Mar 17, 2016
UK YOUNG SCIENTIST AND UK YOUNG ENGINEERS OF THE YEAR ANNOUNCED
Rogan McGilp, Stuart Chau, Ethan Dunbar Baker and Roxanne El-Hady took the top prizes at The Big Bang UK Young Scientists & Engineers Fair.
A team of three, Rogan, Stuart and Ethan from Stourbridge were named UK Young Engineers of the Year for building a unique hot rod car from scratch for Rogan’s disabled brother, David, who has Down's Syndrome.
The team took their passion for building hot rods in a new direction, creating a hot rod from scratch in just 3 months that is fully accessible for people in wheelchairs - with a lowered floor and a throttle to control movement, which means you don't need to use your legs.
Meanwhile from Roxanne El-Hady from Wimbledon was named UK Young Scientist of the Year for her investigation into climate change in South Wales.
Over 200 finalists from across the country were selected to show their ideas at the Big Bang Fair where ten were then shortlisted to pitch Dragon’s Den-style to a panel of high profile judges yesterday, including astronaut Helen Sharman and Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock.
The National Science + Engineering Competition, organised by the British Science Association, is an annual contest open to pupils aged between 11-18, and gives participants the chance to compete for top prizes and international experiences worth over £50,000.
Previous winners include young people who have since gone on to be the youngest ever entrepreneurs to appear on BBC’s Dragon’s Den and feature in the Sport England #LikeAGirl campaign.
Paul Jackson, Chief Executive of EngineeringUK which organises The Big Bang Fair, congratulated the winners:
“The winners have been rightly recognised as some of the brightest sparks in the country. Their innovative thinking and fresh ideas stood out to the judges. They are not just prize winners, but inspirational stories for school children across the country.
“It’s easy to see why these ideas stood out to the judges but all the finalists are worthy of mention – not only for their exciting new ideas but for showcasing them to crowds of people at the Fair. This glimpse into the minds of the scientists and inventors of tomorrow promises great things for the future.”
Free tickets to The Big Bang Fair are available now at www.thebigbangfair.co.uk.
For more information about The Big Bang Competition, please visit The Big Bang Competition website.
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