These Awards act as a reminder of the hard work and dedication undertaken by students to make the University a better, more vibrant place to study and play.
The outstanding winners of the 2015 EPS Societies' Awards are:
Creative and Exceptional Event Award
Frank Morton 2015
Frank Morton is an annual sports day, careers fair and social gathering for Chemical Engineering students from all over the UK and Ireland, hosted in a different city each year. This year Birmingham students made a successful bid to secure the honour of hosting Frank Morton 2015. They organised everything from contacting over 100 companies to raising nearly £40,000 of sponsorship, organising 2,700 students playing 19 sports in locations all over the city, and ensuring all the correct information reached the 27 universities attending. They were even able to donate £4,000 to the Teenage Cancer Trust and the English Federation of Disability Sport. Fantastic feedback was received with many saying it was ‘the best Frank Morton ever’ and IChemE sent glowing reviews. So much so it is now widely accepted that the Birmingham 2015 event is one of the best Frank Morton competitions in history.
Outreach Award
Naomi Green: JUGS: James Watt Undergraduate Society
Naomi is determined to explore all aspects of outreach: she has performed with the science entertainment show Pythagorean Cabaret, busked science at the British Science Festival and delivered activities for Meet the Scientist at Thinktank. By far her greatest achievement of the year has been winning the Health Zone for ‘I’m an Engineer, Get me out of here!’, a free online event where school students meet and interact with engineers. A representative for ScienceGrrl, Naomi champions the role of girls in science and engineering. She co-delivered workshops on ‘Communicating your Specialism’ at the Women’s Engineering Society conference and presented at a School of Mechanical Engineering Athena Swan event, as well as being involved in the Getting Girls into Engineering Project at Handsworth Wood Girls School. All in all Naomi is an excellent female engineering role model.
Unfortunately Naomi wasn't able to collect her Award on the night but her trusty sidekick Cecil the Skelton collected it on her behalf.
I'm delighted to have won this year’s EPS Societies’ Outreach Award. I am passionate about inspiring the next generation of engineers and thoroughly enjoy the work I do with children. To have the effort that I put in to running outreach events recognised by the University is the icing on the cake - Naomi Green
Volunteer of the Year
Joel Evans, CivSoc
Joel is one of the keenest volunteers within the School of Civil Engineering. He is regularly involved in the School’s outreach activities and is one of the key ambassadors on Applicant Visit Days. Joel has inspired numerous pupils from local schools about the world of civil engineering by running fun activities such as building a scaled cable-stayed bridge. In addition, Joel established the Civil Engineering Football Club to encourage inter-year group mixing and managed the team into the University’s friendly division where they finished second place last season. Joel’s passion for volunteering is not limited to the University as he has undertaken international charity work in Tanzania and was involved with the installation of solar panels, providing general aid, immunisation, latrines and land development work there
This award was presented by lead sponsor Carillion's Building Leadership Team consisting of Mike Tourt, Dean Nokes, Taz Razzaq and Daniele Albanese.
Unfortunately Joel was not able to collect his Award on the night but hjis friend James Bush accepted it on his behalf.
Winning this Award is a true honour and means that I have had true appreciation and acknowledgement for the work that I have done for EPS, in particular the School of Civil Engineering, over my four years of being at the University - Joel Evans
EPS Community Award
Dan Luckett, MathSoc
Dan’s enthusiasm for the MathSoc Volunteering Scheme shows no bounds and one of the crowning moments of the Scheme was the EPS Charity Football Tournament. Dan organised students from across the College to compete against one another in a knockout competition on a rainy Saturday in February in which five societies (MathSoc, PPS, EWB, EESE and JUGS) fought to become the first EPS football champion. This was the first time an inter-College 6-a-side football tournament has ever been run. In addition to raising £268 for The Prince’s Trust, this event allowed students from different EPS Schools to mingle and provided the perfect opportunity to show that students from different disciplines can work together. Dan took the initiative to further the community within the College and there is already talk of similar events in the future.
It’s great to know that people appreciate and enjoy what I do for my society as much as I do, it makes me feel like I’m really making a difference - Dan Luckett
Industrial Award
Ella Howells, BUCES: Birmingham University Chemical Engineering Society
This year has been outstanding for student engagement with industry thanks in no small way to Ella. Her superb organisation of the BUCES Annual Industrial Dinner secured 15 industrial sponsors donating in excess of £4,700 and attracted 144 guests, making this the biggest and most successful dinner yet. Ella’s attention to detail and her passionate drive led to a brilliant evening that allowed students, staff and industrialists to interact in a relaxed atmosphere. During the course of the year Ella has brought more companies into Chemical Engineering for talks, quizzes and workshops than ever before. Consequently the School has seen more students gain both summer and year placements. Ella is an outstanding ambassador for the School and University, and her professionalism, diligence, composure and enthusiasm has created a real buzz in the School.
