Getting to Know: Rebecca Saunders, Warwick Mobile Robotics

By Karen Whittaker

A student’s insight to studying engineering, building search and rescue robots and encouraging women into the field.

  • How did you become interested in engineering? As a child I didn't know which career I wanted to pursue and for that reason I chose a broad set of A-level subjects including Maths, Physics, Music and French

    Rebecca Saunders, Warwick Mobile Robotics

How did you become interested in engineering?

As a child I didn't know which career I wanted to pursue and for that reason I chose a broad set of A-level subjects including Maths, Physics, Music and French. Maths and Physics were my favourites but I couldn't decide what to study at university. I hadn’t really considered engineering as it wasn't a subject taught at school.

My A-level physics teacher recommended that I took part in a course called Headstart. This is a week long course aimed at 16-18 year olds and is available at selected universities. This course is designed to provide an insight into studying engineering at university. After completing my course at Durham University I decided to study for a degree in engineering. I applied to several different institutions and accepted an offer from the University of Warwick.

What attracted you to the University of Warwick and the course you are doing?

Although I had completed a Headstart course I still didn’t know which stream of engineering to study. The University of Warwick offers engineering degrees where the first two years are common for all streams, allowing students to experience a wide range of disciplines before specialising. This was the main reason I chose Warwick over other universities.

Warwick is well known for both its teaching excellence and research achievements and was consequently awarded University of the Year 2015 in The Times Good University Guide. It’s a great place to study with a beautiful campus and more societies than any other university in the country.

How are you finding the course so far?

I am now in my fourth and final year at Warwick studying for a Masters degree in Systems Engineering with Sustainability. Systems Engineering is slightly unusual and only available at a handful of universities. My course encompasses many aspects of engineering but is broadly based around mathematics and modelling engineering systems. I’m currently studying modules in Mathematical & Computer Modelling, Supply Chain Management, Renewable Energy and Biomedical Systems Modelling. The variation in topics available is clearly displayed by my own selection of modules and the breadth they provide (within engineering) is why I love my course so much. With only 3 weeks of lectures left before my finals the pressure is definitely on to knuckle down and study hard.

How many students are there on your course? How many are women?

The School of Engineering has over 1100 undergraduate students accounting for 8% of the University’s population. In my year group there are 186 students of which 34 (18%) are women. In 2014 15% of students accepted onto engineering degrees were women, which unfortunately suggests that this proportion is not increasing.

Why do you think there are so few women studying engineering?

A lot of research has been conducted into why such a small number of women choose to study science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM subjects). Stereotypes, including that men are better than women at maths and that engineering is a male industry, are believed to be at the heart of this problem. I, however, think awareness of engineering and of what being an engineer entails plays a more important role in encouraging women into this industry. If someone had asked me at the age of 16 whether I wanted to be an engineer I would have declined and responded with something along the lines of “I don’t want to learn how to build cars or bridges”. Engineering is so much more than this and I think more women would choose to study engineering if they were aware of all the different aspects and applications of this field.

How can we attract more women to the industry?

Completing a Headstart course at Durham University was my introduction to engineering and it was the main influence behind me applying to study engineering at university. I therefore strongly believe that providing insight into studying engineering, the different fields of engineering and career possibilities with an engineering degree is critical for attracting more women into this industry. Making courses like Headstart widely available for girls from all backgrounds is fundamental to achieving this.

What was the application where you used maxon motor products?

In the final year of my engineering degree one of my modules is a group research project. I was assigned to be a part of Warwick Mobile Robotics, a team of 8 finalists working to design, build and test an Urban Search and Rescue robot, the function of which is to search for survivors in disaster zones (e.g. after earthquakes).

This project has been running for several years developing a large, highly bespoke robot. This year the team decided to design a new Mini Urban Search and Rescue robot which is reliable and easily repaired. We are proudly sponsored by maxon motors who have supplied us with high quality motors and gearheads which are used to drive the robot’s tracks.

What have been the highlights and lowlights of the current project?

I have really enjoyed being a part of Warwick Mobile Robotics as I have had the pleasure of working within a dynamic and highly diverse team. My team is made up of engineers from many different streams including electronics, automotive, manufacturing and mechanical engineering, with whom I would not usually be able to work with.

The most challenging aspect of the project so far has been learning how to manage procurement and the associated lead times. With only 20 weeks to design, manufacture and test our robot the organisation of component purchases has been critical to the success of the project.

How important has the support from maxon UK been to this project?

When starting this project the team’s technical knowledge (especially within electronics) was limited as none of us had any previous experience within robotics. maxon have shown extensive support by visiting the team at Warwick and providing us with some invaluable advice. They have helped us to specify our requirements and have recommended the most appropriate components to use. They have also helped with publicity.

Why should companies get involved with University projects?

Companies should consider being involved in University projects as they are at the pinnacle of innovative research. The variety of projects within universities is extraordinary and being a part of one, or many, is a great way to show the broad range of applications your products or services can be used in. They are a great opportunity to work with young engineers and in return we are happy to publicise your brand on all our publications, promoting your company within the university and wider community.

What are your plans after University?

During my time at university I have undertaken two industrial summer internships; one at Gaelectric Developments Ltd, a company who commissions wind farms and one with Thales, the French multinational company working in the aerospace, defence, transport and security sectors. I really enjoyed my time at Thales and have since taken them up on their offer of a graduate job.

How do you see the industry evolving over the next 5 years?

The engineering industry encompasses many streams and applications and it is therefore difficult to predict where it will be in 5 years time. The fastest moving aspect by far is the electronics industry and I think this will continue with significant investment in electronic technologies. The robotics industry is also expanding and we will soon be at the point where robots will be common around the house.

I think there will be significant investment into the Search and Rescue robot industry. We have displayed their capabilities at the Fukushima disaster back in 2011 and hopefully 5 years from now we will see these robots helping out in an array of disaster situations.

Despite the UK producing 46,000 engineering graduates a year it is common knowledge that we have a shortage of qualified engineers. We need to work alongside schools and universities to encourage students, both men and women, to work in this dynamic and rapidly changing industry.

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