Podcast Series 1 Archives

Subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so you are sure to catch all 10 episodes as soon as they are released!

where to listen

primary-engineer-macrobert-medal-winners-2021

The final ‘If you were an engineer, what would you do?’ Podcast for this year ends of with a bang. We are excited to present to you with exclusive interviews of the winners from the Primary Engineer McRoberts Medal.

The Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal celebrates the innovation, public engagement, and industry links of the ProtoTeams who have built pupils’ ideas for the ‘If you were an engineer, what would you do?’ national Leaders Award competition. To find out more click the link below

FIND OUT MORE

The Winners

Bronze Medal Winner 2021

Ulster University and ‘The Road Flash’ designed by Caelan aged 8

St Mary’s Primary School Dechomet Ballyward
Northern Ireland

An invention which would create a new signal to alert drivers entering a blind spot that another vehicle is already in it.

Featured on:
Episode 9: Sarah Haslam; Road Flash; Relaxer 3000 Pebble

Silver Medal Winner 2021

Kingston University and ‘The Extending Sink 6000’ designed by Savannagh aged 6

Abacus Belsize Primary School
London

Designed to adjust to the height of the person approaching it – to be used for people with disabilities and in hospital settings.

Featured on:
Episode 3: Oliver Joris; Extending Sink 6000; Bug Detector

Silver Medal Winner 2021

University of Southampton and The Super Hearing Dish designed
by Isabelle aged 8

Wonersh and Shamley Green Church of England Primary School.
Surrey

Inspired to help her father, who has a hearing impairment, hear better the conversations held over loud ambient noise – at the kitchen table and in meetings.

Featured on:
Episode 4: Iulia Motoc; Super Hearing Set; The Virus Killer

Gold Medal Winner 2021

Kingston University and ‘The Bicycle Sucker’ designed by Maisie aged 7

Rowan Preparatory School.
Surrey

This invention uses the pedal motion of a bicycle which is attached to tubes that go down a well and move water out of the well into the bucket.

Featured on:
Episode 3: Oliver Joris; Extending Sink 6000; Bug Detector

Gold Medal Winner 2021

Glasgow Caledonian University and ‘The Hydro-Paddle’ designed
by Heather aged 11

Portmoak Primary School.
Kinross

This invention was by Heather’s wishes to address climate change and uses water power in down pipes to turn a turbine and generate electricity.

Featured on:
Episode 2: Ella Podmore; Beach Cleaner 3000 and a Hydro Paddle

Gold Medal Winner 2021

University of Central Lancashire and ‘The SMA Jacket’ designed
by Krystina aged 15

Sir John Thursby Community College
Burnley

This invention allows children like Krystina’s cousin, who is living with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), to live a more conventional life by wearing an exoskeleton engineered jacket which gives support and extra strength to their back muscles and spine.

Featured on:
Episode 1: Matthew Dickinson, SMA Jacket and a Shopping Trolley for the Elderly

FIND OUT MORE

The Winners

Bronze Medal Winner 2021

Ulster University and ‘The Road Flash’ designed by Caelan aged 8

St Mary’s Primary School Dechomet Ballyward
Northern Ireland

An invention which would create a new signal to alert drivers entering a blind spot that another vehicle is already in it.

Featured on:
Episode 9: Sarah Haslam; Road Flash; Relaxer 3000 Pebble

Silver Medal Winner 2021

Kingston University and ‘The Extending Sink 6000’ designed by Savannagh aged 6

Abacus Belsize Primary School
London

Designed to adjust to the height of the person approaching it – to be used for people with disabilities and in hospital settings.

Featured on:
Episode 3: Oliver Joris; Extending Sink 6000; Bug Detector

Silver Medal Winner 2021

University of Southampton and The Super Hearing Dish designed
by Isabelle aged 8

Wonersh and Shamley Green Church of England Primary School.
Surrey

Inspired to help her father, who has a hearing impairment, hear better the conversations held over loud ambient noise – at the kitchen table and in meetings.

