The brightest minds from across the UK were selected to display their work in the form of a poster, and communicate their results directly to members of parliament and peers. Following the exhibition, Gold, Silver and Bronze medals were awarded to participants that not only demonstrated engineering and scientific excellence, but also presented their work in a clear and engaging manner.

The Dyson Sustainability Award

In a STEM for Britain first, an additional prize for sustainability was awarded, for “outstanding research towards a more sustainable future,” which Dyson sponsored, to support engineering efforts in sustainable design. Andrés Rivero Bracho was the first winner of this prize for his research in achieving higher fuel efficiency in airplanes, by adapting the wing geometry of aircraft.

The problem

2.5% of all C02 emitted last year was from the aviation industry, and by 2045, it is predicted that there will be a 120% increase in fuel burned. Conventional aircraft wings have a hinged flap, which means they have a higher drag rate through the air due to the uneven surfaces and gaps in the wing. As a result, the aircraft uses more fuel, and generates more noise pollution to operate effectively.

The solution

Small changes to the aerodynamics of the wing can reduce the drag, resulting in less fuel consumption and noise pollution. Andrés’ research into morphing wings permits the wings to change shape during flight in a smooth and continuous way, enabling optimum movement throughout the whole flight.

Andrés said, "I am delighted to be awarded the Dyson Award for Outstanding Research towards a more sustainable future. Through this research, we hope to make aviation a more sustainable and environmentally friendly industry.”

Dr Julian Rose, Dyson External Research and Engineering Manager, and former overall winner of STEM for Britain 2010 was one of the judges at the event. Julian said, “Not only is Andres tackling the problem of an ever-increasing demand for air travel, but his research demonstrated a tangible method to reduce the fuel consumed by airplanes by between 3 to 6%. Controlling and adapting airflow to reduce energy consumption, also resonates with Dyson’s core expertise, and is at the heart of our machines, as seen in our Airblade technologies, the Dyson Airwrap styler^TM and our purifying fans.”

Stephen Metcalfe, MP and Sponsor of the event said, “On behalf of the Parliamentary & Scientific Committee, I would like to say how grateful we are to such an iconic company as Dyson for so generously sponsoring a special award for sustainability at STEM for Britain 2020.

We are particularly grateful to Tom Crawford, Dyson’s Global Director of Sustainability, for his excellent speech and for presenting the Dyson Award, and to Nathan Brown and Dr Julian Rose – a former GOLD winner in Engineering at STEM for Britain - for their support in preparing for STEM 2020 and on the day itself.”