Young research engineer Natasha Watson, is exhibiting her work at the British Science Festival, one of Europe’s largest celebrations of science, engineering and technology.
Natasha, pictured, a third year EngD in Systems student, a course run jointly by the Universities of Bristol and Bath, is a finalist in festival organisers the British Science Association’s Strictly Engineering competition.
The competition challenges engineers across the UK to turn their work into exciting and eye-catching posters to spark conversation about the implication of engineering in our everyday lives and draw attention to the UK’s world-class engineering activities.
It is one of 250 events, activities, exhibitions and trips that will take place at the Festival in Aberdeen, which started yesterday and runs to Sunday and is visited by school children, families, adults and professionals.
Natasha is on placement at Bath-based consulting engineers Buro Happold, working on a project using natural materials as part of building construction to improve the sustainability of buildings.
She said: “Materials such as straw and earth are rarely considered in the construction of offices, libraries and schools, although there are some amazing examples of their effectiveness.
“For example, the UKRC’s WISE building has a lecture theatre made from earth walls 7.2m high, The Wine Society has a warehouse with hemp-lime walls, and, just down the road, the University of the West of England’s architecture building is partially made from straw.
“The lack of general awareness about the potential of these materials is what I hope to tackle by taking part in Strictly Engineering.”
Natasha’s project supervisor, Professor Pete Walker from the University of Bath’s Department of Architecture & Civil Engineering, said: “I’m delighted that Natasha will be presenting her project at the Festival and have the opportunity to take the ideas of sustainable construction to a wide and new audience.”
The EngD Systems programme is run by the University of Bath’s Faculty of Engineering and School of Management in conjunction with the University of Bristol.
