Aerospace award winners announced

The aerospace university awards for the current livery year have all been made and the students have all received their award funds which will make a real difference in helping them to complete their studies to a high standard. A larger than normal number of applications for the awards was received this year and this cadre included some very capable young people indeed, from which very worthy winners have been selected and are commended to the Livery. Please support these young people in the future with advice, encouragement or even project support and placements where you may be able or willing.

The Sir Sydney Camm award is for up to £5,000 and is awarded to enhance undergraduate studies. The award this livery year has been made to Laila Dokkali who is studying for a BEng in aerospace engineering at Brunel University and has been accepted to study for an MSc in Aerospace Vehicle Design at Cranfield University for the next academic year. Laila comes from a family of engineers in Spain and has worked as a flight dispatcher to save up the money to be able to come to the UK and to attend university by her own resources. She is now a UK resident, where she intends to continue her career in aerospace engineering. The award will allow her to buy a computer with some particular software she requires for her current course as well as her next level of studying, and generally greatly assist her in completing her studies.

The Sir Frederick Handley Page award is for up to £5,000 and is awarded to enhance Masters’ level studies. This year the prize has been jointly awarded with the total funds shared between two very capable young people.

Lauren Steen is employed as an aerospace maintenance quality engineer with Signature TecnicAir at Bournemouth where she also manages and supervises the apprentice programme as well as being involved in ‘Women in Science’ programmes in her spare time. Having achieved a BSc in combined STEM with The Open University Lauren is now studying for a distance learning MSc in Aviation Maintenance Management at City University. Lauren has been awarded sufficient funds to purchase a computer and software which she requires to continue her studies.

Katherine Keogh is studying for an MSc in Aerospace Dynamics at Cranfield University after having achieved a 1st class degree at Coventry University and prior to that was an Arkwright student. During her studies for her bachelor’s degree, Katherine secured a placement with Leonardo where in addition to her project work, she was actively involved with the Leonardo outreach programmes including working on several videos for school packages as well as mentoring students through Gold Industrial Cadets, Silver Science Crest Awards and Girls into Engineering packages. Katherine was appointed as the senior student at Birmingham University Air Squadron where she organised and led several outward bound expeditions and is currently a member of Cambridge University Air Squadron where she is mentoring other students in their activities. Katherine currently lodges with relatives rather than using university accommodation and the award will make a real difference in allowing her to spend the time studying to complete her MSc. Katherine intends to follow a career in the aerospace industry after her MSc studies, having already been offered a place with Leonardo on its graduate scheme.

The Eric Beverley award is made at PhD level for up to £4,000 to enhance the winner’s studies. The award has previously been given to students to allow them to travel to international conferences but this year the award has been made to Thomas Goonan who is a Doctoral Researcher (PhD Student) at Brunel University London. His research focuses on aeroelastic analysis methods and is funded by the EPSRC Doctoral Training Partnership rather than any particular company. His research is innovative and very relevant to the industry in developing practical advances in computational flow dynamics on flexible wings. The award will allow Thomas to buy practical equipment and wind tunnel models as well as rent additional super-computer time, all of which are not currently funded by other sources and all of which are likely to significantly enhance his research. Thomas intends to continue his research and development within industry once his PhD is achieved.

If any Liverymen would like more information about these very capable young people then please contact Steward Neil Sheath. The next round of aerospace awards will be open for applications in September 2023 and details of these awards can be found on our website here.