RAEng Ingenious Award: Perfect machines: engineering a super hero

With this project we aim to promote engineering to young children as an inclusive and creative discipline which can significantly improve quality of life. In collaboration with Green Ginger Ltd, a multi award winning puppetry company based in Bristol, we will develop an interactive performance to allow primary school children to explore how human movement is underpinned by engineering principles. We will employ creative storytelling techniques to highlight how these fundamental principles have been applied by engineers to improve, for example, an athlete’s performance, or in the design and development of replacements for worn out joints in our body. A group of at least 20 engineers, including the project applicants, will be recruited from within the University staff and postgraduate student communities. The engineers will receive training in puppetry, storytelling and the performing arts and will take part in the delivery of the performances to primary schools and at science festivals within the South West. Within the duration of this award we will aim to reach a target audience of around 750 Key Stage 2 pupils and their families. Thanks to the training integrated in the project, the engineering participants will refine and practise their communication and storytelling skills to allow them to share their research findings with the wider public. This will ensure the legacy of this project will extend well beyond its expiry date.