the-BA : MTR competition winners release

For immediate release

An underwater city featuring seaweed farms, recycling plants and air-powered transport to the surface has been named the winning eco-city of the future in a design competition run by the BA (British Association for the Advancement of Science) for National Science and Engineering Week (9-18 March).

The nationwide competition for children aged 5-14 was launched to celebrate both National Science and Engineering Week and Disney’s fantastic new animated adventure ‘Meet the Robinsons’, where a young inventor named Lewis embarks on an amazing adventure in an extraordinary future city, in cinemas over Easter from the 30 March.

Katie Cross, the lucky student from Ashville College Junior School in Harrogate, has won a trip to Disneyland Resort Paris for the best overall design. As well as incorporating some quite unusual innovative ideas in her design, Katie envisaged a city powered by hydro-electric wave and solar power, and energy from non-recyclable rubbish. The winners of the individual age categories will each get a private screening of ‘Meet the Robinsons’ for their class.

‘This competition encouraged schoolchildren to think about the impact that engineering and technology have on our daily lives,’ said Roland Jackson, Chief Executive of the BA, which coordinates National Science and Engineering Week.

‘Climate change will be an increasingly important issue during their lifetimes and this activity has helped to promote discussions about the solutions that engineering, technology and science could offer. The thousands of entries we received show that many children have a good awareness and understanding about how our way of life affects the planet. As well as incorporating renewable energy sources that are already available into their designs, they have added some imaginative solutions of their own.’

National Science and Engineering Week is an annual ten day event that gives hundreds of thousands of people across the UK the opportunity to attend a wide-variety of local activities. For more information about National Science and Engineering Week, including free activity packs, visit http://www.the-ba.net/nsew.

National Science and Engineering Week is coordinated by the BA in partnership with the Engineering and Technology Board (ETB) . It is funded by the Department of Trade and Industry.

The BA gratefully acknowledges the generous support of Disney and Buena Vista International for this competition.

For more information on the ‘Meet the Robinsons’ film which is released on 30 March, visit www.meettherobinsonsmovie.co.uk.

For film images please visit www.image.net.

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Lisa Hendry, Press Officer, the BA
Tel: +44 (0)20 7019 4946
Email: lisa.hendry@the-ba.net

Note for editors

1. The complete list of winners is as follows:

Overall winner:
Katie Cross (age 11) from Ashville College Junior School, Harrogate, North Yorkshire

KS1 (7 years and under) category:
Rosie Smith (age 6) from Cottingham Croxby Primary School, Hull, East Yorkshire

KS2 (8-11 years) category:
Scarlett Harris (age 11) from Midhunt Intermediate School, Midhurst, West Sussex

KS3 (12-14 years) category:
Joint winners: Jack Hurlock (age 13) and Lily Livingston (age 12) from Woomer Hill School, Haslemere, Surrey

2. The BA (British Association for the Advancement of Science) is the UK's nationwide, open membership organisation that exists to advance the public understanding, accessibility and accountability of the sciences and engineering. Established in 1831, the BA organises major initiatives across the UK, including National Science and Engineering Week, the annual BA Festival of Science, programmes of regional and local events, and an extensive programme for young people in schools and colleges. For more information about the BA, please visit www.the-ba.net.

3. The Engineering and Technology Board (ETB) is a registered charity that seeks to promote the vital contribution that scientists, engineers and technologists make to prosperity and quality of life. The ETB works in partnership with business and industry, Government, education and the profession to improve the perception of science, engineering and technology in the UK. The driving force behind these partnerships is the desire to ensure a supply of appropriately skilled individuals to meet the present and future SET skill needs of UK plc. For more information about the ETB please visit www.etechb.co.uk.

4. National Science and Engineering Week will take place from 9-18 March 2007. For more information, please visit www.the-ba.net/nsew.

5. About National Science and Engineering Week

• National Science and Engineering Week is coordinated by the BA (British Association for the Advancement of Science).

• National Science and Engineering Week is funded by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

• In 2007, the BA is working in partnership with the Engineering and Technology Board (ETB) to broaden the scale and scope of the programme and to celebrate the vital contribution that engineering makes to society.

• Energy and climate change will again be a key focus during the week in 2007, building on the success of the Click for the Climate campaign during last year’s National Science Week.

• During the week, events are organised throughout the UK by a large and varied range of organisations and individuals including hospitals, schools, industry and museums. Venues range from shopping centres to pubs and churches.

• National Science and Engineering Week is aimed at everyone from children and adults to decision-makers and investors and is intended to:
- engage and inspire people of all ages with science and technology and their implications,
- promote discussion and understanding of what science, engineering and technology can and cannot achieve,
- promote knowledge of the scientific method, i.e. how scientists go about their work and reach their conclusions,
- promote science, engineering and technology studies beyond the age of 16, and science, engineering and technology as career options.

• An essential feature of National Science and Engineering Week is the way it takes science to the public rather than waiting for the public to find science. The week has drawn many scientists into the public domain to discuss their work with interested audiences.

• 2006 Vital Statistics:

- over 2,000 events; from hands-on activities to discussions, tours and online activities
- over 660,000 participants at events
- high level of public awareness

• A searchable database of events being held during National Science and Engineering Week is available at www.the-ba.net/nsewprogramme.

6. Disney’s new animated adventure, ‘Meet the Robinsons’, will be released on 30 March 2007.

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