Two awards launched to reward outstanding and innovative engineers

Two prestigious annual engineering awards are launching their 2016 campaigns, supported by the Engineering Council. Applications are now open for the 2016 Baroness Platt of Writtle Award and for the 2016 Hawley Award, with respective cash prizes of £1000 and £5000 for the winners.

The awards are presented by the Worshipful Company of Engineers through its trust fund, ‘The Engineers Trust’, which supports numerous annual awards and prizes to promote excellence amongst qualified engineers and those working towards registration as an Engineering Technician, Incorporated Engineer or Chartered Engineer.

The Baroness Platt of Writtle IEng Award is in its fourth year in its present format and recognises the achievements of outstanding, newly registered Incorporated Engineers across all disciplines. Candidates must be nominated by their institutions who can nominate up to five candidates who have achieved IEng status during 2015, and who have displayed outstanding ability to apply engineering knowledge, strength of commitment to the engineering profession, have excellent communication skills and have demonstrated managerial qualities.

The submission deadline for the Platt Award is 4 April, 2016, and shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an interview at the end of April 2016.

Jon Prichard, CEO of the Engineering Council, said: “Incorporated Engineers make an essential contribution to all sectors of the engineering profession. Approximately 1300 individuals achieve their IEng status every year, and through the Baroness Platt of Writtle Award, the Worshipful Company of Engineers are recognising and rewarding the most outstanding of these newly registered engineers.”

The Hawley Award is presented for the most outstanding engineering innovation that delivers demonstrable benefit to the environment. Individuals can put themselves forward for the award but must have the support of a supervisor. Entries must be based on work undertaken after graduate or post-graduate degree work and must have at least reached a stage where a prototype or a proof of concept has been developed, with the expectation of commercial implementation. Candidates must be members of a professional engineering institution and within 10 years of starting a professional career as an engineer or scientist in either academia or industry.

Barry Brooks, Hawley Award co-ordinator, said: “Every year, the interview panel is impressed by the high standard of innovative projects put forward for the Hawley Award. We are looking for original projects that are on their way to becoming commercially viable products or systems, with the potential to improve the environment.”

The submission deadline for the Hawley Award is 18 April, 2016. Interviews for shortlisted candidates will be held in early May 2016. The winners of both awards will be presented with an engraved medal, certificate and cash prize at the Worshipful Company of Engineers Annual Awards Ceremony on 19 July, 2016.