The 2014 fellows of the 1851 commission were announced at Imperial College in London October 6, at a ceremony to celebrate their research and innovation in all walks of scientific study.
Paint that can tell the temperature, beads that can be injected into the bloodstream to prevent the growth of cancerous tumours and deliver chemotherapy in a less invasive manner, ultrasound controlled drug treatments and insulating buildings through robotics. These were all just some of the amazing work that was honoured by the commission at the awards.
The nine recipients gathered at Imperial College to collect their awards, presented by Greg Clark MP, minister for Universities, Science and Cities and Sir Mike Brady, chairman of the Industry and Engineering Committee.
The recipients for 2014 included:
Silvia Aragaus-Rodriguez, who worked on materials for mines that has thermal memory, Thomas Barber, who is developing a new 3D ultrasonic system of inspecting the structure of submarines, Shuning Bian, who worked in the delivery of drugs via ultrasound techniques, Benjamin Chamberlain who is using Bayesian theorem to personalise online data and eradicate spam, Radu-Stefan Dragan, for developing aerospace equipment that is magnetically geared and needs less maintenance, Alice Hagan, who is working on a beaded chain that will reduce blood flow to a tumour and deliver chemotherapy drugs in a less invasive manner with fewer side effects, and Misty Haith who is improving on radiography via image processing, Matthew Holloway is developing robots to insulate buildings and lastly Stephen McColm who works on developing a new synthetic material that will enable manufacturers to use less environmentally damaging products in the future.
Greg Clark summed up the student’s contribution to by quoting Prince Albert on the need for science and the state to work together to develop humanity, and said he “looked forward to the fruits of your research” benefitting society in the future.
For many of the students the award is a valuable lifeline, as well as a prestigious acknowledgement, with practical benefits of the three year fellowship including £80,000 towards their studies.
The 1851 commission has been supporting individuals in science since 1890 and has had a wide number of scientists who have advanced many fields of study as past recipients and fellows, including Ernest Rutherford and Peter Higgs.
