Tag Archives: engineering

Work/Life Balance as a Chemical Engineering Student

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Amelia Pettitt tells us how she balances her Chemical Engineering degree with competitive running, hobbies and part time work.

I’m currently in my fourth year of study of Chemical Engineering, specialising in sustainable engineering to complete my masters degree. I am also a highly competitive runner and therefore when I first came to university I was unsure of how I would manage the work/life balance of studying an intense degree like engineering with my sporting commitments. However I soon realised that although this would be a challenge, my involvement in both would complement each other.

In stage 1 the typical contact hours were 9-1 each day, which I found worked really well for me. As the course requirements weren’t too intense, I enjoyed going to the gym at 1 after my lectures to give myself a break, before completing tutorials and any assignments later in the afternoon. I was catered therefore I had another break to go to dinner with my flatmates. I didn’t realise it then, but all these breaks were really benefiting my studies and I felt I was constantly socialising!

Being surrounded by other students in halls with less contact hours didn’t phase me and I didn’t feel I missed out. If I wanted to go out, I could often manage one night a week, which I found was enough for me. I would always choose the sport night on a Wednesday as this allowed me to see my running friends as well as my flatmates. My flatmates would often go out more than this, but my halls were so big that there were other chemical engineers nearby that wouldn’t be going out, and there is something quite satisfying about seeing them hungover and missing out on a free breakfast when you wake up feeling fine.

In stage 2 the contact hours increased slightly, but the days were more spread out with lectures spanning the day 9-5 with multiple breaks. From stage 2 onwards I began to work in uni 9-5 and complete my training and gym sessions outside of this. I found this worked really well for me, as I could switch my brain off and socialise with friends not on the course after a full day in university. I found I had less time to go out, but this was mainly because of my training commitments rather than the course. I became more disciplined and structured with my time, and this provided me with a healthy lifestyle. I also applied for a placement year for after second year. I found I spent a lot of time preparing for interviews with help from the careers service. The course was structured to enable this, with majority of the weighting of the year based on January and June exams rather than assignments, giving me time before Christmas to secure my placement. I still worked at weekends if I needed to, however this probably wasn’t essential – definitely if you aren’t applying for placements and training once or twice each day!

After my placement year I found the 9-5 routine was ingrained in me and I wasn’t looking to change it coming back to university! It is difficult to have every weekend off, as things do come up in the week and I always want to try to make up for this lost time. However overall, now in my last year of study, I tend to take weekends off. I’m either travelling to races or exploring Newcastle – making the most of my last year in the city.

I’m also part of the baking society. I enjoy baking as its almost like engineering in the way you have to plan in advance and follow a schedule to ensure your bake will be successful. However I also find it very relaxing and a chance to be away from the computer for a little while. I bake on the university campus which is ideal – the society provide all the equipment and ingredients and I just bake for a couple of hours and head back to the library with my fresh library snacks. It’s perfect, and doesn’t take up too much time out of my day. I find adding hobbies into my day at specific times really helps my studies as I am more motivated to work hard if I know I need to leave at a set time.

Engineering has a lot of contact hours, which although this may lead people to believe it would be less social, it actually results in having a lot more friends! I know everyone in my year at university and I live with Chemical Engineers. This is ideal for asking for help and feeling at home at university. If I need help, I can always find someone in the computer cluster. I have other friends too, from the university triathlon team, cross country team and baking society, all of which hold social events for when I do want a break from any chemical engineering talk. I’ve been to Edinburgh, Sheffield, Stirling, Brighton, Manchester, Leeds, and London – all over the UK with the teams competing.

If you are worried about the financial side of university, Engineering opens doors to many scholarships which are definitely worth working towards! If you feel you need a part-time job, then there are many opportunities on campus including those to be a student ambassdor and street scientist. As a student ambassador I show future students around the university. As a street scientist I perform simple science experiments to explain everyday concepts to children aged primary school to A level, on campus and at local schools and events. I thoroughly enjoy them both, and they add to my communication and presentation skills, as well as my scientific knowledge!

If I was to choose to come to university again, despite how challenging chemical engineering can be at times, I don’t believe there is a better degree to do. Chemical engineering gives you so many transferable skills, providing a technical background and supportive learning environment. There are so many opportunities to get involved in through extra activities on offer at university, and with an engineering degree, you can still fit these in by prioritising the most important which is an essential skill to set you up for the working environment.

