With the UK engineering sector ever keen to encourage more young entrants, last month (13-14 March) saw a highly successful science fair, “The Big Bang”, whose goal was to stimulate youngsters’ interest in science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) careers, take place in Manchester (HEJ – February 2010), with IHEEM’s support and participation.
Lady Jennifer Cleaver, wife of Engineering UK chair Sir Anthony Cleaver (pictured, centre, with, left, Static Systems’ chief engineer Richard Tew and, right, Engineering UK director of business and industry John Holton) was a welcome visitor to the IHEEM stand, where she heard about the technology and engineering demonstrated within a (Static Systems-supplied) “concept ward of the future” display, and was particularly interested to hear about IHEEM’s involvement in the fair and its encouragement of the young visitors to consider a healthcare engineering career. Around 6,000 visitors attended the fair each day, with the “concept ward” proving particularly popular. IHEEM events/education manager Jeff Pickering said: “It was great to see the enthusiasm of the children, who were very inquisitive, and kept the IHEEM staff and volunteers extremely busy with questions about the displays of hospital equipment, and careers within healthcare engineering.” Supported by Static Systems and Leeds’s Thackray Medical Museum, IHEEM was able to demonstrate the evolution of medical engineering by contrasting hospital equipment from the past to that of the present and future. Volunteers from IHEEM’s North-West branch discussed with visitors the range of careers open to scientists and engineers within the healthcare environment, and the role the Institute plays within the industry. A full report will feature in next month’s HEJ.
