Three winners will get the chance to visit Bosch’s Renningen and Reutlingen research and development facilities near Stuttgart, Germany, where Bosch develops its IoT technologies. The winners will also receive a year’s mentoring from Bosch engineers.
Dr Steffen Hoffmann, president of Bosch in the UK, said: “The UK is facing a critical shortage of new engineers entering the workforce and the problem is made worse by the lack of women entering the profession. Women have the ambition to solve problems and change the world, and the talent to deliver it. Our competition aims to shine a light on their imagination and their skills.”
The IoT is ushering in a world of intelligent devices that can collect and exchange data, leading to more connected products and factories. For example, Bosch has developed a smart parking assist system that uses sensors in towns and cities to inform drivers of available parking spaces. Elsewhere, the IoT is already being applied across multiple sectors, from smart home applications that integrate heating, lighting, doors and windows, to the provision of multi-functional smart tools in factories.
To enter the competition, entrants must be aged between 18 and 25 will need to describe an innovation that, by harnessing the connectivity of the IoT, would make the world a better place.
Entries for the competition will be shortlisted and assessed by an expert judging panel including Professor Danielle George, associate dean for teaching and learning at the University of Manchester and presenter of the Royal Institution’s 2014 Christmas Lectures; Dr Hoffmann; Jon Excell, editor of The Engineer magazine and website; Cat Dow, connected vehicle technologies editor, Just Auto magazine and website; Sarah Claridge, qualified engineer and account director at Technical Associates Group; and Lauren Childs, digital and marcomms specialist at Bosch UK.
The competition will run from March to May 2016, with the winners being announced in the lead up to National Women in Engineering Day on 23rd June 2016.
