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Warwick researcher takes Silver for engineering display in Parliament

An engineer from the University of Warwick has won Silver at a special House of Commons competition to showcase the UKs thriving science and engineering base.

Post-doctoral researcher Simon Leigh, from the University’s Engineering Department, presented his research on 3D printing technology to a panel of expert judges inside Parliament and was awarded the Silver Prize and £2,000, as part of the poster competition SET for Britain.

SET for Britain is a competition in the House of Commons which involves researchers displaying posters of their work to panels of expert judges and politicians. This year saw 59 entries shortlisted.

The event aims to help politicians understand more about the UK’s thriving science and engineering base and rewards some of the strongest scientific and engineering research being undertaken in the UK.

The Parliamentary and Scientific Committee run the event in collaboration with The Royal Academy of Engineering, The Institute of Physics, the Society of Biology, The Royal Society of Chemistry, the Physiological Society, the Wellcome Trust and the Society of Chemical Industry, with financial support from BP, Airbus/EADS, The Institution of Engineering and Technology, AgChem Access, Oxford Instruments, IBMS and GE Hitachi.

Simon said, “I’m very happy to have won. It hasn’t really sunk in yet. The quality of all the exhibitors’ work was excellent, it really must have been a difficult competition to judge.””

Notes to Editors

A photo of Simon being presented with his award is available at http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/communications/medialibrary/images/march2012/engineering_silver-_dr_simon_leigh.jpg

1. Contact

For further information about the event, images, or interview opportunities, please contact Joe Winters:

Tel: 020 7470 4815

Mob: 07946 321473

E-mail: joseph.winters@iop.org

For more information contact Luke Hamer, Assistant Press Officer, University of Warwick, on 02476 575601, or on 07824 541142. Alternatively email l.hamer@warwick.ac.uk

2. SET for Britain

SET for Britain is a poster competition in the House of Commons - involving approximately 180 early stage or early career researchers - judged by professional and academic experts. All presenters are entered into either the engineering, the biological and biomedical sciences, the physical sciences (chemistry), or the physical sciences (physics) session, depending on their specialism.

Each session will result in the reward of Bronze, Silver and Gold certificates. Bronze winners will receive a £1,000 prize; Silver, £2,000; and Gold, £3,000. There will also be an overall winner from the four sessions who will receive the Westminster Wharton Medal.

SET for Britain was established by Dr Eric Wharton in 1997. Following his untimely death in 2007, the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee, with support from The Royal Academy of Engineering, The Institute of Physics, the Society of Biology, The Royal Society of Chemistry, the Physiological Society, the Wellcome Trust and the Society of Chemical Industry are working together to further his legacy.

The event is made possible by industry sponsors BP, Airbus/EADS, The Institution of Engineering and Technology, AgChem Access, Oxford Instruments, IBMS and GE Hitachi.

Early stage or early career researchers include university research students, postgraduates, research assistants, postdocs, research fellows, newly-appointed lecturers, part-time and mature students, returners, those people embarking on a second career, and their equivalent in national, public sector and industrial laboratories, and appropriate final year undergraduate and MSc students, all of whom are engaged in scientific, engineering, technological or medical research.

PR: 51 20/03/12

Simon Leigh