Dr Tim Minshall, Senior Lecturer in Technology Management, has won a Royal Academy of Engineering ExxonMobil Excellence in Teaching Award.

These awards are for Centres of Excellence in Engineering Teaching in the UK and the Republic of Ireland and are given to people who have 'distinguished themselves within their peer group by showing a strong and continuing commitment to teaching, professional activities, promoting engineering as a rewarding and creative career, establishing industrial-academic links and other activities which ultimately ensure the output of top-quality graduate engineers.' Details of the scheme are at: www.raeng.org.uk/research/univ/exxonmobil/

Tim is planning to use the £5k award to help develop resources to support the Department of Engineering's outreach activities with schools. In particular, he would like to develop a community of practice to support engineering PhD students develop their teaching skills; supplement outreach activities by supporting students in Cambridge and elsewhere who want to share the excitement of the more innovative and creative aspects of engineering with schools; and produce a collection of short videos and animations (such as those from ASAPScience), developed in collaboration with undergraduate students and industrial partners, to highlight the diverse activities of engineers. Tim is seeking additional funding to be able to develop these projects.

He said: "I am absolutely delighted to receive this award, and that the Department has been recognised by RAEng/ExxonMobil as a Centre of Excellence in Engineering Teaching. This is a reflection of the very supportive environment provided by the Department of Engineering for the development and delivery of new teaching and outreach programmes. I am particularly excited to be able to use the funding to support the on-going development of our innovation-related resources for schools, and the provision of support for PhD students to develop their teaching and outreach skills."

This is the second RAEng ExxonMobil Excellence in Teaching Award the Department has received Dr Hugh Hunt received his in 08/09: www.eng.cam.ac.uk/news/stories/2009/ExxonMobil_Prize/

Tim's Blog: whytowow.wordpress.com/