Find out more about Newcastle University’s Chemical Engineering courses here.

 

Work/Life Balance as a Civil Engineering Student

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The latest in our work/life balance series sees Jasmine Tendaupenyu discuss how she manages her time as a second year Civil Engineering student at Newcastle. 

I’m currently studying BEng Civil Engineering at Newcastle University and as a stage 2 student I remember deciding what mattered most to me when choosing a university to study my passion.  One thing I often get asked is how I find the work/life balance.

In stage 1 we mostly did theory, I found it to be interesting in general, but especially because we occasionally had guest lecturers. The workload wasn’t too intense and that gave us the opportunity to get to know our lecturers and learn more about the different sectors within Civil Engineering. One of the aspects of stage 1 I found to be quite difficult was not knowing where lecture rooms and offices were and not knowing how to go through certain procedures like sending in a PEC form.

This year has gone much more smoothly as I know more about the city, the university and the course. The workload, however, has increased tenfold. One thing that I have been able to do this year is manage my time better so that I can focus on my academics and my social life while not putting too much on my plate. There is a lot more group work this year which takes some time to get accustomed to, but it is a good way to meet other people from your course who you might not normally interact with. There is also a lot more lab and practical work, being able to put the theory that we learn into practice is one of my favourite things about the course and stage 2. I also really appreciate that in stage 2 there are several opportunities put together by the university for us throughout the year to meet people who are working in industry.

I think being part of societies and organisations that I really enjoy is helpful, so participating in their events is one way for me to switch off. I also go to the gym and watch a lot of documentaries.

I had a part time job in the first semester of stage 1. I hadn’t learned to manage my time well yet, and I had taken on a lot of hours. I also worked as a student ambassador for the school and participated in a number of societies and on a committee. It was definitely fun, but it didn’t leave a lot of time for hobbies or just to relax. This year I still work as a student ambassador and I’m committed to only a couple of societies – this gives me more time for myself.

I’ve come to realise that managing my time is a lot easier when I organise my priorities and deadlines by writing them down. I try to start all of my academic work as soon as I can and make sure that I complete it before I go out to do something fun. If it’s a larger piece of coursework and there are weeks or months before the due date I break the work up into smaller tasks and set mini deadlines to meet. If I am quite busy I try to use the little breaks that I have between lectures for things like meeting friends for lunch.

Find out more about Newcastle University’s Civil Engineering degrees here.

International Day of Human Space Flight

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On this day in 1961 Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet citizen, became the first human to travel into space, leading mankind into an era of space exploration. Hundreds of astronauts have since travelled to the stars, but only a small handful of them have been British. Seven people born in the UK have become astronauts, although all but 2 hold dual nationality or American citizenship’s.

British Astronauts

  1. Helen Sharman

    Born: Sheffield
    Citizenship: British
    First launch: 18th May 1991
    A unique astronaut in many respects, Helen’s route into space wasn’t typical. Having studied Chemistry at university, Helen was working as a chemist for Mars chocolate company when she responded to a radio advertisement saying “Astronaut wanted: no experience necessary.” A scientific background, an ability to learn foreign languages and a high level of fitness helped Helen beat nearly 13,000 other applicants to take part in Project Juno, a collaboration between the Soviet Union and private British companies to send a group of astronauts to the Mir Space Station. At just 27 years old at the time of her flight, Sharman is the sixth youngest person to fly into space and remains the only female British astronaut to date.

  2. Michael Foale

    Born: Louth
    Citizenship: Dual – British/American
    First launch: 24th March 1992
    Born in Louth to a British father and an American mother, Michael considers Cambridge to be his home town. It was at Cambridge University that he studied, achieving both an undergraduate degree and a doctorate before moving to Texas to pursue a career in the U.S Space Program. Throughout his career at NASA, Michael became the most experienced British-born astronaut in the history of human space flight as a crew member of a total of 6 missions, totalling 375 days in space.

  3. Piers Sellers

    Born: Crowborough
    Citizenship: Naturalized citizen of the United States
    First launch: 7th October 2002
    During his school years Piers trained as a Royal Air Force cadet to pilot gliders and powered aircraft. After studying an undergraduate degree at Edinburgh University, Piers earned a doctorate in biometeorology from the University of Leeds before moving to the United States to begin a NASA career as a research meteorologist. In 1984 he began applying to become an astronaut, but this was hindered by his lack of US citizenship. In 1991 he became a citizen of the United States and in 1996 he was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA. Throughout his career Piers spent over 35 days in space.

