A student from Sandbach High School and Sixth Form College, Cheshire is set to compete at the finals of The Big Bang UK Young Scientists & Engineers Competition, with her invention to redesign the way in which people work from home.
Year 12 pupil Lucy Coleman's project caught the eye of Competition judges with her unique design of a weather-proof open-air office, which impressively creates a solution to allow for a healthier work environment when working from home. The project followed Lucy seeing her parents working throughout the pandemic and she set about creating a product that would provide the health benefits of working outdoors.
Lucy commented in the project entry: "While my parents were working from home we discovered our hose wasn't set up to accommodate two office spaces and this resulted in someone constantly having to work in the kitchen, which was cramped and uncomfortable. Working in the same environment has been proven to lessen concentration, meaning tasks which would once have been completed quickly will take longer, leaving less time for activities like exercise or seeing friends, essential to maintain our mental health.
"It's been suggested that going outside for merely 45 minutes daily can counteract the negative effects of staying indoors. My design was developed to be easily modified to suit a range of households at a low cost, making it accessible for all."
Dr Hilary Leevers, Chief Executive for EngineeringUK, said: "Lucy really impressed the judges with their project that took a creative approach, drawing on their science, engineering and tech skills, to come up with a solution to real problems. It is a huge achievement to progress to this stage of The Competition and they should be incredibly proud to take up their place and compete this year.
"We received hundreds of incredible entries and the quality of the work undertaken impresses us each year. Young people have shown incredible resilience and determination during the past couple of years and the ambition, passion and enthusiasm the students show for the projects is truly inspiring."
The winners in the science and engineering categories will receive a £750 prize, with 3 runners up receiving £250 for their chosen project. The award ceremony will also crown overall winners as UK Young Scientist of the Year and UK Young Engineer of the Year, who will receive a £2,000 prize.
Lucy is 1 of 5 finalists shortlisted for the prestigious title of UK Young Engineer of the Year and will discover at an Award Ceremony taking place on 22 June at the Big Bang Fair whether their invention has won them the accolade.
The Big Bang Fair is aimed at 11 to 14 year olds and the 3 day event (Wednesday 22 June to Friday 24 June) is the largest celebration of STEM in the UK. The free to attend event will feature scores of quality hands-on activities to inspire young people to discover and explore what a career in STEM can offer. Families, home educators and school groups have the chance to visit at The Big Bang Fair Unlocked, taking place on Thursday 23 June from 4pm to 8pm.
For more information about The Big Bang Competition and The Big Bang Fair visit here: www.thebigbang.org.uk