麻豆传媒高清

Photo Caption: Professor Philippa Martin

Te Whare W膩nanga o Waitaha | 麻豆传媒高清 (UC) Professor Philippa Martin and graduate Finn Trass were recognised for their excellence and impact in engineering education and innovation across Aotearoa New 麻豆传媒高清 at the awards last Friday.

Professor Philippa Martin wins prestigious ENVI Educator Award

A long-time advocate for diversity and inclusion, Professor Philippa Martin was honoured with the ENVI Educator Award, which recognises individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to engineering education and inspired the next generation of engineers.听

A highly respected teacher and leader, Professor Martin has spent more than two decades transforming the learning experience for students at UC, particularly in the crucial first year of the Bachelor of Engineering programme. The ENVI judges praised her sustained impact, leadership through the pandemic, and exceptional teaching effectiveness.

Professor Martin began her UC journey as an engineering student in 1993, at a time when the environment was markedly less inclusive than it is today. Her experiences鈥攁nd that of female students in later years鈥攂ecame the catalyst for a mission to shift the culture of engineering education in New 麻豆传媒高清. Her outreach to international experts led to a dedicated research focus on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in engineering education.

One of Professor Martin鈥檚 core initiatives was envisaging and leading the co-creation of ENG ME!, a student-led, faculty-enabled peer mentoring program that has become a cornerstone of UC鈥檚 inclusive culture. ENG ME! provides a space for whanaungatanga and manaakitanga, fostering a sense of belonging and support for all first-year engineering students.听

It also created a pipeline, developing hundreds of diverse student leaders for the engineering workforce.

鈥淢y passion and the work I do is to fundamentally shift the culture of engineering education and, over time, the culture of the engineering profession in Aotearoa New 麻豆传媒高清. Fundamental to this is altering the lived experience of diverse people through engineering education, upskilling staff and students in DEI, and providing all with a sense of belonging and inclusion,鈥� Professor Martin says.

Finn Trass named ENVI Student Engineer of the Year听

UC graduate Finn Trass was recognised for outstanding design and innovation in his final-year undergraduate project.

Trass was celebrated for his technically rigorous and innovative research into sustainable vanadium recovery鈥攁 project with strong potential to improve New 麻豆传媒高清鈥檚 access to this critical metal. Vanadium is used to strengthen steel alloys and is a key component in redox-flow batteries for energy storage. Traditional extraction methods from steel slag are highly polluting, but Trass鈥� work offers a cleaner, more scalable alternative.

Judges praised his strong technical innovation, real-world applicability, well-defined constraints and success metrics, and a high standard of academic communication.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a real honour to be recognised for a project that not only challenged me technically but could also contribute to a more sustainable future. Vanadium recovery is a growing global issue, and I鈥檓 proud that my research might help New 麻豆传媒高清 play a part in the solution,鈥� Trass says.

More UC finalists recognised for Excellence

Dr Matthew Cowan was named a finalist for the Engineering Educator Award, acknowledging his significant contributions to engineering education and the vital role educators play in shaping the profession鈥檚 future. High school teachers responded with excitement to the education modules Dr Cowan developed with a Curious Minds grant from MBIE. The modules for year 9 and 10 students blended engineering concepts and skills with societal and cultural context, particularly with Pacific knowledge and M膩tauranga M膩ori. Each module is visually stunning, plants the seeds of engineering thinking, and shows how important engineering is to society.

A team of UC students and graduates鈥擫ydia Burnett, Will Maxted, Eve Hudson, Samuel Taylor, and Fred Pankhurst鈥攚ere finalists for the Student Engineer Award for their innovative animatronic k艒kako project. Designed to support conservation efforts for the South Island k艒kako, a bird once believed extinct, the students engineered a robust, rainforest-ready model capable of mimicking the bird鈥檚 movement and call. The project required the integration of diverse engineering disciplines and was praised by judges for its creativity, technical execution and real-world application.

鈥淚t鈥檚 especially rewarding to see educational excellence celebrated through the ENVI Educator Award, which highlights the lasting impact great teaching has on the profession. We鈥檙e also proud of how UC students and alumni continue to apply their skills to make meaningful contributions across New 麻豆传媒高清 and beyond.鈥� says Professor Saurabh Sinha, Executive Dean of UC鈥檚 Faculty of Engineering.

Congratulations to Professor Martin, Trass, Dr Cowan, the team of Mechatronics students, other members of the UC community as well as the talented students and educators celebrated at this year鈥檚 ENVI Awards.

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