Category Archives: Automotive Students

Welcome Week 2015

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It’s been a little while since our last blog post, pre- semester preparation giving way to clearing. This was followed rapidly by our new and old students joining or returning to the campus for the excitement that is Welcome Week and the start of a new term. As the chaos of the first week dies down, we thought this was a fantastic time to bring you up to date with the activities of our students during Welcome Week 2015.

Our new Level 4 Automotive and Motorsport students joined us on the Monday, where Award Leader Debi Roberts briefed them on the awards they were going to be studying and the key rules and regulations they needed to stay on the right side of during their time at the University. Sounds a little dry perhaps, but by knowing exactly what is expected from the start, we can avoid any situations further down the line.

Time was also taken to help the students find their timetables and learn to access systems such as the email and Blackboard learning environment.

It was not all work for the students though, a School of Engineering buffet was held to allow them to meet their tutors and get to know other students on the Engineering courses and for the Automotive and Motorsport students – a free trip to the Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon was organised for the Thursday.

After travelling down to Gaydon, we were given a tour of the exhibits by the museum staff, who were able to supplement the students own knowledge with their own tales of the history and the engineering of the exhibits. We then got to explore the rest of the museum and hear the plans for the new hall – currently being build nearby. All of us had a fantastic day with some really interesting discussions taking place.

Students discussing the engineering challenges of one of the first ‘modern’ automobiles

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Graduation 2015

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Last week, on the gloriously sunny afternoon of Tuesday 7th July 2015, the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Sciences held their Engineering and Sciences Graduation Ceremony – the highlight of the year, a chance to celebrate the hard work of our Automotive and Motorsport students.

It’s not just a special day for the students and staff though, this is a key chance for family, who have been supporting their graduate during the last few years to really see their family member shine.

BSc(Hons) Motorsport Technology graduate Jenny Broom attended with her parents and sisters, her parents talking about the joy in seeing their daughter pursue her dreams.

Students Chris, Jenny and James at Graduation 2015.

Students Chris, Jenny and James at Graduation.

James Bruce, another BSc(Hons) Motorsport Technology graduate has been working at McLaren since finishing his course, so it was great for him to catch up with his former classmates for the day.

Automotive Technology graduates, Frazer, Tim, Jack and Owen. Photo taken by Amelia May Lancaster.

Automotive Technology graduates, Frazer, Tim, Jack and Owen. Photo taken by Amelia May Lancaster.

It’s not just about our Motorsport graduates though, shown above are some of our BSc(Hons) Automotive Technology graduates, Frazer Killops, Tim Lancaster, Jack Ellis and Owen Morgan. The picture is taken by Tim’s wife Amelia, who is also graduating from her own course this year.

As well as the excellent work put in by our graduates, graduation is also the time to celebrate prize winners, BSc(Hons) Motorsport Technology graduate, Christopher Harpham was awarded the IMechE Institution Project Prize for his final project looking at ‘The Aerodynamic Effects of Oversteer on Performance Vehicles’, He was presented with a certificate from the Dean of the Faculty, Hastings McKenzie and Motorsport Award Leader, Debi Roberts.

Chris Harpham receiving his award from Professor Hastings McKenzie and Debi Roberts.

Chris Harpham receiving his award from Professor Hastings McKenzie and Debi Roberts.

Award Leader for the Automotive and Motorsport courses, Debi Roberts, said “Graduation is a very special time for the graduates and their families, but it’s also a lovely, as a lecturer and tutor, to see the end result – the change in those students that comes after three or four years of hard work on their part. To celebrate with them and say ‘look, you achieved all that’ and then keeping in touch to see where their career takes them.”

GradEX 2015

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The Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Sciences, alongside the Faculty of Arts and Creative Technologies, recently held their Annual Graduate Exhibition of student work – GradEX 2015. A high proportion of our Automotive and Motorsport final year students entered – in the Aeronautical and Automotive category.

The event is well attended by industry and it is from industry that the judging panel join us. They view the students work, and speak to the students before retiring to make a decision on the prizes in their category.

With a mix of Automotive, Motorsport, Aeronautical and Mechanical students in this year’s group – the end result was a tough decision for the judges. Two students were not placed but given a special mention – our own Christopher Harpham (BSc(Hons) Motorsport Technology) for his excellent presentation and communication skills and BSc(Hons) Aeronautical Technology student David Reeves who was passionate about the commercial viability of his project.

Third place went to BSc(Hons) Aeronautical Technology student William Kwarteng-Ferradas for his project ‘Investigation of Pre-Spin in Aircraft Landing Gear Wheels’.

Second place went to Frazer Killops, BSc(Hons) Automotive Technology student for his project ‘Feasibility of a V4 Engine with Cylinder Deactivation’.

First Place in the category went to BEng(Hons) Mechanical Engineering student Jorge Morais and his project ‘Design and Development of a Dual Resonant Intake System’ which was undertaken as part of the development of a Formula Student vehicle.

For images of the winners receiving their certificates from the Dean of the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Sciences, Professor Hastings MacKenzie, click here.

For more information on the GradEX event, click here