Engineering student Balvinder Kaur Dhillon wins ‘Junior Nobel Prize’, while alum Navjot Sawhney is recognised by the Royal Academy of Engineering on National Engineering Day.
Balvinder Kaur Dhillon, MEng student at Queen Mary University of London’s School of Engineering and Materials Science (SEMS) has received the Global Winner award in Engineering at the Global Undergraduate Awards. This accolade, often referred to as the ‘Junior Nobel Prize’, recognises the top undergraduate research work from around the world.
Ahead of National Engineering Day marked on November 13th, Balvinder was awarded her gold medal at the Global Undergraduate Summit in Ireland, for her project titled ‘Developing Bioresorbable Drug-Eluting Stents with Organ-On-A-Chip Validation’. The work, supervised by Professor Thomas Iskratsch, focuses on creating bioresorbable stents designed to dissolve within the body, reducing the need for surgical removal and improving patient outcomes. Her work represents the boundary-pushing research that University aims to foster in its students.
Dhillon joins Queen Mary graduate and social impact engineer Navjot Sawhney in the spotlight. Sawhney, founder of The Washing Machine Project, was named as one of five influential engineers by the Royal Academy of Engineering as part of their National Engineering Day campaign to inspire more young people from all backgrounds to pursue a career in engineering.
Sawhney’s work has brought life-changing solutions to people in need through the development of low-cost, hand-cranked washing machines that improve hygiene and sanitation in communities lacking access to electric washing facilities. In recent years, he has returned to Queen Mary to inspire current students, including inviting two of them to work with him at The Washing Machine Project. He has previously commented on how "the camaraderie and dedication of Queen Mary lecturers and students are what make it such a unique place.”
“It is fantastic to see our students and alumni like Balvinder Dhillon and Navjot Sawhney applying their learning and making a tangible difference in the world,” said Professor Colin Bailey, President and Principal of Queen Mary University of London.
“Recognition of their contributions to the field of engineering demonstrates how our students and alumni continually push boundaries — from pioneering sustainable technology solutions and AI-driven agriculture advancements to launching startups addressing period poverty and sustainability.
“Success stories like these reflect our heritage of social justice and our commitment to fostering talent from all backgrounds. At Queen Mary, we know that groundbreaking ideas can come from anyone, and we are honoured to support such exceptional individuals in engineering a more inclusive, sustainable future.”
This year’s National Engineering Day draws attention to the pressing need for diversity in the UK engineering workforce, where women and minority ethnic groups remain underrepresented, making up only 15.7% and 12.4% of the profession, respectively. By highlighting role models like Dhillon and Sawhney, Queen Mary and the Royal Academy of Engineering hope to inspire young people from all backgrounds to consider careers in engineering.
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