Britain's top young engineer

Britain's top young engineer , an automated flood prevention device for housing ventilation systems. Jack beat competitors from all over the British Isles in yesterday’s national final at the Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon, to win the coveted award and title Young Engineer for Britain. The Lancaster student, who also won the Arup Award for Best Project for the Built Environment, was presented with his winner’s trophy and £5,000 cash prize at a ceremony last night (September 15) in the aircraft hall of the RAF Museum. He now goes on to represent the UK at major international science and engineering competitions. Other inventions entered in the competition, which focused on finding innovative ways of improving people’s quality of life in Britain and around the world, included the EcoGen portable renewable energy generator and the EcoBin waste and recycling system. The full list of award winners at the Young Engineers for Britain 2003 national final is as follows: Young Engineer for Britain 2003 – Overall Winner Jack Tovey, 16, Lancaster Royal Grammar School. K’Nex - Junior Engineer for Britain Awards: Winner: Bramley Sunnyside School, Rotherham Runner Up: Bickershaw Primary School Young Engineers for Britain Special Awards: Each winner received £1,000. IEE – Best Project Based Around Disability: A team of Sixth Formers from Wymondham College, Norfolk – Vicky Evans, Ben Ferrar, Beth Riley and Rob Watts (all 17) – who have designed and built an automated platform for wheelchair users on trains. DfES – Best New School With The Most Innovative Project: Jade Stokes, Katie Smith, Katherine George and Esther McLoughlin of Handsworth Grange School, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, all aged 12 – designers of the HandyPal. BNFL - Best Innovative Use of Technology: Thomas Adcock, 17, of Eastbourne College, East Sussex – inventor of the EcoBin waste and recycling system. Royal Air Force – Most Innovative Use of Technology: Matthew Richardson, aged 16, from Nottingham High School – inventor of the NetSwitch, a system that allows you to switch on electronic devices over the internet. National Grid Transco – Most Innovative Electrical Engineering Application: David Miller, 15, from Hutchesons Grammar School in Glasgow – who has designed and built his own Digital Alarm System incorporating light and motion sensors. Arup – Best Project for the Built Environment: Jack Tovey, from Lancaster Royal Grammar School with Flood Plug. Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation – Award for Engineering Craftsmanship: Tom Hughes, 18, from Lady Manners School, Bakewell, Derbyshire – who has designed and built his own wind-up charger that uses solar cell power. Class A National Awards – Ages 10-14 years: Winner receives £1,000 given by SEMTA. Runner up receives £500 given by Lloyd’s Register. Class A Winner: Peter Jones, 13, Henry Ashenden, 12, James Greenhalgh, 12, Thomas Williams, 12, and Christopher Arrowsmith, 13, from John Taylor High School in Burton-on-Trent – whose Disabled Graphics Aid enables a person with limited hand control to hold and use a pencil for sketching and rendering. Class A Runner Up: Poppy Sherwood, 14, of Raincliffe School, Scarborough – for her Interactive School Map. Class B National Awards – Ages 15-16 years: Winner receives £1,000 given by Smiths Group. Runner up receives £500 given by Royal Aeronautical Society. Class B Winner: Dale Watts, 16, from Poole Grammar School, Dorset – who has come up with a TrakTime timing device for athletes. Class B Runner Up: David Miller, 15, from Hutchesons Grammar School in Glasgow – who has designed and built his own Digital Alarm System incorporating light and motion sensors. Class C National Award – Ages 17-19 years: Winner receives £1,000 given by SEMTA. Runner up receives £500 given by Lloyds Register. Class C Winner: Philip Cowan, 18, from Yarm School in Cleveland – designer of the TowGo, a trailer with a hydraulically operated drop hammer that allows one person to fence off a field. Class C Runner Up: Walter Johnston, 17, from Cookstown High School in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland – who came up with an ingenious design for Tractor Mounted Sheep Fencing. Club Awards: A prize of £1,000 goes to each club. BAA ‘Junior Club of the Year’ Winner: James Penfold, Jack Bonnor, Frances Helm and James Barson of Milby Primary School, Nuneaton Winner of Royal Navy Award for Engineering Success Through Team Work: Community College, Bishops Gate Winner of the BTexact Most Innovative Club Award: Christopher Fenwick, Thomas Fisher, Christopher Roe, and Carl Haagensen of Kings School, Tynemouth Winner of the Lloyd’s Register Club of the Year Award: The winner will go to Tokyo in August 2004 as a guest of the Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation. Matthew Mellalieu, 17, of Whitby Community College, North Yorkshire – inventor of the EcoGen, a portable renewable energy generator, designed to help isolated communities in the developing world. Leadership and Industry Awards: Best Supporting Young Engineers Club Leader: Mr Mike James of Bishops Gate Community College, Shropshire Best Supporting Network: Mrs Pat Brunskill of Setpoint South Yorkshire Best Supporting Company or Organisation: Hasbro NOTE: Organised by Young Engineers, the UK-wide network of science and technology clubs, Young Engineers for Britain 2003 is sponsored at national level by Lloyd’s Register, BAA, BTexact, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, BNFL, Dura Automotive, Institution of Electrical Engineers, SEMTA – the National Training Organisation for Engineering Manufacture, New Civil Engineer, Arup, K’Nex, Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation, Rolls-Royce, National Grid, Smiths Group and Ford Motor Company. TS