Graduation Prize winners

A number of students are to be awarded prizes at this years Computing, Engineering and Technology Graduation ceremonies.

Sevilay Cetintas has won the Logica prize for the best performance during the Industrial Placement year by a student on the Computing Award Scheme presented by Doug Brown.  Sevilay, who studied Computing with Applicable Maths, used her placement experience with Northamptonshire General Hospital NHS Trust as a database administrator to develop her final year project which was a Web based database system for patient data analysis which should improve treatment efficacy. 

Sevilay studied in Istanbul before coming to Staffordshire University to start her degree studies.  As an international student she found it really hard to cope with a different culture and education system, her background education is science and mathematics "therefore computing was very new to me, also my English level was not enough in order to understand the lecturers but I am glad I have worked hard and have overcome all the difficulties. the funny thing is that in my first year, first semester I had tried my best to get help from my friends.... after completion of first  year my friends started getting help from me." 

Sevilay took part in GradEX where she had an initial interview with Capula who have since employed her. 

Helen Ferneyhough has won the Institute for the Management of Information Systems (IMIS) prize for the best undergraduate student on the Applied Information Technology degree scheme.  Helen studied part-time at the Faculty's Stoke site and juggled study with employment.  
   
 

Adam James Gordon Bonny, BSc(Hons) Computer Networks and Security, has been awarded the British Computer Society national prize for the best student on the Professional and Enterprise Development module. Adam has just completed level two and his prize was presented by Professor Mike Goodwin, Dean of Faculty, on behalf of the local BCS Chair Ian Sunley.

Britannia Building Society prize awarded to the student with an outstanding performance on a Computing Award Scheme has been awarded to Steven Michael Perry, BSc(Hons) Network Computing, and was presented by Julie Haycocks and Mark Mellor on behalf of the Society.

An auspicious start to his studies has been achieved by Michael Duller, MEng Computer Games Programming, who has won the Jim Lucking Memorial prize awarded by the local British Computer Society branch for the outstanding student in the first year of a Computing award scheme.

Kavirjit Singh Ranjit Singh, BSc(Hons) Mechatronics, who studied at the Penang Skills Development Centre in Malaysia before coming to Staffordshire University has been awarded the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) national prize for a student with the best overall performance on IET accredited award within the Engineering and Applied Technologies schemes of awards.  Kavirjit hopes to continue his post graduate studies part-time at Staffordshire whilst working in mechatronics meanwhile his younger brother is coming to study here next year as a direct entrant to level 2. Dr Gordon Bancroft, Programme Area Manager, is to the right of the picture.

Ahmed Oshinibosi has been awarded the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) NW Midlands region award and the Edward Riddel Shield for the student with the best overall performance on an IET accredited award within the Engineering and Applied Technologies schemes of awards.  Ahmed undertook a placement year with Klarius Ltd at their site in Staffordshire.  Ahmed's final year project was aimed at improving exhaust muffler acoustic performance and was exhibited at GradEX.  Ahmed, who is temporarily employed at Klarius. has since been offered permanent employment in the automotive industry based in Durham.

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) NW Midlands region award for the student with the best overall performance on an IET accredited award within the Applied Technologies scheme of awards is awarded to Peter Samuel Yardley.  Peter studied Sports Technology and his final year project was to redesign an abdominal crunch machine to make it both more effective and more comfortable.

Natalie O'Rourke has won the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) NW Midlands region award for the student with the best overall performance on an IET accredited award within the Film Technology scheme of awards.  Natalie exhibited at GradEX with her colleague Libby Hill.  The photographer Derek Tamea whose exhibition 'Women in focus' was the subject of Natalie and Libby's final year project was a guest at graduation and attended GradEX.  Derek put Natalie and Elizabeth in his follow up exhibition marking the tenth anniversary of 'Woman in Focus'.  Peter Hoornaert, Programme Area Manager, is to the right of the picture and Professor Mike Goodwin, Dean of Faculty, is to the left.

Anthony John Gregory, winner of the  Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) NW Midlands region award for the student with the best overall performance on an IET accredited award within the Games Technology scheme of awards also took part in GradEX showing his final year project 'Believable animated characters' and in the student show reel competition at MMOG Fest and won first prize in the modelling an animation category. 

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) NW Midlands region award for the student with the best overall performance on an IET accredited award within the Music Technology scheme of awards has been won by Jake Oliver Whiteman.

The Faculty can enter  two student posters in the Royal Academy of Engineering student engineering design project competition and the two selected this year from those submitted via GradEX are
Martin Christopher Garland and Keith Hill.

Martin's project is entitled: ‘Walking Robot with Terrain Adaptation’.  
Martin, BSc(Hons) Design Technology for Robotics, has already won the Applied Technology section at GradEX and the West Midlands IET sponsored University Challenge.

Keith Hill, BSc(Hons) Automotive Design Technology, designed a poster for his final year project entitled: ‘Race Vehicle Suspension Loading Analysis and Wishbone Re-design’ investigating the loadings experienced on the suspension components of the Bowler Nemesis and then using the data to improve the design of the front lower wishbone- the Bowler Nemesis is a marathon rally race vehicle and as such is pushed to extremes when racing.  Both graduates have won £200 for winning the Faculty round and we are keeping our fingers crossed for the RAEng competition on 15th July. 

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) NW Midlands region award for the student with the best overall performance on an IET accredited award within the postgraduate scheme of awards has been awarded jointly to: Doug Bentley, currently employed at Klarius, and Marc Steven North, employed at the Hothouse. 

The IET awards should have been presented by Sam Wane NW Midlands Chair but due to his son deciding that the Faculty graduation day would be a good day to make his first appearance in the world Mr JH Cooper, local IET Network Honorary Secretary, kindly presented the awards and cheques instead.