Inspirational Committee Member
Katie Aiston, BUCES: Birmingham University Chemical Engineering Society
Katie has been active in BUCES and the School of Chemical Engineering since the day she arrived. Her enthusiasm and energy are a real asset when it comes to undergraduate recruitment and is highly infectious. She was BUCES President last year and maintained a position on the committee this year. The real inspiration comes from her work leading the Frank Morton committee. She chaired fellow students to organise the national chemical engineering sports day, managed a cash flow of almost £80,000, secured industrial sponsorship, arranged a careers fair and shepherded nearly 3,000 people attending. Not only this but she is an active representative for the School and is regularly involved in outreach activities. Her ability to balance work commitments with a wide range of external and social activities is incredible. One of life’s natural organisers; she will be greatly missed when she graduates.
Role Model of the Year
Joseph Moorhouse, UBRacing
Since becoming aware of the Formula Student competition Joseph strived to one day become Technical Director of Birmingham’s team. Over the past three years, he has spent countless hours working on the UBRacing project. This year Joseph has made students fall in love with the project, the team and the subject. Joseph’s passion and knowledge is second to none. He is also an all-round kind and caring person, approachable and calm under pressure. He is incredibly driven and puts other people’s issues before his own, often putting himself at a disadvantage in order to help and never shying away from putting the effort in. Many would not be involved with UBRacing if it wasn’t for him and his ‘arm around the shoulder’ attitude.
Participating in the Formula student event is difficult and stressful at the best of times, and we all sacrifice a lot to design, build and race the car. It was a massive privilege to lead the team, and to have worked with so many talented individuals. I feel incredibly lucky to have had this opportunity, and it has made all the hard work and pain this year worthwhile - Joseph Moorhouse
Head of College Idea of the Year
WISE: Women in Science and Engineering
WISE is the only EPS society dedicated to support and promote women within STEM subjects and is aimed at both undergraduate and postgraduate students across the College and wider University. WISE is a new society this year, with a new committee and new members. A great deal of effort has been made to slowly embed the Society into the EPS Community. WISE aims to gather female engineers and scientists, and their supporters from across the University to provide careers opportunities to female students studying an engineering or scientific degree. WISE work to give their members a chance to see their subject area being applied to real projects and products so they can see the impact of their theoretical knowledge on practical applications, such as cutting edge technologies. Such initiatives help build relationships with industry and provide a platform for the University to showcase female scientists and engineers, making WISE Birmingham a worthy ambassador for the University and the female scientist community.
Circles of Influence Endeavour Award
David Streather, EWB Birmingham: Engineers Without Borders
David is the superstar of Engineers Without Borders. Whether it be organising the National Volunteer Training Weekend for over 100 EWB-UK volunteers coming to Birmingham from across the country, running a fundraising PearJam night, or arranging everything from A–Z for Society trips, This year David has done so much! He arranged for Professor Richard Williams to give a talk on cryogenic energy storage systems during one of the EWB weekly events and invited the whole of the EPS College to attend, organised for the initial designs of EWB’s Cameroon Catalyst project to be critically evaluated by professionals from industry, is a STEM ambassador and attends outreach events encouraging a younger generation to take interest in STEM subjects, and participated in the EPS Charity Football Tournament. Thanks to his extensive involvement he is a well-known face and name within the EPS Community and beyond.
To win this Award, considering all the other nominees and everything that they do for their societies and students, is very special for me. I’m very humbled to be honoured in this way by the College and very proud to have led Engineers Without Borders to where it is today. I couldn’t have won this without the endless help of the committee and College and I wish them both every success as I leave! - David Streather
Society of the Year 2014/15
BUMS: Birmingham University Materials Society
This year BUMS has undergone a complete overhaul, re-branding and re-designing their logo with the hope of involving more students with the Society. Right from the off new first years and direct entry students have been welcomed with open arms into the Society and given Freshers’ Packs with information about events and sources of help, along with the launch of a mentoring scheme to integrate them into the School and offer support. Events including industrial visits, careers fairs, social nights and sporting activities (in which BUMS won the inter-mural mixed netball league!) have been added to the calendar and a placement scheme introduced for first years wishing to take summer opportunities with academics. They also co-organised the annual Materials Ball with NucSoc and have been brilliant allies throughout the year. Their success in linking different groups of students is a real step change and its effects have been felt throughout the School. The friendly atmosphere and collegiate spirit is universally appreciated and has contributed substantially to a massively successful year for both staff and students. The amount of effort put in to not only achieve this, but vastly improve the interconnectivity and networking within the School is brilliant. They have sought to bring the School together like never before.