20 January to 26 January 2018

Dr Colin Brown appeared on the BBC World Service to discuss whether the Hyperloop is closer to being a viable means of future transportation and the value of virtual reality in encouraging young people to study STEM subjects. The Institution’s latest report A Breath of fresh air: new solutions to reduce transport emissions was launched and there was coverage in The Guardian, The Evening Standard, and considerable pick up by both trade and regional press. Philippa Oldham, lead author of the report, was interviewed on LBC News and London Live to discuss the report’s findings. Dr Jenifer Baxter also issued a response to the publication of the Policy Exchange’s Small Modular Reactors report which was picked up in the trade press.

• 26/01/2018 Hyperloop: Hype Or Not? (Tech Tent) – BBC World Service

  Rory Cellan-Jones spoke to Dr Colin Brown to find out whether the futuristic idea proposed by Elon Musk is any closer to being viable. As a “special guest”, Colin also discussed the value of virtual reality headsets in the classroom. He used the example of being able to see the mechanics within a car and how that might encourage young people to pursue an engineering career. 

   

• 23/12/18 Renewed calls for UK to tackle toxic air ahead of high court hearing – The Guardian

  Coverage of the Institution’s calls for a modern Clean Air Act, equivalent to the one produced in the 1950s in response to London’s Great Smog, in order to reduce harmful emissions across the UK. Philippa Oldham was interviewed for LBC News and London Live following the release of the report, which was also covered in 24 other news outlets, including The Evening Standard, the Yorkshire Post, Huffington Post/Yahoo News, Electronic Specifier, Get West London, The Engineer, E & T Magazine, Yorkshire Evening Post, Government Business, AirQuality News, ThisIsLocalLondon, Wandsworth Guardian, Croydon Guardian, Your Local Guardian, Wimbledon Guardian and Borehamwood & Elstree Times, Cornish Times, Factory Equipment, Process & Control Today and Green Car Congress.

   

• 25/01/2018 SMRs 'crucial' to decarbonising UK economy, says report – World Nuclear News

  Dr Jenifer Baxter’s response to a new report by the Policy Exchange on small modular reactors was picked up.

   

• 24/01/2018 Institution of Mechanical Engineers responds to the Year of Engineering launch – Plant & Works Engineering

  Pick up of comments by Peter Finegold following the launch of the new Year of Engineering Government campaign.

   

• 25/01/18 BBC Radio Cumbria (online clip not available)

  News of a talk run by the Institution on William Fairbairn, the 19^th century experimental engineer who succeeded George Stephenson and Robert Stephenson, to become the third president of the Institution.

   

• 23/01/2018  New site director for Wilton's 'Cracker' chemical plant – Gazette Live

News report on a recent appointment of Institution Fellow Daren Smith as Site Director for a new plant owned by chemical company SABIC.