The STEM-based Big Bang Competition has ‘pulled together’ personalities in science and engineering from a diverse range of professional backgrounds to judge the UK Finals in March 2020.
Ruth Amos, inventor and co-founder of YouTube channel ‘Kids Invent Stuff’ joins the engineering judging panel for the first time but is already familiar with the opportunities that the
Big Bang Competition and the
Big Bang Fair can provide, having entered the ‘Young Engineer for Britain’ in 2006 with her project the ‘StairSteady’.
Ms Amos said: “Winning ‘Young Engineer for Britain’ in 2006 completely changed my views on engineering and helped to determine my career path; I know how important and life-changing these awards can be.
“Winning gave me the confidence to start my own company, and I’ve been able to have so many amazing opportunities since.”
Other members of the judging panel are: Jason Bradbury (UK technology expert); Sophie Harker (IET Young Woman Engineer of the Year 2018); John Officer (head of pharmaceutical engineering, pharmaceutical supply chain, GSK); and Vijay Shah (aerospace engineer).
Included on the science judging panel are Dallas Campbell (broadcaster and author) and Anne-Marie Imafidon (co-founder of STEMettes — a social enterprise that encourages girls aged 5–22 to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and maths — STEM).
Ms Imafidon said: “I judged the
Big Bang Competition last year and was blown away by the quality, range and ingenuity of projects that were presented.
It is so important to allow young people to see the creativity and altruism in science.”
The final round of judging starts on Thursday 12 March 2020, and the Big Bang Fair (
www.thebigbangfair.co.uk) takes place at the NEC, Birmingham, from 11 to 14 March.