Institution news
An audience of around 500 Lincolnshire students aged between 14 and 18 attended this year's prestigious Sir Isaac Newton Lecture, held at the Whittle Hall, RAF College Cranwell.
Among his many accolades, lecturer Professor Mark Miodownik FREng won the Royal Academy of Engineering Rooke Medal for his dedication to raising the profile of engineering, in 2013.
Professor Miodownik, Director of the Institute of Making at University College London, delivered a presentation which illustrated the importance of materials, and how they have shaped the development of the human race through the ages.
Entitled ‘Stuff Matters’, based on his successful publication and lectures, Mark took the audience through some of the pivotal developments in science, astronomy, medicine and social development brought about by one of the most mundane but intriguing of materials: glass. From spectacles and windows to test tubes and fibre optics, Mark showed how a hollow glass ‘scaffold’ is used in medicine to allow stem cells to reconstruct missing or damaged bones, effectively enabling the human body to remake sections of missing structure.
Mark suggested that the young people in the audience would need to take up the reins to solve current environmental, medical and social challenges using innovation, material science and engineering. He discussed how social migration housing needs could be solved by living structures, able to adapt, grow and repair. Futuristic scenarios – such as bionic clothing made using ferro-fluids to assist the paralysed to walk – are no longer in the realm of science fiction but are a pressing reality.
Following the presentation, there were enthusiastic questions from the floor, to which Mark gave very comprehensive answers.
Students from The Priory City of Lincoln Academy gave positive feedback about the insights they gained from the talk. Lilly Gavin said: “I thought the lecture was inspirational. It made me think of doing engineering as a career. I thought it put a fun spin on science.”
Phoebe Smith said: “It was an amazing opportunity and I learned so much. This information has made me more aware of my surroundings and it shows that our generation can make history.”
Barrie Fitton FIMechE, who chairs the organising committee, also talked to the audience about Sir Isaac Newton and Sir Frank Whittle, and explained how the event had evolved over many decades.
Barrie Fitton said: “Our audience discovered, through Mark’s excellent presentation, how basic materials like glass, ceramics and concrete are actually the backbone of modern society. Many inventions have become rather ordinary because they have been part of everyday life for years, but Mark showed how extraordinary they really are. He has helped to inspire a new generation, who can bring their creativity and imagination into engineering.”
The Sir Isaac Newton Lecture has been hosted at RAF College Cranwell since 1988. Its aim is to increase awareness and inspire young people to further studies, and ultimately a rewarding and exciting career in science and engineering.
The annual Sir Isaac Newton Lecture is jointly organised by members of the Institution, the Institution of Engineering Technology (IET) and Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS), with support from RAF College Cranwell. Schools liaison is undertaken by The Education Business Partnership, Lincolnshire and Rutland’s STEM partner.
President of the IET, Naomi Climer FIET, attended the lecture. She said: “With huge demand for engineers, there has never been a better time to join the profession. In order to meet this demand it’s vitally important to demonstrate the exciting, creative and rewarding world of engineering to young people so that they will study the relevant courses and become the engineers of the future.
“By working in partnership and putting on events such as this lecture we can demonstrate the central role of engineering in all our lives and thereby highlight the exciting career opportunities available.”