Engineers are one of the best chances we have of saving the world and that’s why UCL (University College London) is staging an action-packed programme of free interactive events for the whole family showing how they are forging the future.
Among the inspiring must-sees are a link to the International Space Station and deep dives into artificial intelligence, space exploration, robotics and medicine. The main family days are on 19 and 20 July in Bloomsbury central London, with an industry showcase on July 18.
The programme – built around the key themes of climate, healthcare, data and inequality – focuses on opportunities to do rather than just see. An augmented reality app, which festivalgoers can access on a smartphone or tablet, will help to bring the environment to life. The festival is featuring more than 80 demonstrations and workshops, 22 spotlight events, and 20 labs will be open to school groups.
Among the highlights are the chance to drive a Mars rover at the Mission to Mars event, which will also show how to create heat shields to protect spacecrafts on re-entry and how to grow food in Martian soil. On July 19, organisers will attempt a live link to the International Space Station and visitors will have the opportunity to meet NASA astronaut Dan Tani and broadcaster Kevin Fong. There will also be a chance to see ‘Bakeneer’ Andew Smyth, creator and judge of Netflix‘s Baking Impossible, in an edible exploration of the engineering that helps us safely travel around the planet.
An exploration of what a fully recyclable world would look like is also on show with materials engineers, including Professor Mark Miodownik and Associate Professor Helen Czerski. And on the health front there’s a chance to probe advances from vaccines to medical imaging and AI-assisted surgery.
Alongside the events will be a series of talks aimed at the general public, from big questions like ‘Can Engineers Save the World?’ to quickfire presentations by current UCL students on their area of research. Professor Clare Elwell, co-organiser of the festival from UCL Medical Physics & Biomedical Engineering, explains: “Engineering at UCL is all about solving real-world problems. We are led by the challenges that need to be met, whether they be in medicine, sustainability or computing. It goes way beyond what people may see as the traditional engineering disciplines. Really it covers all of life.
“We are delivering this to engage a range of audiences with how engineers are creating future worlds, both physical and digital. We want people to see that engineering is fundamentally collaborative. It’s about working with end users to create new solutions for the most pressing issues facing humanity.”
To whet problem-solving appetites there will be sessions on the recently launched Foundation Year in Engineering and on apprenticeships. Both of these initiatives are designed to provide multiple entry points into engineering, particularly for communities underserved by further and higher education.
Professor Elpida Makrygianni, head of Education Engagement at UCL Engineering, said: “We’re delighted to welcome young people from East London and beyond to the Festival to experience events built around creating a happier, greener and fairer society.
“We also want to break down barriers that might prevent young people from seeing engineering as a possible career, whether that’s because they didn’t think it was for ‘people like them’ or just because they didn’t realise the wealth of opportunities that are on offer. Like any creative discipline, diversity of thought and experience is key to invention. We hope to inspire the engineers of the future.” For more information about the Festival of Engineering and how to book, visit: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/
