Thurso student wins outstanding project award
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An engineering student at North Highland College UHI has received the Outstanding Student Engineering Project of the Year from the Institute for Engineering and Technology (IET).
Jonathan Fell, a student on the BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering programme, won the award for his project: the design and build of a completely functional prototype for a modern Formula One-inspired steering wheel to be used for simulated racing on a computer.
Jonathan said: “I considered a lot of aspects such as electronic circuit board design, ergonomics, structural soundness, cost and marketability. I was able to develop a design at a significantly lower price than anything comparable on the present market. I was allowed a lot of freedom and space and was able to make progress on my own initiative, though my supervisor Dr Peter Hylton was always available to provide guidance when asked.”
Curriculum leader for Mechanical Engineering, Dr Peter Hylton, commended Jonathan’s project and said: “The depth of examination and evaluation that Jonathan put into his project was exceptional. He took into account a number of considerations that students frequently overlook when performing a design, and he demonstrated a great deal of critical thinking, which is one of the key things that employers are looking for in an engineering graduate.”
Delighted to win the award, Jonathan added: “It means a great deal to me to have had my work recognised by both the university and the IET. I put a lot of effort into the project so I’m extremely proud to have that acknowledged.”
Jonathan began his studies with North Highland College UHI at HNC level and is now focused on achieving his honours and maybe even a masters in the future. Throughout his studies, he gained an internship, and is now a trainee engineer at Dounreay.
Speaking about his studies, Jonathan said: “The online learning environment allowed for easy access to course materials and playback of recorded lectures, which was extremely beneficial. This also made studying very flexible as I was able to learn at times that suited my working patterns.”
North Highland College UHI is one of thirteen academic partners that make up the University of the Highlands and Islands.