Featured on:
Episode 4: Iulia Motoc; Super Hearing Set; The Virus Killer

Gold Medal Winner 2021

Kingston University and ‘The Bicycle Sucker’ designed by Maisie aged 7

Rowan Preparatory School.
Surrey

This invention uses the pedal motion of a bicycle which is attached to tubes that go down a well and move water out of the well into the bucket.

Featured on:
Episode 3: Oliver Joris; Extending Sink 6000; Bug Detector

Gold Medal Winner 2021

Glasgow Caledonian University and ‘The Hydro-Paddle’ designed
by Heather aged 11

Portmoak Primary School.
Kinross

This invention was by Heather’s wishes to address climate change and uses water power in down pipes to turn a turbine and generate electricity.

Featured on:
Episode 2: Ella Podmore; Beach Cleaner 3000 and a Hydro Paddle

Gold Medal Winner 2021

University of Central Lancashire and ‘The SMA Jacket’ designed
by Krystina aged 15

Sir John Thursby Community College
Burnley

Featured on:
Episode 1: Matthew Dickinson, SMA Jacket and a Shopping Trolley for the Elderly

And if you have an answer to any of our problems from the series send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward.

You can also head over to our Primary Engineer YouTube Channel and be inspired!

We’d like to hear what you thought of the series so please help us and complete our survey.

Series 1 of the podcast is supported by The Royal Commission Exhibition of 1851

A permanent body ‘to increase the means of industrial education and extend the influence of science and art upon productive industry’.

And if you have an answer to any of our problems from the series send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward.

You can also head over to our Primary Engineer YouTube Channel and be inspired!

We’d like to hear what you thought of the series so please help us and complete our survey.

Series 1 of the podcast is supported by The Royal Commission Exhibition of 1851

A permanent body ‘to increase the means of industrial education and extend the influence of science and art upon productive industry’.

Subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so you are sure to catch all 10 episodes as soon as they are released!

Series 1 of the podcast was supported by The Royal Commission of the Exhibition of 1851

Subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so you are sure to catch all 10 episodes as soon as they are released!

where to listen

Her unwavering determination to encourage the next generation of engineers, and to promote STEM careers to girls, earnt her an MBE – Sarah Haslam is the perfect role model. As Chief Program Engineer at Ford Motor Company she’s worked around the world in places like Russia, Turkey, Thailand and South Africa. In this episode she tells us what it takes to design a brand new Ford Fiesta, and she tells us about her career defining moment.

Sarah has given an online interviews as part of the If you were an engineer what would you do? Leaders Award competition so if you would also like to see some of the things she describes watch the interview below.

We also hear from brother and sister duo Chloe and Marc who both dreamt up impressive inventions for this year’s competition. Andrew and Christopher from Ulster University tell us how they brought Caelan’s ‘Road Flash’ to life – an invention that promises to reduce accidents on our roads. And we have another incredible lineup of children offering up their engineering ideas including Ellie, Layci, Lily, Mirren and Aaron.

And if you have an answer to any of our problems from the series send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward.

You can also head over to our Primary Engineer YouTube Channel and be inspired!

We’d like to hear what you thought of the series so please help us and complete our survey.

Series 1 of the podcast is supported by The Royal Commission Exhibition of 1851

A permanent body ‘to increase the means of industrial education and extend the influence of science and art upon productive industry’.

And if you have an answer to any of our problems from the series send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward.

You can also head over to our Primary Engineer YouTube Channel and be inspired!

We’d like to hear what you thought of the series so please help us and complete our survey.

Series 1 of the podcast is supported by The Royal Commission Exhibition of 1851

A permanent body ‘to increase the means of industrial education and extend the influence of science and art upon productive industry’.

Subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so you are sure to catch all 10 episodes as soon as they are released!

