Edinburgh scientists and engineers are presenting their work to politicians and experts in a competition at the Houses of Parliament in London tomorrow.
The entrants will present posters explaining their research. These will be judged against entries from dozens of other scientists, who were shortlisted from hundreds of applicants to take part.
The event, SET for Britain, aims to showcase Britain’s best early career researchers in science, engineering and technology.
Taking part from the University of Edinburgh are engineers Siraj Sabihuddin and Dr Timm Krueger, together with scientist Dr Erin Greaves.
Mr Sabihuddin’s work looks at a new way of storing energy mechanically – a method that may make renewable energy a much more viable contender to coal, oil and gas.
Dr Krueger’s research involves detection of malaria-infected red blood cells, while Dr Greaves is researching how to treat pain associated with the reproductive disorder endometriosis.
Each entry will compete in one of five categories to win a gold, silver or bronze prize, worth £3,000, £2,000 and £1,000 respectively. There will also be an overall winner who will receive the Westminster Wharton Medal.
Andrew Miller MP, Chairman of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee, said, “This annual competition is an important date in the parliamentary calendar because it gives MPs an opportunity to speak to a wide range of the country’s best young researchers.
“These early career engineers, mathematicians and scientists are the architects of our future and SET for Britain is politicians’ best opportunity to meet them and understand their work.”
Mr Philip Greenish CBE, Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said: “SET for Britain is a unique occasion for young researchers to showcase the best of their work directly to MPs.
“It gathers some of Britain’s best early-stage researchers and politicians in the same room, this helps to create familiarity and a dialogue between two worlds that have very few occasions to touch.”
The Parliamentary and Scientific Committee run the event in collaboration with the Council for Mathematical Sciences, the Institute of Physics, The Physiological Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Society of Biology and the Society of Chemical Industry, with financial support from BP, the Clay Mathematics Institute, Essar, INEOS, Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), Germains Seed Technology, Boeing, the Bank of England and the Institute of Biomedical Science.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
