Announcing UKESF Scholar of the Year & Launching National Campaign at TechWorks Awards & Gala Dinner 2018

On 22^nd November the UKESF attended the annual TechWorks Awards & Gala Dinner, London, to announce the Scholar of the Year Award winner and launch a new national campaign to make more schoolchildren aware of Electronics.

During the summit, UKESF CEO Stew Edmondson launched the #TurnOnToElectronics campaign to an audience of over 300 leading figures in the Electronics sector. The multi-platform campaign includes a manifesto and video, and is fronted by Gadget Show presenter Georgie Barrat.

Stew said, “We need to do more to raise awareness about Electronics among young people, as they simply don’t associate Technology with Electronics. This is what our campaign is all about – raising awareness, promoting Electronics and providing resources to teachers and schools.”

Find out more about #TurnOnToElectronics here.

Following the launch, the winner of the UKESF Scholar of the Year Award was announced as Ricki Tura (University of Southampton/UltraSoc, now acquired by Siemens). Ricki received £500, a trophy and a certificate. Runner-up Luke Bussell (Imperial College London/Renishaw) received £250 and a certificate.

Ricki said, “I am delighted to be named 2018’s UKESF Scholar of the Year. It feels great to be recognised not only for my achievements in academia and industry, but also for my contributions in promoting Electronics in the community. My experience as a UKESF scholar has been fantastic, and I recommend the scheme to anyone considering a career in the Electronics industry.”

Many thanks to IC Resources, who kindly sponsor the award.

“One of the highlights of my year is judging the UKESF Scholar of the Year award. The valued contribution that the scholars make to their companies, and the industry as a whole, always reinforces my admiration for the upcoming generation of ‘tech stars’. This year Ricki and Luke’s efforts really stood out, and I’m looking forward to hearing about their successes in the future,” said Neil Dickins, Director/Owner of IC Resources.

As well as Ricki and Luke, there were more UKESF scholars in attendance than ever before. Winner of the Young Engineer of the Year Award Emma Curati-Alasonatti (University of Southampton/ARM and UKESF guest blogger) and one of the award shortlisted candidates, Ashley Robinson (University of Southampton/Qualcomm) were both there, along two scholars sponsored by Embecosm and one from Dialog Semiconductor.

The evening segment, hosted by John Sergeant, included further awards, a black tie three-course meal and a silent auction in aid of the UKESF, with a variety of unique experiences up for bids. Funds raised from the auction are channelled into hands-on STEM activities for children, summer schools for A-level students, professional development for UKESF scholars, and much more.

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