Four teachers and three leading engineers were recognised for their dedicated work in STEM, bridging education and careers in industry and in exploiting core research, at the annual ERA Foundation (ERAF) dinner on 13 June at The Royal Society.
Over 100 engineers, scientists, industrialists and supporters of manufacturing and engineering joined Lord David Willetts, Chair of the UK Space Agency, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering Sir Jim McDonald, and foundation Chairman Professor Sir Christopher Snowden, to acknowledge and award their impressive work.
Each year, exceptional secondary and primary school teachers who have gone beyond the curriculum to inspire students and show real-world engineering in the classroom, are recognised by the David Clark Prize, named after former ERA Foundation Secretary Dr David Clark, who presented the awards. Biochemist turned teacher Paul Tyler, who won the primary school category, is STEM and Innovation Lead at Kirkhill Primary School near Inverness. He has reimagined aspects of the school’s curriculum to focus more on engineering, STEM and sustainability, and has set up and funded a new STEM Innovation hub.
Winner of the secondary school award, maths teacher and director of STEM at East Point Academy, Anthony Vaughan-Evans, is committed to delivering STEM to the young people of Lowestoft and Waveney, two deprived areas. Anthony’s commitment to engaging external support means that students here are given stimulating and contextual STEM experiences. He has just begun creating a ‘Centre of Excellence for STEM’ in the region.
Anthony’s colleague and Director of Design and Technology at Inspiration Trust in Suffolk is Kate Finlay. Kate’s dedication to providing students with industry-relevant experience and exposure has significantly contributed to the growth and success of the Design & Technology department at Hethersett Academy.
“Kate has transformed the technology department at Hethersett Academy beyond all recognition,” said Jane Diver, Executive Principal of Hethersett Academy. “Kate has worked tirelessly to design a curriculum that has enabled all children to engage in a curriculum that is innovative, creative and inspiring. Kate has single-handedly built a 200+ attendee conference for D&T teachers and employers in Lowestoft, on 12 July.
Becki Davies received a big round of applause for being highly commended in the primary schools’ award. The Science Subject Leader at The Willows Primary School in Manchester was recognised for her commitment to building positive perceptions of STEM futures for every child, regardless of gender, socio-economic background or geographical location. She has created new enrichment approaches in her school and extends her enthusiasm and passion to inspire other schools beyond her own, influencing children and families across Stoke-on-Trent.
Net zero links outstanding engineering fellowships
The ERA Foundation awards annual fellowships to promising engineering companies and individuals. The 2024 Fellows included battery engineer Sanzhar Taizhan of Taisan Energy. The company develops sodium battery technology to make batteries more sustainable. It has developed a new battery called Hexagonal, with several advantages over incumbent batteries like volume availability and fast charging. And Taisan was awarded Best Growth Potential firm in 2023 by the Department for Transport.
The second fellowship award went to Alex Shakeshaft at Enturi Solutions, for developing off-grid wind powered distributed energy systems that help meet net zero goals. Enturi recently won Innovate UK funding to progress its small wind system innovations. The ERAF also recognised Paul McHard, Senior Software Engineer at HAL Robotics, for his work on autonomous robotic detection and correction of surface defects in manufacturing.
Royal Academy of Engineering President Sir Jim McDonald and Lord David Willetts, Chairman of the UK Space Agency, made speeches with strong messages to the next government. Lord Willetts urged the UK and Europe to work together more closely in defence and security, and suggested more of the UK defence budget can be used for research applied to civil aviation. In his address Sir Jim remarked that the ability of policymakers to listen to engineers must improve.
Lord David Willetts, Resolution Foundation
“ERA has an interesting and important history – it was one of the research associations founded a century ago to bring together public and private investment in key technologies and sectors.
“That is as important and topical now as it was when research association were set up. I see our nine Catapults created since 2010 as a new way of delivering that objective. We need to continue to support the development and application of technology. Bold use of new technologies is a vital way of ensuring that public services improve even whilst funding remains tight.
“All entities within UK research are operating in a flat cash environment, and that is very tough. That means projects that people wish to fund are facing real fiscal constraints. And one issue for the sector, regardless of what party is in government, is how we can effectively make the case for further increases in funding above the flat cash that is currently envisaged by the Treasury.
“There are also clear fiscal constraints facing all the main public services. That means there’ll be pressure on departmental budgets, so we need to show that technology, engineering and the application of innovation enables public services to be delivered better and more innovatively, even when money is tight. Showing the relevance and the applicability to public services of innovations in science and technology, will be another important challenge.”
Professor Sir Jim McDonald, Royal Academy of Engineering
“The UK is tackling increasingly complicated and interconnected challenges like public health, national infrastructure, and we of course need to reverse that persistently poor economic growth and productivity performance.
“Never has the role of engineering been so important as it is now. And we also need to improve the appetite and ability of policymakers to listen to engineers and engineering advice. Engineering is everywhere in the UK, but nowhere is it the same and that characterises the nature of the skills base – the universities and colleges which are very often the anchors from where talent and innovation flows. And they are ecosystems that we need to acknowledge.
“There are eight million people in the UK that are directly connected to engineering employment – 720,000 businesses, representing 13% of the business case in the UK, and accounting for 32% of GDP, so we are definitely a powerhouse. Engineering sometimes isn’t fully understood, but we can’t complain about that unless we have a creative way of presenting ourselves. So, we must continue to translate what engineering means for society – how does it touch people’s lives and what opportunities does it bring.
“We hear constantly that businesses cannot invest in new technology or manufacturing unless they have a runway against which they can see commitment and a steady policy environment. What happens after the election remains to be seen but the idea of delivering focused collaboration, and having that industrial strategy, is very important.
“We take our engineering policy advice directly to government and to policy makers, embedding systems expertise and engineering insights into the policy process. And that is the essential.
“The National Engineering Policy Centre published our policy priorities that we want the UK government to pay attention to. First of all, we are calling for a new industrial strategy. The next government’s first task must be to grow the economy by setting out an ambitious vision that draws on our strengths of engineering technology, manufacturing, research and innovation.
“Over the past decade the UK has benefitted from a number of good industrial strategy like documents and policies. But uncertainty, policy churn and the lack of tangible delivery have often been the lasting memories of what’s resulted. And that’s not good. It dents confidence and it builds frustration in the business space, as well as in the research and academic sector.
“Globally, our competitors are pursuing clear industrial strategies underpinned by large targeted support and we need to do the same. We need to set a strategic direction developed in partnership with industry to make informed choices about the outcomes and advantages the UK wishes to achieve by harnessing established engineering and disruptive technologies; supported by a plan for development, adoption and delivery with the resources to deliver it.
“Innovation should become a central component of the public procurement process by identifying a ministerial champion for procurement reform. This has been on the agenda for decades and we really need to grasp the nettle by setting clear targets for an associated programme for change.
“We need to deliver a National Engineering Technology Workforce Strategy. We must build the skilled and diverse workforce we need to meet the challenges of sustainability and technological advancement by building a long-term holistic plan, encompassing all stages of education.
“We already face an eye watering engineering skill shortage, with demand is expected to rise over the next decade, and the lack of skills will be one of the biggest blockers for us for delivering the future.
“It is our responsibility to tell the next generation about the excitement of engineering and technology, and what a difference it can make. Skill shortages will continue to evolve. And it’s crucial to have an education system that responds to the challenging needs of the market.”