  4. Nicholas Patrick

    Born: Saltburn-by-the-Sea
    Citizenship: Dual – British/American
    First launch: 9th December 2006
    Born in Yorkshire, Nicholas studied an undergraduate and masters degree in engineering at Cambridge University, during this time he learned to fly as a member of the Royal Air Force’s Cambridge University Air Squadron. After a move to Massachusetts, where he initially worked as an aircraft engineer, he pursued Mechanical Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In June 1998 Patrick was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA. Before his retirement from NASA in June 2012, Nicholas clocked up just over 26 days in space.

  5. Gregory H. Johnson

    Born: South Ruislip
    Citizenship: American
    First launch: 11th March 2008
    Although born in England, Gregory grew up in America. He earned an undergraduate degree in aeronautical engineering from the United States Air Force Academy in 1984, before going on to complete a Masters in flight structures engineering at Columbia University. Johnson was a pilot in the United States Air Force before being selected by NASA for astronaut training in 1988. During his career at NASA, Gregory spent a total of one month in space, in this time he orbited the earth nearly 500 times and travelled over 12 million miles.

  6. Richard Garriot

    Born: Cambridge
    Citizenship: Dual – British/American
    First launch: 12th October 2008
    Born in Cambridge to American parents, Richard’s life in the UK was short-lived as he was raised in the United States from 2 months old. Nevertheless we shall still claim him as our own, in which case he is the only British “space tourist”. Richard earned his fortune as a video games developer. Keen to follow in the footsteps of his astronaut father, Owen Garriot, in 2007 Richard used his fortune to buy a $30 million ticket to space. Richard’s space “holiday” lasted 12 days. He spent his time on the International Space Station conducting a variety of experiments. These included studying the effects of space flight on the human body for NASA and the European Space Agency.

  7. Tim Peake

    Born: Chicester
    Citizenship: British
    First launch: 15th December 2015
    Finally, our most recent astronaut and only the second, after Helen Sharman, to travel under the British flag. Tim began his career as an Officer in the British Army Air Corps. After many successful years as a helicopter flight instructor and test-pilot, Tim retired from the army in 2009 – the year he was selected as an ESA astronaut. Years of training and various missions on earth culminated in a six month trip to the International Space station throughout the start of 2016. Whilst aboard the ISS, Tim ran a virtual version of the London Marathon, completing it in 3 hours 35 minutes and becoming the second person ever to complete a marathon in space.

    The sky isn’t the limit when you choose to pursue a career in STEM. Find out about Newcastle University’s UK Space Agency funded research here.

Work/Life balance as a Marine Technology Student

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Marine Technology student, Verity Thomas, tells us about her experiences so far studying at Newcastle University and balancing her workload with her extra-curricular activities.

I am currently a stage 2 student studying Marine Technology with Naval Architecture. The work life balance on the course is definitely manageable. Stage 2 is quite different to Stage 1, in which we had a 9am start every day. In fact, being in Stage 2 can lead to much better study habits. You will no longer live on campus so popping home during every gap in your timetable is not an option, meaning that you’re more likely to go to the library or one of the many study areas on campus. The quantity of work in Stage 2 is the same as Stage 1 and although comparatively harder it is as equally challenging as Stage 1 because you know more about the subject.

To ‘switch off’ I watch a lot of Netflix and take walks in Exhibition Park with my friends. There is a lot to do in Newcastle and surrounding areas so occasionally I will go to Tynemouth or South Shields. There is so much to get involved in and I recommend people looking at the Student Union’s ‘Give it A Go’ service, where you can try anything from surfing to making baths bombs at Lush…whatever you find relaxing.

I have many hobbies and am part of eight societies Newcastle University and one club this year. That includes: 20-minute, Archery, Doctor Who, Game of Thrones, GigSoc, NerdSoc, RAG, Vegan & Vegetarian, and WetSoc. As well as this, this year, I have taken part in Fresher’s Crew, written for the Tab, and am working towards my NCL+ Careers award. I have three part time jobs, which include being a Student Ambassador, Private Tutoring, and being part of the Universities Northumbrian Naval Unit.

