The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged UK society in many ways. The Royal Academy of Engineering has recognised the contributions that the engineering community has made in helping society address those challenges with its President’s Special Awards for Pandemic Service.
The awards have been made to teams, organisations, individuals, collaborations and projects across all technical specialities, disciplines and career stages within the UK engineering community who have contributed to addressing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Find out more about the winners and their projects below.
Awards
Sewer epidemiology provides early warning and management of COVID-19
Awarded to: Centre for Water Systems at the University of Exeter
A new ventilator created in Cambridge will help treat patients in low- and middle-income countries
A personal respirator created for local healthcare workers could have global reach
Awarded to: University of Southampton
Advanced manufacturing intensification technology to help develop a vaccine faster
Awarded to: Professor Harris Makatsoris at King’s College London
Rapid and affordable COVID-19 test will have lasting benefits for society
Awarded to: Professor Christofer Toumazou, Imperial College London
Amazing project management skills enable the world's largest critical care facility to open quickly
Awarded to: Ian Watkins and Martyn Frackelton at Mott MacDonald
Supporting the NHS by supplying oxygen, BOC installed the largest ever system of its kind
Awarded to: BOC Member of Linde PLC
Volunteers' tech skills help launch and operate new charity dedicated to NHS workers
Awarded to: Raymond Siems and Ravi Solanki of HEROES
Environmentally friendly face shield is making virus protection greener
Awarded to: Dr Antony Robotham, University of Plymouth
Incredible consortium’s 13,400+ ventilators helped save the NHS from a shortage
Awarded to: VentilatorChallengeUK
Young engineers’ enthusiasm leads to a ventilator build and test programme
Awarded to: Low-cost ventilator team at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL)
New face shield and charity spearheaded by intensive care doctor helps NHS workers
Awarded to: Dr Dominic Pimenta
A new ventilator is made in just 70 days by Babcock's team
Awarded to: Babcock Ventilator Team including Dr Richard Drake, Dr Jon Hall and Chris Spicer at Babcock International
Rapid application of industrial engineering capabilities in hospitals helps to address COVID-19
Awarded to: Institute for Manufacturing, University of Cambridge
Test showing if someone is infectious could help halt pandemic spread
Awarded to: Oxford Rapid Test for Covid-19
Bump device helps businesses promote social distancing to boost worker confidence
Awardee: Tharsus
Leading expert on airborne ventilation provides life-saving advice to the SAGE committee
Awardee: Professor Catherine Noakes, University of Leeds
Portable ‘Handy Hook’ minimises surface contact to protect users
Awardees: Matt Benson, Elliot Dervish and Jonathan Parker