Series 1 of the podcast was supported by The Royal Commission of the Exhibition of 1851

Subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so you are sure to catch all 10 episodes as soon as they are released!

where to listen

Tasked with judging entries to this year’s Leaders Award competition, Jayne Hunt from Lexisnexis Risk Solutions Group has been blown away by the ingenuity of the young inventors.

Jayne has shared her creative feedback on many entries, and in this episode highlights some of her favourites, including an AI tennis racket, a braille clothes tag and an anti-bullying watch.

Jayne has given an online interviews as part of the STATWARS competition so if you would also like to see some of the things she describes watch the interview below

Merritt Moore has done the seemingly impossible, bridging the gap between science and art, excelling in both physics and ballet. In this episode Merritt tells us about her amazing and unique career journey, and explains why robots make the perfect dance partners.

Merritt has given an online interviews as part of the If you were an engineer what would you do? Leaders Award competition so if you would also like to see some of the things she describes watch the interview below.

Nicola, Cameron and Orla from the University of Strathclyde explore the process of turning Lacey Murphy’s ‘Whale of Litter’ into a working prototype. And Isi and Imogen from James Allen’s Girls’ School tell us about their climate-saving engineering inventions.

The quantum physicist that dances with robots – Merritt Moore has done the seemingly impossible, bridging the gap between science and art, excelling in both physics and ballet. In this episode Merritt tells us about her amazing and unique career journey, and explains why robots make the perfect dance partners.

We hear from Jayne Hunt from Lexisnexis Risk Solutions Group who’s been judging some of this year’s competition entries, including an AI tennis racket and a braille clothes tag.

Jayne has given an online interviews as part of the STATWARS competition so if you would also like to see some of the things she describes watch the interview below

And if you have an answer to any of our problems from the series send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward.

You can also head over to our Primary Engineer YouTube Channel and be inspired!

We’d like to hear what you thought of the series so please help us and complete our survey.

Series 1 of the podcast is supported by The Royal Commission Exhibition of 1851

A permanent body ‘to increase the means of industrial education and extend the influence of science and art upon productive industry’.

And if you have an answer to any of our problems from the series send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward.

You can also head over to our Primary Engineer YouTube Channel and be inspired!

We’d like to hear what you thought of the series so please help us and complete our survey.

Series 1 of the podcast is supported by The Royal Commission Exhibition of 1851

A permanent body ‘to increase the means of industrial education and extend the influence of science and art upon productive industry’.

Subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so you are sure to catch all 10 episodes as soon as they are released!

Series 1 of the podcast was supported by The Royal Commission of the Exhibition of 1851

Subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so you are sure to catch all 10 episodes as soon as they are released!

where to listen

‘The Chair of Fire and Structures’, a title straight out of Lord of the Rings! Luke Bisby is probably the only person in the world with that title – he’s an academic engineer, working at the University at Edinburgh. Luke explains why his days are mostly spent in the lab with various building materials, either getting them hot or setting them on fire, exploring the critical nature of his work in avoiding catastrophic building fires.

Luke has given an online interviews as part of the If you were an engineer what would you do? Leaders Award competition so if you would also like to see some of the things he describes watch the interview below

We hear from Owen Howard, an entrant to this year’s Leaders Award competition, who’s hoping for a win with his electric car themed design.

Gemma Houston tells us how she and her team at the University of Strathclyde brought Grace’s ‘Rollover Bench’ to life. And Amelia and Martha from James Allen’s Girls’ School share their ideas to combat air pollution and protect the environment.

We hear from Owen Howard, an entrant to this year’s Leaders Award competition, who’s hoping for a win with his electric car themed design.

And if you have an answer to any of our problems from the series send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward.

You can also head over to our Primary Engineer YouTube Channel and be inspired!

We’d like to hear what you thought of the series so please help us and complete our survey.

Series 1 of the podcast is supported by The Royal Commission Exhibition of 1851

A permanent body ‘to increase the means of industrial education and extend the influence of science and art upon productive industry’.

