Durham Engineering students win IMechE NE Regional Design Challenge Final for fourth consecutive year

17 May 2022

A group of first year Durham University Engineering undergraduates has won the IMechE Regional Design Challenge Final 2022 after a tough competition in Durham. The team, consisting of Ola Adamowicz, Dermot Burke, Harry Brenninkmeyer, Jack Broome, James Gilmore and Kathy Barrett, successfully designed and built a line launcher to fire balls into a target at distances of up to six metres, with points for precision as well as presentation and design quality.

The judging was led by Davide Migliorini, the IMechE Design Challenge Head Judge, and Ben Hodgkinson, Chair of the IMechE Design Challenge and Technical Director at RedBull Powertrains Formula One Racing.

Ola said “the challenge is the perfect project to introduce the reality of engineering.” Kathy agreed, saying “this was an amazing opportunity and doubly positive because we spoke about the engineering problems facing the world today. I had been worried whether the skills associated with mechanical engineering might not be valuable in the future, but it seems they are.”

Dermot said “I really enjoyed the competition as it allowed us to get hands-on with the design process and learn how to adapt and improve our design as unforeseen problems occurred.”

Harry said “It was a great learning experience that I can take with me in my career going forward.”

During their first year, engineering students complete a day-long Engineering Day build team activity followed by a longer design and build team project which culminates in a competitive testing session. A successful team from one of these activities is selected to represent the Department of Engineering in the IMechE Design Challenge. This year’s regional success continues a run of four years for our first year students and we wish Ola, Dermot, Harry, Jack, James and Katherine the best of luck for the national final later in the year.