The Eric Beverley Bursary was established in 1982 in memory of Eric Latham Beverley CBE DFC, Commercial Director BAC Weapons Group, President of the Society of British Aerospace Companies, Member of the Cranfield University Court and, in 1978, Master Coachmaker. The Scholarship is awarded to a PhD student researching an aerospace engineering subject, to enable travel to seminars and conferences in the UK or overseas, participate in events or separate research projects during their post-graduate studies. The award is now open to applicants from the following universities.
- Cranfield University
- Imperial College London
- City, University of London
- Kingston University, London
- Brunel University, London
- Queen Mary University of London
- University of East London
The Eric Beverley award is a “value added” award rather than one that directly supplements anything that university or sponsorship funding normally makes available. The assessment of applicants for this award is based on technical excellence, innovation, the relevance of the research and, perhaps most importantly, the ability to communicate it. The aim of the award is to enhance PhD research in aeronautical engineering by supplementing travel costs or other expenses to extra-curricular conferences, seminars, events or additional research projects which add value to the knowledge and content of the winner’s final PhD submission. The proposed event should be one which they might not be able to attend without the additional financial help the award provides, and one for which such help is not likely from other sources.
The award is up to £4,000 for applicants who will be under the age of 35 with nationality and residency i.a.w. the Coachmakers standard terms and conditions. Applicants will be required to submit a reference from their academic tutor. The applicant should describe the purpose for which they would like the award, make a case for the granting of the award and state the sum requested, noting that the Coachmakers likes to support constructive project work.
Those selected for the short list will be required to give a 15-minute presentation, to an AAC panel, which may be a pre-recorded video presentation or may be given in person depending on the circumstances being implemented. There will then be a 15-minute Q&A session in the interview format. Applicants should give their presentations in relatively plain language and be mindful that will be speaking to a panel which, although well informed about the aerospace industry and air matters in general, will not necessarily be experts in candidates’ chosen areas of research. The AAC will assess each presentation on the grounds of innovation, relevance to the aerospace industry and communication skills (technical merit and feasibility being accepted having been verified by their parent university).
The winner of the scholarship will also be invited to, and expected to attend, the Coachmakers’ Aerospace Industry Dinner held annually in November at a prestigious location in London. At this event the winner will be presented with a Certificate of Achievement in the presence of several senior executives from the UK and European Aerospace Industries. The dinner is a black tie event, the cost of which will be borne by the Coachmakers. However, any travel and any accommodation expenses incurred must be borne by the individual winner.
Not only does this award offer opportunities and financial assistance in the short term, association with the Coachmakers is potentially long-term and offers exciting networking opportunities. Our website gives more information on how industry and military affiliations have evolved from our historic roots in the coachmaking and coach harness making trades.
To apply for the scholarship please complete the online application using the link below.
Applications for this award open on the 1st September 2023 and close at midnight on the 31st January 2024. Selection interviews are expected to be held during early March.
Candidates should complete the online application form here.
Any question or queries may be addressed by email to the Aerospace Awards Committee Chairman, Steward Neil Sheath MRAeS.