16th marzo 2011
Salford reaches for the sky with two aerospace prizes
The University of Salford has been awarded prizes for best university and best student at the North West Aerospace Alliance’s (NWAA) annual awards ceremony in a clean sweep of this year’s prizes.
The Sir Frank Whittle Trophy for best student, which is sponsored by Rolls-Royce and comes with a £1,000 cheque, went to MSc Aerospace Engineering student Sathyakumar Sharma who recently completed a project on the testing of a new hybrid rocket motor.
Sathyakumar’s project was judged to be the most innovative with strong potential for commercial applications which will benefit local industries. The trophy is crafted from the fan blade of the Trent 900 jet engine which powers the double-decker super jumbo, the Airbus A380. It is Sathyakumar’s to keep.
He is the third Salford student to have won the trophy, joining Sara Harper and Christopher Shenton Brown in 2002 and 2004 respectively.
The Best University Award was won because of Salford’s strong links with the regional aerospace industry both in terms of research and training. This includes Airbus staff members assessing student work and numerous site visits for the Salford department.
The University is also active in a large number of related professional bodies including the NWAA, the Royal Aeronautical Society and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
Dr Thurai Rahulan, senior lecturer in aerospace engineering at Salford, collected the award for best university. He said: “This is the first time that Salford has won both trophies in the same year and is a testament to how our links with industry are constantly developing.”
The other winners from Salford were postgraduate Jyothirmai Buddharaju and undergraduate Daxing He. Each received a Certificate of Commendation.