It is important to manage your time whilst still having fun. You need to remember why you are at university and you’re ultimately here to get a good degree, and that if you work hard now life will be easier later. It is easy to forget your priorities when there are many other reasons why you are here too. Sometimes, you’ll get behind on work because you are doing those activities, because you get sick, because you have interviews and assessment centres to go to. Once this happens, try to catch up as best as you can. If you feel like you can’t and don’t have the time to watch RECAP or see your lecturers then draw a baseline and allow yourself to focus on the new information that you are learning and realise that this often doesn’t require the old knowledge that you missed. Talk to your tutor about the situation, as they will put it into perspective, especially as so many people go through the same thing. Try to talk to people about how you feel because it is comforting to find out that you’re not the only one! And try to remember that there is still time even if it feels like it is running out before exams.

To stay disciplined whilst still having fun I recommend treating university as a full time job. If your lectures don’t start until midday then go in at 9am and do some revision for them. If your lectures finish by 3pm then go to the library until 5pm. Study in a group and then it’ll be more fun and social. Take a packed lunch and snacks and then you’ll be more inclined to work rather than having to go home or into town because you’re hungry, plus it’s cheaper! Whilst at university only dedicate your time to university stuff i.e. not replying to general emails or applying to jobs because then you’ll always be doing other chores and not your actual studying/coursework. Take your evenings and weekends to relax doing nothing in regards to university work and catch up on non-university chores such as washing and food shopping.

Find out more about our Marine Technology courses here.

Work/Life Balance as a Chemical Engineering Student

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As a student it can sometimes be difficult to effectively balance your studies with life outside University. In this blog post, stage 4 Chemical Engineering student Sophie Murta tells us about her experiences so far, and how she finds time to unwind.

I’m currently studying MEng Chemical Engineering as a stage 4 student. My main drivers when selecting a university were the staff. This was a huge draw of Newcastle as the staff were all really friendly and down to earth on the open days and this has continued during my time here. Everyone is happy to help whether it be academically or personally. The support in offer at Newcastle is great – not only from the staff but from fellow students also.

Stage 1 – I found stage one a great introduction to university life. The lectures and lab sessions were well structured and allowed the transition from school to university to be as easy as possible. I was also able to quickly make a good group of friends on the course as we would always have lectures together so spent a large proportion of our time together. The Chemical Engineering society was also a great way to make friends and settle in as advice from other students always helps. I always attended the society events as well which is a great way to relax with course mates and spend time together that is not work related.

Stage 2 – I found stage 2 not too different from stage one as the structure was very similar – just a larger workload and some more chemical engineering content. The contact hours slightly drop due to fewer lab sessions and the higher level of independent study required for group assignments and individual work.

Stage 3 – I enjoyed this stage the most so far as I was able to combine the skills and theory I learnt to design a plant from scratch as part of a team and a unit operation in detail. This was a great way to see the standard and quality of work that would be carried out in industry and having one project to focus on that included so many different aspects was really interesting.

Stage 4 – In the masters year the course caters for further learning and specialisation. I chose the standard chemical engineering route with an optional module of process control. Not specialising allowed me to gain a broad understanding of each sector, which I found gave me flexibility when applying for jobs. The other main part of stage 4 is the research project which has allowed me to develop further lab and research skills as I have designed my own experiments and project, which I am able to dictate the direction of. This gives a sense of freedom and autonomy that I feel is preparing me well for the world of work.

To switch off from my course and work I like to get involved with a lot of things that Newcastle has to offer. My hobbies include participating in the student brewing society (StuBrew) which I have been involved in since stage 1. In stage 3 I was elected president of the society, which was a great experience as I was able to work with a fantastic team on a project we were all passionate about. I also enjoy watching sports, going to gigs and eating out with friends all things Newcastle is great for.

During my time at university I have had many part time jobs, from working as a student ambassador at the university to working in bars and restaurants. I have mainly taken these over the summer to allow me to focus on studies during the academic year.

I manage my time by trying to treat my course like a job – I will work 9-5 on weekdays which allows me evenings and weekends to relax or to catch up if I need any additional study time. This allows me to switch off from work and allocate my free time to socialising or other hobbies and interests.

Find out more about Newcastle University’s Chemical Engineering courses here.

International Women in Engineering Day #INWED17

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At Newcastle University, we are proud to support our female engineers throughout their studies and their careers with us. Today we are featuring some profiles of our current students and staff and sharing their thoughts about being a woman in engineering in 2017.

