it affects some areas of our lives, such as credit scoring, the current Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated the role it plays in the world’s health and wellbeing. It is therefore now more important than ever that those in the field of data science maintain the highest ethical and professional standards so the public can have confidence that their data is being used ethically, stored safely and analysed robustly.

This follows recommendations in the Royal Society’s 2019 report on ‘Dynamics of data science skills’, that data science should be developed as a profession and that ‘in the longer term, professional  bodies such as the BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT (BCS) and the Royal Statistical Society (RSS), should work together with employers and universities to identify the skills needed for data scientists and develop accreditation to ensure students and professionals can be confident in the quality of new courses.’

Stian Westlake, Chief Executive of the Royal Statistical Society, said:

“You wouldn’t let a doctor perform heart surgery or an architect design your house without being confident they were working to the highest standards. We believe that people who deal with our data should follow equally high standards – and gain recognition for doing so. 

“Today’s move is an important step to professionalising the field, and helping us harness data for the public good.”

Rebecca George OBE, President of BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, said:

“People are increasingly aware of data and how it is being used. As BCS President, I’m very encouraged by this collaboration to develop Data Science as a profession. Data is a key part of our daily lives and we must ensure those using it are working ethically and to the highest standards.”

Gavin Blackett, Executive Director of the OR Society, said:

“The OR Society is delighted to be involved in this initiative. Operational Research and many elements of data science are closely aligned. Data, where it’s come from, what it tells us and how it’s used in modelling, has always been a core part of ‘the OR process’, and we feel we have a lot to both contribute and learn as part of this important work to move data science professionalism forward to meet the needs of today’s world.”

Notes to editors

• The Royal Society’s report on the ‘Dynamics of data science skills’ report, published in June 2019 can be found here:
• The Royal Statistical Society (RSS), founded in 1834, is one of the world’s most distinguished and renowned statistical societies. It is a learned society for statistics, a professional body for statisticians and a charity which promotes statistics, data and evidence for the public good. Today the RSS has around 10,000 members around the world. www.rss.org.uk
• BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT is here to make IT good for society. We promote wider social and economic progress through the advancement of information technology science and practice. We bring together industry, academics, practitioners and government to share knowledge, promote new thinking, inform the design of new curricula, shape public policy and inform the public. Our vision is to be a world-class organisation for IT. Our 65,000 strong membership includes practitioners, businesses, academics and students in the UK and internationally. We deliver a range of professional development tools for practitioners and employees.  A leading IT qualification body, we offer a range of widely recognised qualifications.
• The Operational Research Society (ORS) is the home of the operational research and analytics community in the UK. It is a member-led organisation supporting professional operational researchers across industries and academia. We promote the understanding and use of operational research in all areas of life, including industry, business, government, health and education. The society is a registered charity which does everything from helping OR specialists push the boundaries of the discipline through publications and events to undertaking outreach work aimed at helping everyone from business leaders to schoolchildren find out about the benefits of OR. With over 3,000 members from over 60 countries around the world, the OR Society is home to the science + art of problem solving. www.theorsociety.com
• The Royal Academy of Engineering is harnessing the power of engineering to build a sustainable society and an inclusive economy that works for everyone. In collaboration with our Fellows and partners, we’re growing talent and developing skills for the future, driving innovation and building global partnerships, and influencing policy and engaging the public. Together we’re working to tackle the greatest challenges of our age. 
• NPL is the UK’s National Metrology Institute, providing the measurement capability that underpins the UK’s prosperity and quality of life. From new antibiotics to tackle resistance and more effective cancer treatments, to secure quantum communications and superfast 5G, technological advances must be built on a foundation of reliable measurement to succeed. Building on over a century’s worth of expertise, our science, engineering and technology provides this foundation. We save lives, protect the environment and enable citizens to feel safe and secure, as well as support international trade and commercial innovation. As a national laboratory, our advice is always impartial and independent, meaning consumers, investors, policymakers and entrepreneurs can always rely on the work we do. Based in Teddington, south-west London, NPL employs over 600 scientists. NPL also has regional bases across the UK, including at the University of Surrey, the University of Strathclyde, the University of Cambridge and the University of Huddersfield’s 3M Buckley Innovation Centre.
• The Royal Society is the science academy of the UK, which draws its Fellows from across the Commonwealth. The Society’s fundamental purpose, as it has been since its foundation in 1660, is to recognise, promote, and support excellence in science and to encourage the development and use of science for the benefit of humanity. Follow the Royal Society on Twitter (@royalsociety) or on Facebook (facebook.com/theroyalsociety).
• The Institute of Mathematics and its Applications is the professional and learned society for mathematicians in the UK and exists to support and promote mathematics and its applications for the public good. It has over 5500 members, mainly professional mathematicians employed in business, industry, government, education and academia. As the chartered professional body for mathematics, it awards professional designations for mathematicians, mathematics teachers and mathematical scientists. www.ima.org.uk

For more information please contact:

Jane Sutton at the Royal Academy of Engineering

T: 020 7766 0636

E:  Jane Sutton

• Live-streamed panel discussion on the engineering innovations that will underpin Britain’s climate change pledges

• TV presenter and physicist Helen Czerski chairs a panel of leading UK engineers, including this year’s MacRobert Award winner, JCB

To mark the 51st year of the MacRobert Award, the most prestigious prize for UK engineering innovation, the Royal Academy of Engineering is assembling an expert panel to discuss how British engineers can apply their creativity to decarbonise our homes, travel and workplaces while creating jobs and a better environment – in less than 30 years. 

Powering net zero Britain – the current ideas

Chaired by Helen Czerski, physicist and presenter, the panel will include:

• Professor Sir Richard Friend FREng FRS, Chair of the MacRobert Award judges
• Dervilla Mitchell CBE FREng, Chair of the National Engineering Policy Centre’s Net Zero emissions working group
• Tim Burnhope FREng, Chief Innovation and Growth Officer at JCB
• Dr Enass Abo-Hamed, co-founder and CEO of energy storage firm H2GO Power

The panel will discuss how COVID-19 has highlighted the adaptability and strength of British engineering, science and manufacturing in tackling novel challenges, from making ventilators to building field hospitals. As we now look ahead to a Britain of net zero emissions by 2050, what will life be like, and what will engineers need to do to help achieve this goal?

The discussion will explore the role engineering will play over the next 30 years and how net zero can be achieved following the Prime Minister’s commitment to putting building and construction at the centre of the government’s plan for the UK’s economic recovery.

This year’s MacRobert Award winning team from JCB pioneered an electric digger that has zero exhaust emissions and very low noise levels. The judges hope that this entry could do for the construction sector what the double MacRobert Award winner Johnson Matthey did for the motor industry with the catalytic converter, which has stopped hundreds of millions of tonnes of pollution from entering the atmosphere.

The debate will be streamed live on Tuesday 21 July at 19.00 at www.raeng.org.uk/macrobert-live-2020. Register here early for the chance to pose your questions to the panel. 

Notes to editors

MacRobert Award for engineering innovation

First presented in 1969, the MacRobert Award is widely regarded as the most coveted in engineering, honouring the winning organisation with a gold medal and the team members with a cash prize of £50,000. Founded by the MacRobert Trust, the award is presented and run by the Royal Academy of Engineering, with support from the Worshipful Company of Engineers.

The Royal Academy of Engineering is harnessing the power of engineering to build a sustainable society and an inclusive economy that works for everyone. In collaboration with our Fellows and partners, we’re growing talent and developing skills for the future, driving innovation and building global partnerships, and influencing policy and engaging the public. Together we’re working to tackle the greatest challenges of our age.