Category: Students

24th World Energy Congress | Strategies to Achieve Net Zero Carbon Emissions

Article by Dieyo Moya, Michelle Arellano and Pablo Carvajal

The recent 24th World Energy Congress (WEC24) organised by the World Energy Council in Abu Dhabi (9 – 12 September 2019) was a platform to discuss the key implications for the energy sector to tackle global challenges in a fast-changing landscape of disruptive innovation. World energy leaders from over 40 countries got together to address the complex challenges and opportunities facing the energy transition. 

Energy Systems Modelling PhD student Diego Moya, in collaboration with Michelle Arellano –  Members Services at the World Energy Council, and Pablo Carvajal – Associate Programme Officer at the International Renewable Energy Agency, IRENA, reflect on the key takeaways from WEC24. Together with other Ecuadorian researchers, they created the Institute for Applied Sustainability Research (IIASUR|). IIASUR is a research institution that brings together researchers interested in Ecuador, Latin America and the Global South to collaborate and unite efforts towards high-end research that can foster sustainable development. 

(more…)

Accelerating innovation by raising ambitions – the 10th Clean Energy Ministerial through a young person’s eyes

PhD student Luciana Miu
Luciana Miu, PhD student at Imperial College London

Article by PhD student Luciana Miu.

With the rising urgency of climate change and a sore need for global commitments to sustainable energy, it’s no surprise that intergovernmental partnerships and initiatives are taking centre stage these days. Perhaps the most important example from the energy sector is the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM), a high-level forum of 25 countries advancing programmes to accelerate clean energy deployment, recently coupled with Mission Innovation (MI), another global initiative which seeks to build public and private investment in clean energy technologies. However, up until the most recent annual CEM/MI meeting, one aspect of these ambitious initiatives remained puzzling.

There was no structured presence of youth at the meetings.

(more…)

Imperial College London International Student Energy Summit (SES 2019)

Imperial College London will host the 2019 International Student Energy Summit (SES 2019, 17 – 20 July), the largest youth energy conference in the world, which will bring together over 650 students from around the world to discuss all things energy-related. The vision for this year’s Summit is ‘breaking barriers’ – it seeks to be inclusive and foster reflection and discussion across a variety of challenges unique to this point in time.

Chemical Engineering PhD students Luciana Miu and Michael Ehrenstein are responsible for bringing the Summit to Imperial, following a successful bid in 2017. Luciana acts as the Sponsorship Vice-Chair, and Michael the Finance Vice-Chair. Amidst busy preparation for the conference we spoke to Luciana and Michael about their research, motivations and hopes for this year’s conference.

(more…)

Celebrating Women at Imperial: Chemical engineering postgraduates

To continue our Women@Imperial Week celebrations our student reporter Dora Olah interviewed two postgraduates from the Department of Chemical Engineering about their experience at Imperial.

Hannah Moran (PhD student)

What made you want to study Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London?

For my undergraduate studies, I wanted to study Chemical Engineering because it fit perfectly my interests and talents in maths and the sciences, and its graduates have excellent career prospects. I chose Imperial College London because it’s one of the best universities, and I had such a good experience on my interview day that I knew it was the place for me. I chose to return to Imperial to do my PhD because, again, it’s one of the best research institutions in the world, and it has excellent links to industry. It was very important to me to undertake my PhD in something useful and applicable, and Chemical Engineering at Imperial is really good for this.

(more…)

Celebrating Women at Imperial: Chemical engineering undergraduates

To mark the annual Women@Imperial Week our student reporter Dora Olah interviewed three undergraduates from the Department of Chemical Engineering about their experience at Imperial.

Emily Xu (first year undergraduate student)

What made you want to study Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London? 

I’ve always enjoyed Chemistry, Physics and Maths; Chemical Engineering was the one course that would combine all my interests into one. The course also has the perfect balance between creativity with academic rigour. Out of all the universities, Imperial stood out to me as the course that prepares you for both work in industry and research.

(more…)

“It’s satisfying to know that something I’m working on will have an impact”: Completing a UROP in Chemical Engineering

This summer the department is hosting several Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (UROP) placements, which enable students to take part in research activities at Imperial College London. As well as providing practical research experience, undertaking a UROP can help students develop their interest in specialised subjects, or get a sense of whether a particular career path is right for them.

Henry and Aniket are two Chemical Engineering undergraduates who will spend ten weeks over the summer with the department’s Analytical Services creating a series of videos which will teach new staff and students how to use equipment correctly and safely.

They spoke to us at the beginning of their placement to tell us why they chose to complete a UROP this summer and what their experience has been like so far.

(more…)

INWED18: My formula for managing anxiety alongside my chemical engineering studies

Engineering student Marine writes about her experience of anxiety prior to International Women in Engineering Day, to raise awareness of mental health on campus, and share some of the techniques she has found useful for managing it. She believes in the importance of talking about anxiety because it helps others realise they’re not alone in managing it, and that it doesn’t have to define a person’s life.

(more…)

INWED18: A female engineer’s perspective on some of the challenges facing engineering and how to fix them

Chemical Engineering PhD student Humera Ansari has worked in both industry and academia, experience which has raised her awareness of some of the challenges female engineers can face. She shares this experience as she believes it’s an important part of ensuring that chemical engineering is an inclusive and diverse environment. 

 

(more…)

INWED18: The engineering gender-gap in school age children

As part of our blog series for International Women in Engineering Day, Hannah Moran, a Doctoral Researcher in Matar Fluids Group/Clean Energy Process, explores the reasons for the gender gap in science subjects beyond GSCE.  She makes the case for raising awareness of engineering as a career option to encourage more young people, particularly girls, into the profession.

(more…)