Hayley Fowler, Professor of Climate Change Impacts

I did a national engineering scheme at school, there were five of us paired with British Aerospace, a local company, in lower sixth form. We made a plastic aeroplane and all the electrical and mechanical components, it was a great experience.

I ended up going to Cambridge to do Geography as I love learning about how things work, but when looking at careers I realised that I didn’t want to end up in London doing finance or management in the water industry, so I decided to do an MSc in Water Resources Systems Engineering at Newcastle University. Then I stayed on to do a PhD and the rest, as they say, is history.

I think that the greatest engineering challenge of the future is around climate adaptation – building low carbon cities and adapting to heat and weather extremes.

Engineering is crucial for everyone, we need to build infrastructure systems and buildings for the modern world, and design new systems to cope with our ever changing climate and extreme weather events. We need young people with bright ideas. Don’t believe that it’s only men who can do engineering, some of the best and most inventive engineers out there are women.

Irma Yeginbayeva, PhD Student in Marine Technology

When I was a teenager I used to watch my father repair his car and children’s bicycles. I guess that is the time when I first learned to use tools and other equipment and that planted the first seeds of interest in engineering.

Reflecting back to my skills and capabilities, which I have developed during my research project, I really see myself in academia. I try not to hinder myself professionally or gender wise.

As a person working towards sustainable shipping, I fully understand the reasons behind extensive research carried out to reduce carbon emissions and promote green energy. Reduction of greenhouse gases should be the most important thing on the agenda, especially if you think about the world’s population will grow by two billion over the next two decades.

As a female in engineering, I can see the trend of male dominance is fading. There are plenty of organisations and societies there to help and motivate women to overcome the challenges faced as a female engineer.

Goksu Kandemir, MSc Biomedical Engineering

I had a physics teacher who encouraged me to be an engineer. He helped me to discover my talents and interests. The feedback I received from my high school teachers, supervisors and my family helped me to see what I can achieve and what I want in life.

I believe that Newcastle University supports the students both academically and socially very effectively, by giving them the chance to experience things that they have not experienced before.

Do not give up if someone tells you that you cannot be an engineer just because you are a girl. If you want to be an engineer and if you think that it will make you happy, then I can guarantee that you will prove these people wrong.

Lijuan Xia, PhD Student, Electrical and Electronic Engineering

I’ve been interested in engineering since high school, I always liked physics lessons. I was so into how Steve Jobs created the iPod, iPhone and iPad during the last decade, this was the trigger for me to step into the engineering industry.

My final goal is to start up my own engineering company which will produce biomedical products to make a different in the world.

I would advise any young girls thinking about becoming an engineer to think hard, talk to smart people and keep your heart open for feedback.

Jenny Olsen, BEng Mechanical Engineering

I chose Mechanical Engineering as I wanted to study a degree that covered lots of different areas. I’m really interested in Bio-Mechanical Engineering, but I’m also a big motor sport fan – studying Mechanical Engineering allowed me to pursue many things I was interested in whilst also keeping my career options open.

Mechanical Engineering is a very diverse subject and you learn a lot of practical skills which are not only relevant to the course but really useful for everyday life. I’ve really enjoyed studying Mechanical Engineering at Newcastle, it’s been a challenge, but definitely worthwhile! I’ve learned so many practical skills that I wouldn’t have learned otherwise and made some great friends.

My advice to any girls who are thinking about engineering as possible career would be don’t be afraid to get things wrong, be confident and ask questions!

International Girls in ICT Day 2017

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There is a huge shortfall of ICT professionals worldwide, with many companies looking to increase the number of women working for them. However, many girls don’t even consider a career in ICT. We decided to celebrate some influential women in ICT from the times computers were invented to now.

Ada Lovelace

Ada Lovelace

Ada was an English Mathematician who worked on the ‘Analytical Engine’, one of the first designs for modern computers.  She recognised that computers could do a lot more than was previously thought and designed the first algorithm that could be carried out by computers. She is often called the first computer programmer for designing this.

Joan Elisabeth Lowther Murray

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Joan was an English cryptanalyst (analysing information systems to breach cryptographic security systems) who is best known for her work as a code breaker at Bletchley Park during World War II. She worked on the Enigma project, which cracked the German system of encoding their messages and led to WWII being much shorter and saving thousands of lives. The Enigma project was a very early form of ICT.

