Dr Askin Isikveren with the best overall winners, the John Cabot Academy
EDT
Press release issued:
8 February 2010
The John Cabot Academy Team A, in conjunction with the Environment Agency, have won the Go4SET Best Overall Project Award for their project on water and recycling at the Go4SET Bristol Celebration and Assessment Day (CAD). The prize was presented by Dr Askin Isikveren, Director of Engineering Design at Bristol University.
The John Cabot Academy Team A, in conjunction with the Environment Agency, have won the Go4SET Best Overall Project Award for their project on water and recycling at the
Go4SET Bristol Celebration and Assessment Day (CAD).
The event, sponsored by Airbus UK, took place last month and guest speaker, Dr Askin Isikveren, Director of Engineering Design at the University of Bristol, presented the team with a cheque for £250.
Seventeen teams presented their projects to the judges and guests at the event. Other award winners were Kingsfield School, linked with DE&S of Abbeywood, who won the Airbus sponsored award for the most innovative project. The Kingsfield team came up with an idea to generate clean energy. Badminton School, also linked with DE&S Abbeywood, won the Best Team Work award and were joint winners along with Writhlington School, linked with AECOM, and Badminton School for the Pupils’ Choice Award. Writhlington created a useful product from recycled materials with a direct application to the school’s orchid production that demonstrated market awareness and a practicality of application.
Dr Askin Isikveren said: “I talked to all the teams during the event and I was amazed at what they had achieved. They had gained so many skills from the three-month project and had a lot of fun too. It was a pleasure to present the pupils with their prizes and it was clear that all the schools and company mentors taking part had spent a lot of time and effort on the projects.
“The UK has a great tradition of producing some of the best scientists in the world and I am sure the next generation of great engineers and scientists were amongst the pupils at the event.“
The Go4SET Conservation projects were announced at the launch event in September 2009. The teams of six 12 to 14 year olds (Year 9) worked with their teacher and mentors from industry on the challenging project, which included providing recommendations. At the CAD event the pupils demonstrated their individual projects to a group of assessors and discussed their projects with guests attending the event.
Phil Morris, Managing Director of STMicroelectronics, added: “Go4SET has been an extremely positive experience. I am highly pleased to have been involved. I can see that enthusing pupils to use what they learn in the classroom in a work related way, benefits employers in the future by enabling pupils to be much more work-ready when they look for their first job. The ability to positively shift their perception about what engineers and scientists actually do at such a vital stage of their education is just one reason way companies should get involved. I was delighted with their enthusiasm and results.”
Further information
Go4SET is a national programme running across the UK. The project phase began with a launch event, which took place at the University of the West of England in September 2009 where teams were introduced to the Go4SET project and their company mentor. Following this the project provides a ten-week SET experience.
Go4SET Sponsors 2009/2010
BP is the lead sponsors of Go4SET in the UK, other sponsors and supporters of Go4SET in the UK include, The British Association for the Advancement of Science (BA). Ford, GKN, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and The Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE).
The Go4SET Bristol Celebration and Assessment Day took place on Thursday 21 January at the BAWA Centre, Filton, Bristol.
Go4SET CAD Bristol - EDT held the Bristol CAD event to showcase the pupils’ projects. Additional guests at the event included representatives from companies and universities.
The Engineering Development Trust (EDT) is an education charity that helps talented young people achieve their full potential, particularly in engineering, science and technology careers. The Trust runs four schemes, providing opportunities for 12-21 year old students to improve their technical and employment skills through industry-led projects, industrial placements and specialised courses: Go4SET, Engineering Education Scheme, Headstart and The Year in Industry.
All EDT schemes are members of the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Best Programme.
The Best Programme is the Royal Academy of Engineering’s programme of schemes aimed at encouraging and enthusing students to embark upon a career in engineering. ‘Best’ stands for ‘Better Engineering Science and Technology’ and the programme offers young people from the age of seven upwards opportunities to gain an understanding of engineering and its importance in the world around us.