And if you have an answer to any of our problems from the series send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward.

You can also head over to our Primary Engineer YouTube Channel and be inspired!

We’d like to hear what you thought of the series so please help us and complete our survey.

Series 1 of the podcast is supported by The Royal Commission Exhibition of 1851

A permanent body ‘to increase the means of industrial education and extend the influence of science and art upon productive industry’.

Subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so you are sure to catch all 10 episodes as soon as they are released!

Series 1 of the podcast was supported by The Royal Commission of the Exhibition of 1851

Subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so you are sure to catch all 10 episodes as soon as they are released!

where to listen

From video games to prosthetic limbs, Laura Bücheler’s work offers solutions to problems in all areas of life. Laura is director and co-founder of ‘GHOST – feel it’, which uses haptic technology to simulate the feelings of touch and motion using artificial intelligence. Laura explains the many uses of this type of human-machine interface, and how it has the ability to change the world.

Laura has given an online interviews as part of the If you were an engineer what would you do? Leaders Award competition so if you would also like to see some of the things she describes watch the interview below

We also hear about Mary Mulligan’s ‘Electric Blanket’ which offers homeless people a solar-powered way to keep warm.

We meet three members of the Royal Air Force Youth and Stem team, who’ve judged around 8,500 Leaders Award competition entries – they tell us about some of their personal highlights. And Arnav and Philip from Homefield Prep School tell us about their engineering ideas too.

Michelle and George from the RAF Youth and STEM Team 3

We also hear about Mary Mulligan’s ‘Electric Blanket’ which offers homeless people a solar-powered way to keep warm.

And if you have an answer to any of our problems from the series send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward.

You can also head over to our Primary Engineer YouTube Channel and be inspired!

We’d like to hear what you thought of the series so please help us and complete our survey.

Series 1 of the podcast is supported by The Royal Commission Exhibition of 1851

A permanent body ‘to increase the means of industrial education and extend the influence of science and art upon productive industry’.

And if you have an answer to any of our problems from the series send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward.

You can also head over to our Primary Engineer YouTube Channel and be inspired!

We’d like to hear what you thought of the series so please help us and complete our survey.

Series 1 of the podcast is supported by The Royal Commission Exhibition of 1851

A permanent body ‘to increase the means of industrial education and extend the influence of science and art upon productive industry’.

Subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so you are sure to catch all 10 episodes as soon as they are released!

Series 1 of the podcast was supported by The Royal Commission of the Exhibition of 1851

Subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so you are sure to catch all 10 episodes as soon as they are released!

where to listen

Playing video games with your mind – one of the amazing ways Vincent Giampietro finds out what’s going on in our brains. Vincent is a neuroscientist and in today’s engineer spotlight he explains what happens in our brains when we learn a new skill, how we can learn to modify our brains in real-time, and gives us an insight into many more of his fascinating experiments.

Vincent has given an online interviews as part of the If you were an engineer what would you do? Leaders Award competition so if you would also like to see some of the things he describes watch the interview below

We also get to meet Douglas MaCartney, the student who dreamt up the innovative ‘Flat Pack Wind Turbine’, and we hear from members of the Glasgow Caledonian University proto-team who have been working for the past three years to turn his idea into a reality.

And we hear about a ‘Magic Knife’ and a ‘Crop Sensor’ from students Rhys and Barron.

And if you have an answer to any of our problems from the series send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward.

You can also head over to our Primary Engineer YouTube Channel and be inspired!

We’d like to hear what you thought of the series so please help us and complete our survey.

Series 1 of the podcast is supported by The Royal Commission Exhibition of 1851

A permanent body ‘to increase the means of industrial education and extend the influence of science and art upon productive industry’.

And if you have an answer to any of our problems from the series send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward.

You can also head over to our Primary Engineer YouTube Channel and be inspired!

We’d like to hear what you thought of the series so please help us and complete our survey.

