2016 Macrobert Award Winner
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
2016 MacRobert Award winner he 2016 winner of the MacRobert Award, the longest- evening. Professor Danielle George, Professor of Microwave running and most prestigious prize for innovation in UK Communication Engineering at the University of Manchester, Tengineering, was announced at this year’s annual Awards received the Rooke Award for her remarkable contribution to the Dinner on 23 June at the Pavilion at the Tower of London. The public promotion of engineering through her work with various winner, Blatchford, was honoured with a gold medal for its media channels, such as presenting the engineering-themed intelligent prosthetic limb innovation and the team members Royal Institution Christmas Lecture series in 2014. The Major shared a cash prize of £50,000. Known for spotting the ‘next big Project Award was presented to a team from BAE Systems’ AI Labs thing’ in the technology sector, the MacRobert Award identifies for its Intermediate Frequency Modem System project. The Prince outstanding innovation with proven commercial success and Philip Medal, the Academy’s highest individual accolade, went to tangible social benefit. Dr Jonathan Ingram for his groundbreaking work on BIM (building information modelling). Blatchford, which was up against automotive engineering giant Jaguar Land Rover and MRI scanner pioneers Siemens Magnet The Silver Medals, which recognise outstanding personal Technology, has developed the first ever prosthetic limb with contributions to engineering in the early stage of careers, were integrated robotic control of the knee and foot; a system in which presented to Dr Damian Gardiner, Technical Manager at Tracerco, the parts work together like a human leg. Where previously Dr Demis Hassabis, co-founder and CEO of DeepMind and Vice lower leg prosthetics wearers had to plan their days meticulously President Engineering at Google, and Professor Tong Sun, according to the limitations of terrain they could tackle, the smart Professor of Sensor Engineering at City University London. robotics in the Linx limb system constantly monitor and adapt to the wearer’s movements and the environment, giving users much The first RAEng Engineers Trust Young Engineers of the Year greater confidence and freedom. awards were presented to Dr Sithamparanathan Sabesan from the University of Cambridge, Dr T Ben Britton from Imperial HRH The Princess Royal and Academy President Professor College London, John Collins from Arup, Orla Murphy of Jaguar Dame Ann Dowling OM DBE FREng FRS presented the prize Land Rover, and Dr Paul Shearing from University College London. to the winning team: Professor Saeed Zahedi OBE FREng, Established with the generous support of the Worshipful Technical Director; Nadine Stech, Senior Control Engineer; Company of Engineers, these are awarded to UK engineers in Andy Sykes, Principal Electronic Engineer; Dr David Moser, full-time higher education, research or industrial employment, Principal Mechatronic Engineer; and Rob Painter, Senior who have demonstrated excellence in the early stage of their Mechanical Engineer. careers. Dr Sabesan went on to win the Sir George Macfarlane Medal for his work in electronic engineering and as a co-founder Dr Dame Sue Ion DBE FREng FRS, Chair of the MacRobert Award of technology company PervasID. judging panel, said: “Blatchford has combined a compassionate approach to patient needs with huge ambition and exceptional The Academy’s awards evening was made possible through systems engineering. The team behind this incredible innovation the support of headline sponsor Atkins and silver sponsors are true role models who show the positive impact that BAE Systems, BP, GKN, Jaguar Land Rover, Lockheed Martin and engineering can have on society.” Petrofac. The MacRobert Award is supported by the Worshipful Company of Engineers. A number of other Academy awards that celebrate and recognise engineers who have made a remarkable contribution over the The MacRobert Award 2016 winning team from Blatchford receives the gold course of their careers were also presented throughout the medal from HRH The Princess Royal and Professor Dame Ann Dowling President’s column 2 Academy roundup 10 Newsletter Innovation and entrepreneurship 3 News of Fellows 11 Infrastructure and transport 4 Obituaries 12 Summer 2016 Technology and society 5 People and talent 6 1 President's 11 June 2016 marked the 40th anniversary will be positive or negative for the future of the Fellowship of Engineering, which of the country, one thing we can all agree column would later become the Royal Academy on is that negotiations in coming months of Engineering. In 1976, 130 of the UK’s and years must be informed by a clear finest engineers came together with understanding of the potential solutions, a shared purpose: to define and lead opportunities and risks from the perspective best practice within engineering, and to of UK engineering. We need to ensure that promote engineering to those outside that the UK maintains its position as a the profession. centre of world-class engineering research