Grace Hopper

grace-hopper

Grace was an American Computer Scientist and a United States Navy Rear Admiral. She was the first person to develop a compiler, despite being told by many people that it would never work. A compiler is a programme that changes what you write on a computer into a language that can be understood by the computer. This allows computers to work with words rather than just numbers as was previously done. There is now a yearly Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing, giving women in computer science a chance to share their research.

Anita Borg

anita

Working as a computer scientist  she developed ways to analyse high speed memory systems in computers. She founded Systers, a network for women in technology, and the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing. In 1997, she founded the Institute for Women and Technology (now the Anita Borg Institute), to increase the number of women in technology and their impact on the world.

Marissa Mayer

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She joined Google as employee number 20 and as their first female engineer after studying computer science at university. She oversaw the layout of Google’s home page and became Vice President of search products and user experience. In 2012 she became president and CEO of Yahoo! and led them to buy Tumblr in 2013.

Meet the Engineers

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Recently we hosted the Engineering Education Scheme at Newcastle. Year 12 students from the local area worked with industry to come up with solutions to real life engineering problems. We spoke to some of the engineers who helped on these projects to see what it’s like to be an engineer.

BAE Systems

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Where and what did you study at university?

Naomi studied a Masters in Chemistry at Heriot Watt University.

Martin studied Aerospace Engineering at Bath University.

Why did you choose to study engineering? 

Martin enjoyed studying Maths, Further Maths and Physics at A-Level, so decided to do engineering as it involves them all.

What do you do at your job?

Naomi is a product safety engineer. She looks at all the different types of engineering in submarines such as ventilation and the electricity and makes sure that they all mix well. She is responsible for putting processes in place to make sure that if something happens it doesn’t escalate.

Martin is a systems Engineer and has to make sure things work and integrate engineering systems.

What is the best thing you have done as an engineer?

Naomi’s favorite thing was working on Conning tower flooding (where the doors of the submarine are). If all the hatches are opened at the top of the submarine, when its at the surface it could flood. She looked at how much water a submarine could take on using models on a computer, it was really successful as it meant they stopped a big redesign of submarines.

Martin enjoys providing support for boats that are currently out on the sea. The project gave him a chance to collaborate with lots of different departments and they solved a big problem of one boat’s secondary motor  which kept turning itself on and off by mistake.

Do you have any advice for students thinking about studying engineering?

Their advice is to have confidence in what you do and pick something you enjoy.

Pearson Engineering

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Rosie is a graduate engineer for Pearson Engineering, who’s job involves looking at mine clearance vehicles, some of which can defuse bombs by lifting them in the air.

Where/what did you study at university?

Undergraduate in Chemistry and a Masters in Mechanical Engineering at Newcastle University.

Why did you choose to study engineering?

Rosie initially became a primary school teacher after her undergraduate degree in chemistry but missed being challenged intellectually so decided to become an engineer.

What is the best thing you have done as an engineer?

Rosie has really enjoyed working with the students at EES, as she likes working with young people.

GE Oil and Gas

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Joshua and Charlie are both in their second year of studying Mechanical Engineering at Newcastle University. They work as interns at GE Oil and Gas alongside their studies.

Why did you choose to study engineering?types-of-engineering

Joshua always liked physics and did some work experience in engineering when he was at school that he really enjoyed. He decided to go to university rather than be an apprentice as you get more hands on experience.

Charlie enjoyed studying maths and physics at school and wanted to apply it in a practical way.

What do you do at your job?

Both of them are interns but have the opportunities to do lots of different jobs.

Joshua is currently looking at the clamps, fixtures and fittings for pipes. This is really important for transporting things such as gas and oil. He carries out analysis and design using computer programmes and lots of maths.

Charlie is also working on pipes. Lots of what she does is communicating with customers to design pipes and talk about things such as price too, showing there is lots more to engineering than just being an engineer.

What is the best thing you have done as an engineer?

Joshua has really enjoyed doing an internship as its allowed him to link the real world with what he is doing at university.

Charlie had been working as a STEM ambassador to encourage girls into engineering. She wants everyone to know that engineering is much more than just fixing things and anyone can be an engineer.

Do you have any advice for students thinking about studying engineering?

Joshua’s advice is try and do some work experience, but be prepared to work hard.

Charlie says that you shouldn’t be put off by what you think engineering is, try and find out more about it as it spans many areas.