Series 1 of the podcast is supported by The Royal Commission Exhibition of 1851

A permanent body ‘to increase the means of industrial education and extend the influence of science and art upon productive industry’.

Subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so you are sure to catch all 10 episodes as soon as they are released!

Series 1 of the podcast was supported by The Royal Commission of the Exhibition of 1851

Subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so you are sure to catch all 10 episodes as soon as they are released!

where to listen

At first she was just taking apart her parent’s favourite radio, but that curiosity grew into a passion for helping people – through robotics! Iulia Motoc is a robotics engineer at Deloitte. She tells us how the Nao Robot inspired her career, explains why engineering is the DNA of the world, and discusses the future of artificial intelligence.

Iulia has given an online interviews as part of the If you were an engineer what would you do? Leaders Award competition so if you would also like to see some of the things she describes watch the interview below

We also hear from Issy Radley, an #EngineerInTheMaking who took inspiration from her dad to invent the Super Hearing Set – and we meet Dr Stefan Bleeck who was part of the University of Southampton team that turned the set into a working prototype.

iulia-motoc-super-hearing-set-the-virus-killer-04

And then we share two engineering ideas from students at Raynes Park High School – Tienna’s app for pets and Gaia Lai’s Virus Killer.

We also hear from Issy Radley, a young engineer who took inspiration from her dad to invent the Super Hearing Set – and we meet Dr Stefan Bleeck who was part of the University of Southampton team that turned the set into a working prototype.

And then we share two engineering ideas from students at Raynes Park High School – Tienna’s app for pets and Gaia Lai’s Virus Killer.

And if you have an answer to any of our problems from the series send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward.

You can also head over to our Primary Engineer YouTube Channel and be inspired!

We’d like to hear what you thought of the series so please help us and complete our survey.

Series 1 of the podcast is supported by The Royal Commission Exhibition of 1851

A permanent body ‘to increase the means of industrial education and extend the influence of science and art upon productive industry’.

And if you have an answer to any of our problems from the series send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward.

You can also head over to our Primary Engineer YouTube Channel and be inspired!

We’d like to hear what you thought of the series so please help us and complete our survey.

Series 1 of the podcast is supported by The Royal Commission Exhibition of 1851

A permanent body ‘to increase the means of industrial education and extend the influence of science and art upon productive industry’.

Subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so you are sure to catch all 10 episodes as soon as they are released!

Series 1 of the podcast was supported by The Royal Commission of the Exhibition of 1851

where to listen

He’s taken them up mountains, through the desert, and even to the Arctic Circle – Oliver Joris has put Ford’s cars to the test under every extreme imaginable. Olly gives us an insight into the amazing bits of kit he gets to play with as part of his role as senior calibration engineer for Ford Motor Company, and tells us about some of the breath taking views he’s seen along the way.

Oliver has given an online interviews as part of the If you were an engineer what would you do? Leaders Award competition so if you would also like to see some of the things he describes watch the interview below

We also hear from Dr Malcolm Klaus and Sean Wogan from Kingston University who have worked on numerous Leaders Award prototypes over the years. In this episode they highlight some of their favourites, including the Extending Sink 6000, the Bike Sucker, the Trampoline Phone Charger and the Truggy.

And it doesn’t stop there, we also get to hear about Katie’s ingenious plans to provide homes for the wildlife, and also about an innovative bug detector.

And if you have an answer to any of our problems from the series send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward.

You can also head over to our Primary Engineer YouTube Channel and be inspired!

We’d like to hear what you thought of the series so please help us and complete our survey.

Series 1 of the podcast is supported by The Royal Commission Exhibition of 1851

A permanent body ‘to increase the means of industrial education and extend the influence of science and art upon productive industry’.

And if you have an answer to any of our problems from the series send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward.

You can also head over to our Primary Engineer YouTube Channel and be inspired!

We’d like to hear what you thought of the series so please help us and complete our survey.

