This is Engineering 2021

'This is Engineering...' Short Film Festival 2021

Short films from finalists of the #ThisIsEngineering2021 competition for third level engineering students were shown at the 'This is Engineering…' Short Film Festival screening on 16^th March 2021, sponsored by Engineers Ireland West Region in collaboration with SFI MaREI Centre and NUI Galway (full recording available here).
The aim was to explain engineering to primary and secondary school students through original, imaginative and engaging videos that arrest, entertain, provoke thought and showcase engineering. The competition was run as part of Engineers Week 2021 and was free to enter for all students registered on an engineering degree programme in a third level institution on the Island of Ireland. There were entries from 9 third level institutions on the Island of Ireland – Waterford IT, IT Carlow, UCD, DCU, Ulster University, IT Sligo, GMIT, NUI Galway and UL.

Here are the finalists of the #ThisIsEngineering2021 competition:

• David Barnes (Institute of Technology Carlow)

According to David “this film is designed to get the younger generation excited about the prospect of being an engineer through bright and colourful animation”. It explores the different fields of engineering to broaden the audiences’ view of what engineers have to offer. This video showcases a diverse selection of engineers to show that this is a field open to absolutely anyone.

• Darren Costello (Sustainable Energy Engineering at Waterford Institute of Technology) - Joint first prize winner (primary school category)

This film was inspired by Darren’s son and niece. Darren reflects on how watching them achieve the impossible every day made him realise that that's what the world needs; adults who still believe in their dreams and who learn the skills to achieve them.

• Piotr Kirschke (Biomedical Engineering at Galway Mayo Institute of Technology) - Joint first prize winner (primary school category)

This video is intended to introduce the younger generation to the subject of engineering. The project focuses on the basics of this field, providing a brief definition and explanation of the functions and impact of an engineer's work on the world around us. According to Piotr “The 60-second animation explains the selected and most important issues related to the topic, as it would not be possible to present such an extensive topic in a short production”. He decided to focus on a pictorial presentation of the process from the initial problem, to the final process of implementation of the given solution.

• Malachy Magee (Biomedical Engineering at Ulster University)

Malachy tells us that he is always exploring different avenues for his nieces and nephews' futures especially the girls, showing them that STEM is for everyone, inclusive but also fun. His nieces and nephews are aged 6-19 so he asked them what they thought Engineering was and tailored his video around this. Malachy puts it nicely when he says “Sometimes Engineering is perceived as complicated and deters children, so this video removes some prejudices by showcasing kids enjoying Engineering. It makes them think Engineering is not just sending someone to the moon or designing a formula 1 car, but everything around us”.

• Warith Al Nuumani (Mechatronics Engineering at Institute of Technology Sligo)

Warith believes that "To be interested in engineering you don't need to know what engineering is or how you become an engineer, all you need to know is what you can do with it.” He believes that this is the biggest motivating factor when it comes to choosing your field of study. Warith’s video presents examples of what engineers work on in the field and how engineers are the ones shaping the world we are living in today.

• Jamin Alice (Biomedical Engineering at Ulster University Jordanstown) - Joint third prize winner (secondary school category)

Jamin’s video entry is targeted at secondary school pupils, who are considering engineering as a career path, or students who haven't gotten a significant amount of exposure to engineering and its fundamentals. According to Jamin, the message she is trying to convey is that "engineering is a fantastic field which can help people and the world around us. Engineering can form a creative mind as well as a passion to discover new things and solve every day problems".

• Aidan Lee (Mechanical Engineering at University College Dublin) - Second prize winner (secondary school category)

In his video Aidan asks whether you are considering doing engineering because you like maths and physics. Aidan showcases how these subjects can be applied in engineering. Aidan also shows examples of very exciting projects that he did as part of his engineering course.

• Mary O’Donnell (Aeronautical Engineering at University of Limerick) - First prize winner (secondary school category)

Mary suggests that the world around us explains engineering well, and that the future is inspired by engineers. She suggests that “anyone can dream it, but engineers can create it”. Mary asks students to “open their eyes to the exciting world of creativity, made for the brave and bold”.

• Claudia George (Chemical & Bioprocess Engineering at University College Dublin) - Joint third prize winner (secondary school category)

According to Claudia “the video encourages the viewers to think of their daily routine to understand that Engineering is an inherent part of life". Claudia showcases the world around us, which has been shaped by the advances in Engineering. There are numerous examples of incredible Engineering that can be identified in our own homes.

• Sophie Cassidy (Mechanical Engineering at University College Dublin)

The video outlines work Sophie has done for her thesis project. She identified a problem while she was working with a company called FoodMarble. The video highlights her engineering, where she uses creativity and curiosity to find solutions to problems.