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British Science Association Award for the "Lifting Aspirations and Accessing Engineering" project

Added 20th March 2014

Science and Engineering Week 2014 at M Shed Museum Bristol

Awarded best Engineering Education Project 2014 by the British Science Association

102 Secondary School Students Build Cranes	Over 2500 Public Visitors	210 Competitors in the 'Family' Crane-Operators-Competition

52 Volunteer Engineers	Over 400 Visitors to the Fairburn Steam Crane	320 Visitors to the Historic Cargo Crane and Modern Mobile Lifting Technology

Bristol schools and families take part in a whole days immersive experience with the lifting and access engineering industry -

Exploring the heritage of the technology in their region with the working machines at the M Shed Museum.
Exploring the future for this engineering sector with engineering ambassadors.
Learning about scientific principles and the fun of engineering achievement are combined in a practical competition to build and operate a robotic arm by the end of the day.

Mobile lifting technology and Sid a young crane engineer from Sparrow Cranes

Scientific principles demonstrated and put in context

1950's cargo cranes

Modern day tower cranes and the team of engineers using them

Victorian steam crane

Presenting the learning outcomes

Team crane-operating challenges

Winners

Activity was complimented by a weekend public event with engineering ambassadors and volunteers from M Shed and Sparrow Cranes. Families and teams formed from interested visitors used cranes made by the school students in the week to compete in a crane operating competition. Contextualising the scientific principles with tours of the cranes and hydraulic engineering along the harbourside.