and innovation and that it provides the Forty years on, the Academy’s commitment environment for the creation and growth to these two goals is stronger than of successful engineering businesses. As ever. Less than a fortnight after the an Academy, we are taking up the request 40th anniversary, we hosted our annual from the 38 organisations representing Awards Dinner, now the highlight of the the engineering profession, through the Academy calendar and a time when we Engineering the Future policy group, to celebrate and reward some of the very provide a coordinated source of engineering best engineering and engineers in the information and expertise for government. UK today. I am always humbled by the This advice needs to be representative of talent and innovation recognised, from the whole profession. the winner of the Prince Philip Medal Dr Meetings and visitors Jonathan Ingram, in recognition of his We want to ensure that engineering In her capacity as President, Dame Ann exceptional contribution to engineering, businesses, large and small, feature has met with: to an engineer at the opposite end of his strongly in the industrial strategy and Dr Jeremy Farrar OBE FRS, Director of career, the Sir George MacFarlane medal can access the talented workforce they Wellcome Trust winner Dr Sithamparanathan Sabesan, need. The higher education and research Kelly Gillis, Associate Deputy Minister at for demonstrating excellence less than community has benefited significantly Canada’s Department for Innovation, Science and Economic Development 10 years since graduating from a first from EU funding and is understandably Earl of Selborne GB FRS DL degree in engineering. concerned about the uncertainty resulting Juergen Maier, CEO of Siemens UK from the vote to leave. This follows on The highlight of the evening for me is National Academy of Technologies of France: from a planned re-organisation of the always the presentation of the MacRobert Alain Bugat, President; Bruno Revellin- UK funding for research and innovation: Award – the UK’s premier award for Falcoz, Honorary President; Olivier Appert, ahead of the referendum, the government General Delegate; and Jacques Lukasik, innovation. This award has consistently launched the Higher Education Bill, which Secretary General of Euro-CASE. recognised and celebrated technologies my review of business-university research Professor Hiroshi Amano, Nobel Laureate that go on to have a transformational collaborations helped to inform. The plans Paul Dreschler CBE, Chairman of the CBI impact on society. This year’s winner, Lord Sainsbury included the establishment of a new body, Blatchford, has achieved something truly Koji Omi, Founder and Chairman of the STS UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), to remarkable that is now making such forum bring greater coherence to research and a difference to amputees worldwide. Steve Holliday FREng, Executive Director of innovation funding. National Grid Congratulations to all of our winners. Jo Johnson, Minister of State for Universities While the Academy has expressed concerns This year’s Awards Dinner fell on National and Science about the status of Innovate UK within Women in Engineering Day. It was an honour Professor Sir Robert Lechler, President, this new body, the vote to leave the EU and Dr Helen Munn, Executive Director, and a privilege to be recognised in a list means that having a strong integrated Academy of Medical Sciences of the UK’s top 50 women in engineering, voice for research and innovation will be Wang Zhongwei, Chairman of the alongside many other Academy Fellows more important than ever. I will continue to Counsellors’ Office of the State Council, and friends, which was published jointly by People’s Republic of China discuss how the creation of UKRI can best the Women’s Engineering Society and the Koji Tsuruoka, Ambassador of Japan to the UK support this with Jo Johnson, Minister of Daily Telegraph on the day. In 1976, none Naoto Nishida, Corporate Executive Vice State for Universities and Science. President and Head of Technology, Toshiba of the founding Fellows were female. With She attended the following events and 70 brilliant female engineers in our current 23 June will shape the future of UK meetings: Fellowship, we are making steps forwards. engineering in ways that it will be impossible to predict. I am proud of the Prince Philip Designers Prize Award There was of course a bigger event in the Academy, its partner institutions and the Commons Science and Technology diary on the same day. This year’s dinner engineering profession as a whole for their Committee – Higher Education and coincided with an unprecedented shift in Research Bill quick response to the referendum result the relationship between the UK and its Council for Science and Technology and the leadership the community has continental neighbours: on 23 June, the Top 50 Women in Engineering breakfast shown in uniting to support government in launch British public voted to leave the European securing the best outcome for the UK. Many Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering Union (EU).