Undergraduates see the wealth of options in engineering

Faculty of Engineering first year undergraduates are inspired by lectures <em>–News</em>

Tuesday 21 October 2008
By Colin Smith

The exciting possibilities of twenty first century engineering will be demonstrated to undergraduates as part of an innovative lecture series, starting this week.

Imperial College London first year undergraduates are attending lectures by leading engineers and medics as part of the Faculty of Engineering’s efforts to inspire and enthuse students by showing them what engineering can do.

Organiser Dr Esat Alpay says undergraduates come to Imperial because they want a career that will help to tackle important global issues. He says:

“We want our students to be aware that engineering is tackling climate change, preserving world heritage sites, and improving lives with medical robotics and devices. We hope that by giving undergraduates a taste of what is going on they will be spurred on to even greater achievements during their stay here.”

This week environmentalist Jonathan Porritt visited the College to get undergraduates motivated about the important role they will play in tackling the planet’s problems such as energy shortages and environmental degradation.

Jonathan Porritt motivating undergraduates during his lecture

Next month’s lecture will build on this theme when undergraduates will learn how researchers across Imperial are working together to tackle climate change.

Professor Sir Peter Knight, Senior Principal at Imperial, will talk about the establishment of the £12 million Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the work undertaken at the College including research into the capture and storage of harmful CO2 emissions and studies into air circulation to improve climate models.

The impacts of engineering on health will be discussed with students in December by an Imperial pioneer in medical robotics and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health, Professor Lord Ara Darzi.

Lord Darzi will talk about the multidisciplinary field of medical robotics, in which engineers and medics work together to test and build devices to improve surgery and minimise the impact on patients. These include a new robotic snake, manipulated by surgeons, for minimally invasive procedures in hard to reach areas, such as the brain, which were previously thought impossible to operate on.

In January 2009, undergraduates will also learn about the commercialisation of engineering ideas, with a lecture given by Sir Robert Malpas who has held boardroom posts in companies such as Eurotunnel, BP, PowerGen and ICI.

The importance of problem solving to crack the complicated engineering problems of the twenty first century will be discussed by Emeritus Professor John Burland, from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, in February 2008.

In particular, he will talk about leading an international project to stabilise and reinforce Italy’s famous Leaning Tower of Pisa to prevent it from collapsing.

Rounding off the lectures in March 2009 will be presentations from senior undergraduates about their experiences, volunteer work, student led projects and summer placements.

These will include Imperial Racing Green students who will talk about their zero emissions fuel-cell racing cart, which recently came third in the 2008 Formula Zero Championships in the Netherlands. Fourth year Mechanical Engineering undergraduate and Imperial Racing Green Project Manager Clemens Lorf says:

“It is amazing to be studying a degree which gives you the chance to design and build a zero emissions racing cart, not to mention being able to test your cart in international competitions. Being part of the 2008 Formula Zero Championship was an incredible experience and an important part of my studies.”

Civil and Environmental Engineering undergraduates will highlight their annual summer work on earthquake proof buildings in El Salvador. Students will also hear of other engineering volunteer schemes at Imperial, such as Engineers Without Borders and the Imperial Volunteer Centre.

The series is part of the Faculty of Engineering’s EnVision strategy which fosters initiatives on engineering education. EnVision is working with departments, supporting scholarships, constructing inspiring learning environments and celebrating the achievements of staff and students.