Institution news
Since 1976, he has played a pivotal role in enhancing the education and greater engineering experience of more than 2,500 mechanical engineering students. Every year he is at the heart of the University of Birmingham’s Formula Student team, UBRacing, and is a fixture at the competition every summer – along with his wife – encouraging, feeding and supporting the team.
Carl said: “It is an amazing surprise to receive this award. This year, 2015, represents the 18th racing car built in my laboratory. I always have immense pride in the students’ achievements and in the jobs that they obtain after working with me on the Formula Student project.”
His passion for, and support of, Formula Student, dates back to its inception, when in 1997 he worked with engineering undergraduates to build a car to race in the Formula SAE competition, held by the American Society of Automotive Engineers in Michigan, USA.
It was the precursor of Formula Student, which was then to come under the management of the Institution. Carl and a handful of 1990s undergraduates, including Cameron Ross, Blake Siegler and Howard Ash, successfully lobbied the University to get behind Formula Student in 1998, with the caveat that ‘it must not affect their degrees’.
Carl remembers: “It certainly did affect their degrees: we got six firsts that year. I think the experiences that Formula Student gives participants places them two years ahead, in terms of skills, of other graduates. Industry takes notice of Formula Student; it’s a fantastic springboard into the workplace.”
Carl’s expertise is employed in a variety of roles, from supervising work experience and delivering engineering taster courses to sixth-formers, through to assisting second-year students with their group projects. He also constructs test rigs and prototypes for final-year students and trains postgraduate students in the use of specialist equipment.
At Formula Student 2015, UBRacing achieved seventh place. Carl was honoured in the awards ceremony, and was presented with a bottle of Champagne and a Formula Student yearbook.
Professor Duc Pham, a Fellow of the Institution and Head of the School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Birmingham said: “Carl’s outstanding contribution to the University is exemplified by his dedication to Formula Student, work which has involved his mentoring teams of students, taking them to races at home and abroad (Germany, Australia and the USA) and providing both technical assistance and logistic support during the competitions.”
Cameron Ross, among the first UBRacing alumni, is now Engineering Programme Manager, Structures & Transmissions, at Rolls-Royce Plc. He says that Carl’s Formula Student alumni are always much sought-after by employers.
He said: “Carl’s training and mentoring allowed us to earn the successes and gain life experiences that were significant in the launch of our careers; and today he allows us to give a leg-up to other budding graduates that he has invested with a wealth of engineering life-skills. At Rolls-Royce there is a high population of Formula Student alumni, many in my office and three of us are now working together who have passed his high standards.”
Matt Coleman, Europe Research and Development Centre, Caterpillar, said: “I was a student in the 1999 team, the second outing at Formula Student for the University of Birmingham. The 1998–1999 era was absolutely pivotal for my future career in product development, and Carl's guidance, knowledge and expertise – and strong work ethic – had an everlasting effect on me. I still remember the time on the team like it was yesterday and would like to thank Carl for his leadership and friendship during those formative years.”
Duc Pham added: “I am absolutely delighted that Carl has received this well-deserved recognition. On behalf of everyone whom Carl has helped, I offer him our warmest congratulations and wish him and his family a wonderful day at Buckingham Palace later this year!”
Follow Carl’s blog for UBRacing.
Read a Formula Student Case study: Dr Blake Siegler