Series 1 of the podcast is supported by The Royal Commission Exhibition of 1851

A permanent body ‘to increase the means of industrial education and extend the influence of science and art upon productive industry’.

Subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so you are sure to catch all 10 episodes as soon as they are released!

Series 1 of the podcast was supported by The Royal Commission of the Exhibition of 1851

where to listen

It all began when she was passing car parts around the dinner table, and it culminated in a dream role working for McLaren. Ella Podmore is a materials engineer at McLaren automotive, and spends her day breaking things apart in the laboratory – sometimes she even gets to take the cars out for a spin! Ella tells us about her job, shares an important message about female representation in engineering, and explains why it’s important to be tenacious.

Watch Ella’s online interview as part of the ‘If you were an engineer what would you do?’ Leaders Award Competition.

We also hear from young engineer-in-the-making Daniel Kitley, who’s on a mission to save the planet with his Beach Cleaner 3000.

The planet-saving theme continues when we meet the Glasgow Caledonian University team tasked with creating Heather’s Hydro Paddle, and when we meet Arabella and Maria, who both have innovative ideas to tackle pollution and climate change.

Watch Ella’s online interview as part of the ‘If you were an engineer what would you do?’ Leaders Award Competition.

We also hear from young engineer-in-the-making Daniel Kitley, who’s on a mission to save the planet with his Beach Cleaner 3000.

And if you have an answer to any of our problems from the series send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward.

You can also head over to our Primary Engineer YouTube Channel and be inspired!

We’d like to hear what you thought of the series so please help us and complete our survey.

Series 1 of the podcast is supported by The Royal Commission Exhibition of 1851

A permanent body ‘to increase the means of industrial education and extend the influence of science and art upon productive industry’.

And if you have an answer to any of our problems from the series send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward.

You can also head over to our Primary Engineer YouTube Channel and be inspired!

We’d like to hear what you thought of the series so please help us and complete our survey.

Series 1 of the podcast is supported by The Royal Commission Exhibition of 1851

A permanent body ‘to increase the means of industrial education and extend the influence of science and art upon productive industry’.

Subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so you are sure to catch all 10 episodes as soon as they are released!

Series 1 of the podcast was supported by The Royal Commission of the Exhibition of 1851

where to listen

On top of that, we hear the engineering ideas of Jacob and Caitlin from Pitteuchar East primary school.

We will also meet Louise and Beth who were part of a Proto Team at the University of Strathclyde that brought Aidan’s ‘Shopping Trolley for the Elderly’ to life, unveiling their design in front of a packed audience and with Aidan on stage at the Barony Hall in Glasgow.

It was the second time Dr Matthew Dickinson from the University of Central Lancashire had been tasked with turning a child’s idea into a working prototype, so he was no stranger to the ‘If you were an engineer what would you do? competition. But he never expected what would happen next. Matthew tells us how the SMA jacket, a seemingly simple idea, has changed the entire trajectory of his career. We also hear from Krystyna Marshall, the young woman behind the concept.

Watch from the audience as Matt unveils the SMA Jacket for the first time.

Watch from the audience as Matt unveils the SMA Jacket for the first time.

On top of that, we hear the engineering ideas of Jacob and Caitlin from Pitteuchar East primary school.

And if you have an answer to any of our problems from the series send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward.

You can also head over to our Primary Engineer YouTube Channel and be inspired!

We’d like to hear what you thought of the series so please help us and complete our survey.

Series 1 of the podcast is supported by The Royal Commission Exhibition of 1851

A permanent body ‘to increase the means of industrial education and extend the influence of science and art upon productive industry’.

And if you have an answer to any of our problems from the series send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward.

You can also head over to our Primary Engineer YouTube Channel and be inspired!

We’d like to hear what you thought of the series so please help us and complete our survey.

Series 1 of the podcast is supported by The Royal Commission Exhibition of 1851

A permanent body ‘to increase the means of industrial education and extend the influence of science and art upon productive industry’.