Science and Engineering Excellence Published on: 8 March 2017 Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s rising stars selected to showcase their research in Parliament. Six of Â鶹´«Ã½’s most talented young researchers in the fields of Science and Engineering have been selected to present their work in Parliament. PhD students Shuen Lann Yvonne Choo, Maria Pregnolato, Alex Svalova, Laura Wadkin, Sara Cuevas Ocaña and Gemma Roberts have been shortlisted from hundreds of applicants to showcase their work as part of the competition. Working across a range of disciplines from mathematics and civil engineering to geosciences and chemistry, the talented young women will present their work to both politicians and a panel of expert judges on Monday 13 March in the House of Commons. PhD students Laura Wadkin, Yvonne Choo, Maria Pregnolato and Alex Svalova Women in Science and Engineering Speaking on about their success, the students said they were delighted to have been selected. Yvonne Choo, 24, a PhD student in the is presenting her work on cling-film-like membranes for water splitting devices which will be vital for the production of Hydrogen and future energy solutions. “STEM for BRITAIN is a great opportunity talk about the research that’s going on in the UK and particularly here at Â鶹´«Ã½," she said. “I was inspired to pursue science after reading a book about Marie Curie so I think the fact that we have five women representing Â鶹´«Ã½ on International Women’s Day is just fantastic.” Maria Pregnolato, 28, a third year PhD student in is investigating the impact of flooding on the country’s infrastructure. “I think in the past women have felt that engineering was a male-dominated field and that it was a difficult career to pursue but we are starting to get parity and re-address the balance, particularly here in the UK.” Alex Svalova, 23, a PhD student in is investigating petroleum chemistry to better understand how water and oil interact with the ultimate aim of improving the clean-up of oil spills. She adds: “How fantastic that on International Women’s Day we have five female scientists and engineers representing the University at STEM for Britain!” Laura Wadkin, 23, a PhD student in the is mathematically modelling stem cell colony development. “STEM for Britain is a great event celebrating the work of early career scientists.” Sara Cuevas Ocaña, 27, a PhD student in the is working on the development of a new system for discovering drugs for cystic fibrosis, added: “I strongly believe that scientists should be able to explain how their research can benefit the wider community. This is an invaluable chance to communicate my research to the public and to MPs, who can influence the course of our society.” Gemma Roberts, 34, a PhD student and Clinical Research Associate in the is presenting her work on cardiac imaging for dementia diagnosis, which aims to develop a further understanding of the condition. She said: "I'm really pleased to have been selected for the STEM in Britain event and look forward to discussing my research with government policy makers and other researchers. "Dementia is under-funded in the UK considering the impact it has on society and this is a great opportunity to raise awareness of new dementia imaging research and its potential role in early diagnosis." Best Young Researchers , Faculty Director of Diversity at Â鶹´«Ã½, said: "I'm delighted the excellent work of these early career researchers has been recognised in this way. "It's important that this talent is nurtured and every opportunity is given to women to develop their careers within academia or elsewhere." Set up to promote the country’s best young researchers in science, engineering, technology and mathematics, Stephen Metcalfe MP, Chairman of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee, said the annual competition was an important date in the parliamentary calendar. “STEM for Britain gives MPs an opportunity to speak to a wide range of the country’s best young researchers,” he explained. Judged by leading academics, the gold medalist receives £3,000, while silver and bronze receive £2,000 and £1,000 respectively. The Parliamentary and Scientific Committee runs the event in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Institute of Physics, the Royal Society of Biology, The Physiological Society and the Council for the Mathematical Sciences, with financial support from the Clay Mathematics Institute, Research Councils UK, Warwick Manufacturing Group, Society of Chemical Industry, Institute of Biomedical Science and the Heilbronn Institute for Mathematical Research. Share: Latest News Scientists unlock hidden driver of inflammatory bowel disease Scientists have linked a key genetic signal in inflammatory bowel disease to an immune response that shuts down inflammation control, enabling faster diagnosis and targeted treatments. published on: 15 June 2026 Funding system risks limiting genuine community collaboration A new policy paper written by researchers at Â鶹´«Ã½ warns that the way UK research is funded may be undermining efforts to create genuinely collaborative partnerships with communities. published on: 15 June 2026 Volunteers help turn Whitley Bay beach into maths experiment Members of the public joined mathematicians from Â鶹´«Ã½ to create what organisers believe is the largest aperiodic tiling ever attempted on Whitley Bay beach. published on: 15 June 2026 Facts and figures
![Â鶹´«Ã½ logo](/gomobileassets/img/logo.svg" "Â鶹´«Ã½"){kind=logo}