Institution news
Stephenson Award
Christopher Lowther, a Fellow and chair of the Education Advisory Committee, was presented with the Stephenson Award for his work with the Engineering Education Grant Scheme, and his commitment in encouraging STEM subjects.
Chris has visited numerous schools across the UK and South Africa to help encourage children to take up STEM subjects and to consider a career in engineering. One school is Mary Help of Christians RC Primary School in Paarl Western Cape, where Chris and his wife, Ann, visit annually to provide resources, conduct presentations and workshops.
"I am greatly honoured to have been awarded the Stephenson Medal and very humbled when I heard the great work being carried out by the other younger award winners. It is the engineers of the future who will determine our destiny.”
A former Commander in the Royal Navy, Chris has also been on the panel for the Engineering Education Grant Scheme, which is run jointly with IET, since it started. Over 200,00 young people in the UK have taken part on projects supported by the Scheme.
Chris will be donating his prize money to the primary school in Paarl Western Cape South Africa, where the pupils live in informal settlements and the school is in great need of financial support to provide educational materials and to bring the school facilities up to date.
Baroness Platt of Writtle Award
The Institution nominated Claire Herbison for the award because of her passion for engineering and for inspiring the future generations of engineers.
“Having my achievements recognised by the IMechE and the Worshipful Company of Engineers is an honour, but wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the many talented people I’ve had the privilege to work with and learn from throughout my career at Babcock.”
Claire was presented with a medal, certificate, and prize money of £1,000 for being the most outstanding Incorporated Engineer. She is currently the Utilities Engineering and Maintenance Manager at Babcock International Group.
Claire has always enjoyed science and creative subjects at school and it was thanks to a physics teacher who encouraged her to consider engineering as a career and arranged some work experience at the University of Glasgow, where she graduated from with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering - “I hope this recognition helps to raise the profile of women in engineering and inspires future generations to pursue STEM careers.”