Institution PhD student wins prestigious Smeatonian Medal

Brian Houston MEng (Hons) AMIMechE, a PhD student from the University of Hull, is this year’s recipient of the Smeatonian Society of Civil Engineers Medal.

Brian was awarded the medal by the Society at a presentation held at the Williams F1 site in Oxfordshire. He was joined by Professor Jim Gilbert, acting head of the School of Engineering, who nominated Brian for the medal. Both were given a tour of the site and of the Williams Grand Prix Collection.

The award is made once a year to a final-year student or young researcher. Brian said: "I was extremely proud to be deemed a worthy recipient of the prestigious medal by the Smeatonian Society. As if the accolade alone wasn't enough, I also had the privilege and pleasure of having lunch with the Society’s members and Sir Patrick Head at the Williams F1 conference centre. Being a keen motorsport fan and passionate engineer, the opportunity to experience the heritage and engineering excellence of Williams, and the wealth of knowledge held by the Society and its members, was truly an honour.”

As well as his PhD, which has focused on working with Siemens on developing technology for gas turbines to dampen vibrations, Brian is a committed Institution volunteer. In 2011, he established the East Yorkshire branch of the Institution's Young Members Panel and is its Chairman, providing a range of events aimed at attracting new members and promoting engineering careers. He was closely involved in organising the President of the Institution's East Yorkshire region visit in 2015. It was a visit which was seen as a great success by all involved, generating excellent networking opportunities between regional companies and academic institutions.

Brian is also a co-founder of the University's Formula Student (FS) team. He has been championing the project at Hull since 2010, and is credited with raising £75k of local sponsorship to ensure the team has fielded a car in each successive year.

He said: “The FS project is very demanding but the experiences that can be gained from it are invaluable. As an engineer and a keen motorsport fan, I feel privileged to have been able to drive a car that has been entirely designed and built by myself and other students at the University, on the infamous Silverstone circuit.”

Professor Gilbert, in his nomination statement, wrote: “Brian Houston has an exemplary track record of academic excellence, leadership and commitment to engaging others in the engineering profession, all of which is underpinned by a professional manner and an excellent work ethic.”

The Smeatonian Society of Civil Engineers was founded in 1771 by John Smeaton. It was the first engineering society to be formed anywhere in the world, and remains the oldest.

It is the second year running that a University of Hull student has won the award, after Mechanical Engineering student Adam Stephenson was chosen by the society to receive the medal in 2014.