The Engineering Professors’ Council (EPC), the representative body for engineering academics in UK universities, has announced the winner of the 2023 Hammermen David K. Harrison Student Prize.
Awarded in association with the Incorporation of the Hammermen of Glasgow, the annual award has celebrated the outstanding achievements of engineering students since its inauguration in 2014.
The winner of this year’s prize is Charlie Wilson, 23, who has just graduated with a Distinction from his 5th year of an integrated Masters (MEng) in Product Design Engineering at Strathclyde. Charlie’s winning entry was a poster, aimed at “guiding designers through the process of picking solutions, while giving them information on a wide range of sustainable design practices”.
Charlie had made it through to the final shortlist of five students who each delivered a short pitch to Engineering academics attending the EPC’s Annual Congress at NMITE’s new Skylon Campus in Hereford, who then voted for the winner.
The shortlist had been whittled down from an unprecedented number of entries based on the chosen theme of New models: making the world a better place, with a focus on ethics and sustainability. Twelve longlisted entrants were invited to submit full posters, which were displayed throughout the Congress.
The award and prize of £500 was presented by Dr Nina Baker OBE, DL, Deacon, of the Incorporation of Hammermen of Glasgow. The Hammermen Award has now been renamed the Hammermen David K. Harrison Award in memory of the EPC’s Honorary Secretary, who passed away last year, who had also served as a former Deacon of the Hammermen and had been instrumental in establishing the prize.
Charlie said about his win:
"Winning the Hammermen David K. Harrison Student Prize was a fantastic conclusion to an engaging but challenging Master’s project."
Johnny Rich, Chief Executive of the EPC, commented:
“I’d like to congratulate Charlie and the other students who made the shortlist. Each year, the standard goes from strength to strength and we really look forward to seeing where the hard work and enthusiasm of all those who entered will take them next. The impressive variety of ideas suggests that this new generation of engineers is already helping to shape an ethical and sustainable future for Engineering.”
