Davidson Inventors Challenge Final and Awards Ceremony 2023
Record breaking registrations in 2023
In its third year running the Davidson Inventors Challenge (DIC) outreach initiative has attracted a record number of over 100 team registrations: we have been working with over 400 students from over 50 different schools from across the UK.
The main aim of this STEM innovation competition is to engage students with the chemical engineering discipline but also help dispel myths about what chemical engineering is and what chemical engineers do. Participating students have not only learned about sustainability, sustainable development goals, and product/process design, but they have also got a taste of being a chemical engineer by putting key skills into practice such as problem-solving, data analysis, critical thinking, and commercial awareness.
Our Finalist Teams
Over the last few months, these Year 11-12 students have been working in their teams researching sustainable development goals, working on a given problem and developing innovative solutions. Under the supervision of a team of 14 reviewers, including some of our researchers and graduates in industry who have provided feedback and marked outputs along the way. The teams’ final project reports have now been marked and we are delighted to confirm that we have our four DIC 2023 finalist teams:
- Sustainors (Year 12) – Leicester Grammar School, Leicester
- Javelin - The Tiffin Girls' Schools (Year 12) - , Kingston upon Thames
- Team Muffene (Year 12) - Westminster School, London
- FABnoids (Year 11) – Benenden School, Cranbrook
These finalists will get to present their innovative solutions at the Davidson Inventors Challenge (DIC) virtual Final and Awards Ceremony. This will be taking place on Friday 23 June, 3-5 pm (see programme and registration below). The four shortlisted teams will then present their inventions to a large online audience - all participating schools and the DIC organising team and mentors as well as members of the Department and Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology department and some of our and graduates in industry and academia.
Register here for the Davidson Inventors Challenge Final 2023 online
Programme
15:00-15:30 pm
Welcome and intro: Davidson Inventors Challenge, Sustainable Development Goals, and Chemical Engineering at Cambridge.
Chair: Dr Kamran Yunus, Associate Teaching Professor
- Relevance of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology to Sustainable Development Goals (Head of University of Cambridge Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Professor Clemens Kaminski)
- Professor John Davidson and Chemical Engineering at Cambridge (Chemical Engineering alumnus Peter Davidson
15.30-16.30 pm
Presentations from the four shortlisted teams
16.30-16.45 pm
BREAK and judging panel deliberations
16.45-17:00 pm
Keynote speaker: CEB alumna Deborah Grubbe (Owner and President of Operations and Safety Solutions, LLC and former American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AiChE) President
- An exciting chemical engineering career and important lessons learned from experience.
17:00
The President of the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) and CEB alumnus, Nigel Hirst
- Closing remarks: A note on Chemical Engineering of the future and announcement of DIC 2023 winners and runner-ups and presentation of award certificates.