 

 

Engineering Education Scheme

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This week we’ve been helping out with the Engineering Education Scheme. Lots of year 12 students from the local area have been working with industry to come up with a project based on real scientific, engineering and technological problems. The students have come in and had a chance to work in the engineering laboratories and workshops that university students and researchers would use. After lots of problem solving and hard work, they presented what they had done so far. These are just a selection of some of the projects.

Mechanical Engineering – Lifting

This group was working on creating a lifting mechanism for a heavy item/box. The current method of lifting isn’t very good as its centre of gravity is in the middle so it wobbles when they lift it. They created a design with a cradle for the box which spreads out the centre of gravity. It is more stable and quicker to lift, saving the company time. The use of shackles mean the box can attached by hand, no tools are needed, again saving time.

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Mechanical Engineering – Shield

A mechanical engineering group created an extendable shield. This is important for keeping people safe in war. In general all shields appeared to be really big or small, but there were none that could adapt to the situation. Use of cogs allowed the shield to be extended or retracted, solving the problem.

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Electrical and Civil Engineering – Solar Power

The brief from WSP Global was to provide renewable energy through use of solar panels to the 350 people who work in the office. The students made a to scale model of the office based on blueprints and used a fixed angle light (as the sun) to look at the shading on the roof of the building. They also ran computer simulations to look at which areas would capture the most sun.

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Civil Engineering – Leisure Centre

The brief was to design a leisure centre on land near to St James Football Park. There were lots of problems to be overcome in the design. The centre was to be built on top of an old mine shaft, which might mean the building would fall into the ground. They calculated that it was too expensive to fill the land underneath with concrete, so calculations had to be made for how heavy each part of the leisure centre would be.

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Marine Engineering – Underwater vehicles

This marine engineering group was helped by engineers from BAE systems. They looked at making an underwater unmanned vehicle. They had to do some problem solving with getting the submarine to sink, working out the exact amount of weight required to make it neutrally buoyant. They used electromagnets to power the vehicle.

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Marine Engineering – Underwater pipes

This group worked with GE oil and gas looking at using flexible pipes underneath the seabed. They compared two different materials; thermoplastic and thermoset.  They did lots of tests, looking at things such as compression (squashing) and torsion (twisting) to find out its properties. They also looked at factors such as the price. Testing found that it was really important that there were no faults in the thermoplastic as it broke a lot easier. Underwater pipes are really important for transporting things like oil and gas.

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Marine Projects Society

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There are loads of societies that you can get involved in at Newcastle University. These are clubs based around your interests or what course you study. One of our newest STEM ones is a hands on engineering society: the Marine Projects Society.

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It all started when a group of Marine Technology students took part in the International Submarine Race in 2014 in Washington DC, USA. Students who were interested in working on it the following year took over and decided to form a society around it to enable students to partake in a variety of Marine related projects. The society remained focused on marine engineering so a a variety of engineering students across the university could collaborate on projects.

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Working on the submarine
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Last years submarine team

This academic year (2015/16) they are working on building an underwater ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle), which are underwater robots important in studying deep water habitats that we otherwise couldn’t access . The society aim to take part in the MATE (Marine Advanced Technology Education) ROV competition in Long Beach, California, USA in June next year. The competition is based on acting as entrepreneurs selling the prospective client a product (in this case an ROV). To achieve this they must draft technical reports, marketing displays and engage in community outreach as well as build an ROV to demonstrate that it can perform certain set underwater tasks.

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Working on a prototype

This years team consists of about 30 members, some of whom are a part of the core team and others are ancillary members who have the opportunity to learn from more experienced members and contribute in their own capacity. The current members form 3 sub groups, namely- 1) Structures & Chassis  2) Mechanical Systems  3) Electrical & Computing.

  1. The Structures & Chassis team is responsible for designing the outer framework of the ROV and responsible for waterproofing and making certain design calculations (buoyancy, weights, center of gravity etc.).
  2. The mechanical systems team is responsible for designing & building a manipulator (mechanical arm) in order to enable a person from the surface to control it remotely to perform certain underwater tasks such as picking items up.
  3. The electrical & computing team is responsible for coding the control architecture or the ‘brain’ of the ROV. They are tasked with controlling the motor speeds, manipulator & underwater video-cam transmission.
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Essential calculations for the ROV

This society is a really good opportunity for anyone who is studying engineering to get some practical experience. The students across the different sub groups come from a variety of engineering backgrounds (Electrical, Marine, Mechanical, Computer science). We wish them the best of luck with the ROV competition!