Chemical Engineering partners with Engineering Development Trust programme

The Engineering Development Trust's Insight into University programme introduces young people to university and student life in STEM subjects.

The Department of Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London has partnered with the Engineering Development Trust (EDT) and provided pre-recorded lectures for their Insight into University programme, designed to provide students over the age of 16 with an introduction to STEM subjects at university. This year Paul Fennell, Professor of Clean Energy, also delivered an interactive live lecture on carbon capture and storage as part of the programme, to demonstrate how university lectures are delivered. 

In addition, the Department donated funding for 10 bursary places for students from lower-income backgrounds or who have been financially affected by COVID-19.

The Engineering Development Trust is a nationwide charity which works with schools and educational institutions to deliver Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths, (STE(A)M) experiences to students aged 9-21, with the aim of increasing interest in these subjects and their career paths. Programmes include industry mentored projects and placements, taster courses and school activity days.

Katie Mawdsley, an alumna of Chemical Engineering and of EDT, was recently appointed to the EDT’s Board of Trustees and was keen to connect the two organisations, given the positive impact they had each had on her education and early career. Katie completed a Year in Industry with EDT in 2015-2016 with Procter & Gamble, where she worked in Research & Development before joining the department to pursue her 4-year MEng in Chemical Engineering. 

Commenting on the partnership she said: "I am so pleased that the two organisations which have influenced and empowered me the most during my education and early career are launching this partnership. I’m confident that it will inspire more young people to pursue STEM subjects, have the confidence in their own ability to engage with universities such as Imperial, and aspire to become engineers. 

EDT is a charity which truly places accessibility at the heart of everything they do, and the donation to enable 10 more student to access their Insight into University Programme is worth celebrating.”

Professor Nilay Shah added: “Our Department has a strong commitment to widening access to STEM education. We are delighted to support the EDT initiative with materials and bursaries and hope they stimulate interest in further education in STEM."