Prize for students’ green aircraft design

ENGINEERING STUDENTS’ designs to develop electric aircraft to cut carbon emissions has been recognised in industry awards.

The team, from the University of Sheffield, had created an idea dubbed Project Freebird, mapping out designs, costsand feasibility studies. Aimed at reducing carbon emissions and noise pollution in the aviation industry, the concept has been recognised in the Engineers in Business awards.

A judging panel, made up of experts from Siemens, Plusgrade and Tribosonics, judged it to be the most viable design. Students have been awarded £1,500 and an offer of mentorship from a Sainsbury Management Fellow.

Professor Rachel Horn, inset, engineering faculty director at the University of Sheffield said the fellowship encourages young engineers to get develop a passion for entrepreneurship. “Through funding this competition, they have enabled us to build on our Engineering You’re Hired initiative projects in a great example of combining business learning opportunities with academic and technical skills,” she said. “Congratulations to the winners and all of our students involved, we were very impressed with their professionalism and their creative ideas.” Dave Moss of Siemens added: “As an employer, some of the key capabilities we are looking for in graduates are creative thinking, collaborative working, problemsolving and commercial awareness.”