Andrew, who recently became a chartered engineer with the Institution, describes his CV as: “Marmite – some people love the fact that I am project-focused; others find my desire to travel and target my skills on products for people in developing countries doesn’t fit with the corporate approach.”
To what extent does ‘improving the world through engineering’ drive your work?
I am motivated by creating products that improve the lives of some of the poorest people in the world and to use my skills wherever they can have the most impact. There aren’t many people designing products for communities in developing countries. To be able to build products ‘from the ground up’ for people in their own environments in a sustainable way is very rewarding.
Tell us about some of the products you have worked on.
At the mobility charity, Motivation, we designed and produced the ‘Rough Terrain’ wheelchair for use in rural environments in the developing world. Then, as part of a small team in Leeds, I designed a state-of-the-art prosthetic hand and wrist called ‘bebionic’ which has sold 2,500 units.
More recently I designed and developed the ‘EzyChar’ cookstove. Sales have reached around 20,000 units, predominantly in Kenya. It has far greater fuel and environmental efficiencies than traditionally available products, with benefits for air quality and health.
I’m currently working for an innovative company called Sure Chill, who have invented a refrigeration technology that is well suited to areas where there are frequent power cuts, typically developing countries, and for vaccine storage
What impact have they had on people’s lives?
They all have different kinds of benefits, from enabling better mobility to overall health – and even saving lives. Even if one life is improved, that’s a huge impact for an individual.
The three-wheeled rough terrain wheelchair is reparable locally and doesn’t saddle the user with complications from using an ill-fitting hand-me-down. It helps people re-engage in their community, take up employment and provide for their families. It’s not just a mechanical product.
Sure Chill technology is currently used in 44 countries. It unlocks cooling for billions of people and saves a vast amount of energy. In turn, this can provide accurate cooling in developing countries and areas where, right now, the idea of storing medicine, keeping food and homes cool is just a dream.
What were the challenges of designing and producing the cookstove?
In Africa, a stove is an important part of a family’s house, a focal point, even a status symbol. The EzyChar is safer and more economical than the standard appliances available. It reduces harmful emissions and lowers fuel costs, which are a large part of many families’ outgoings. It’s better for health and helps raise people out of poverty.
Although the stove design was relatively trouble-free, getting good durability within a tight budget was more challenging. Initially combustion chamber materials burned through too quickly: it had to last at least three years in daily use. Ensuring the combustion chamber had sufficient durability took months of rigorous material testing.
What has been your career highlight so far?
There have been a few! The best feeling is when you see your product put to use.
With the bebionic hand, an amputee came to test it, fitted the hand and started using it straight away. It wasn’t perfect, we learned a lot and changed things, but the high I felt on seeing our work come to fruition was immense.
Also, the way people’s eyes lit up when they saw the cookstove – of which I developed every single part – was amazing.
What does professional registration mean to you?
Becoming a chartered engineer demonstrates that good engineering adds value on every level. Whether you’re working on a high-budget corporate project or developing products for people on the lowest income, everyone is entitled to the best design and well manufactured products.
How does membership of the Institution help you achieve your goals?
I hope people will be inspired by aspects of my work and approach and that through this network I can encourage more engineers to consider how they can directly improve people’s lives.
Customers, or users, might be governments or people who earn one dollar a day. I want to keep developing products directly for people who need them the most but who are often ignored.
Having gained chartership, my ambitions include becoming a Chief Technical Officer. I’d like to have more autonomy within an organisation, to steer its direction and influence the sectors that we take our products into.