Powering up
Each year, IGEM rewards individuals with Scholarships, Grants and Awards to support them on their educational journeys and beyond. We’re showcasing some of the previous recipients and how they’ve used the funds to better their industry knowledge and skills.
Elliot Saltmarsh
Elliot was awarded the IGEM Undergraduate scholarship in 2021 where he went on to study Chemical with Environmental Engineering at the University of Nottingham.
Utilising the scholarship, Elliot secured a summer internship and an industrial placement during his studies, kickstarting his professional development journey.
He is currently working on placement as a Unit Process Engineer for Phillips 66 at the Humber Refinery, the UK’s only refiner that co-processes renewable feedstocks to produce sustainable aviation fuel at scale.
Elliot has been responsible for the continuous optimisation of three refinery units to maximise product yield whilst minimising energy consumption. He has led the implementation of a debottlenecking project where he identified a zero-cost solution that alleviated the hydraulic constraint on a product rate capacity.
This involved the rerouting of the product rundown and collaborating with other teams to execute a successful trial that demonstrated the recurring value captured by the initiative.
Thoroughly enjoying the experience, he said: “It has been insightful to have experienced and contributed to he dynamic operation of a complex refinery which has enriched my
knowledge substantially.”
Funds from the scholarship have particularly motivated Elliot to give back to others. “I have volunteered as a mentor at a local engineering college over the past academic year – an incredibly rewarding opportunity to support and encourage the next generation of aspiring engineers.”
Looking ahead, Elliot will return to university following his industry placement with hopes to complete his Master’s degree, maintaining the high level of academic performance he has completed thus far.
His goals are to competitively position himself for a graduate role as a chemical engineer and begin work to achieve Chartered status, building on his current practical experience.
A key takeaway he shares from the scholarship application experience is: “The most important thing is to convey passion, whether this stems from something learned or experienced, because showing authentic enthusiasm for the field can really make an application stand out.”
Kate Lee
Kate was awarded an IGEM Undergraduate Scholarship in 2021, leading her to study General Engineering at the University of Cambridge.
She applied for the scholarship after hearing about IGEM through the interviewing process for her degree. She then discovered the Hydrogen Knowledge Centre shortly after her interview, which is where she began expanding her research on the use of hydrogen as an alternative fuel.
Kate then used coursework opportunities during her studies to investigate this further, producing a paper on hydrogen production methods in her first year.
During the summer breaks while studying, Kate went on to complete internships at both ZeroAvia and H2Fly who are developing hydrogen fuel cell systems for use in aviation.
Praising the experiences, she said: “These opportunities involved significant relocation, including moving to Germany for H2Fly, and with the support of IGEM’s scholarship, it allowed me to follow these exciting internship opportunities, despite having work offers closer to home.
“Both of these experiences were an incredible opportunity to deepen my understanding of cutting-edge fuel cell system design. They strengthened my belief in the applications and my motivation to pursue a career in hydrogen technology.”
The IGEM scholarship has allowed Kate to pursue these opportunities and discover an area of the industry she can specialise in. She plans on starting a PhD at the Oxford Thermofluids Institute investigating thermal management solutions for hydrogen gas turbine engines.
After this, she hopes to continue to work on complex engineering challenges that contribute to a more sustainable future.
Declan McGuckin
Declan is a Network Engineer at Firmus Energy Networks and received IGEM’s EngTech Grant in 2024, supporting his career development with a one-off award of £1,500.
Sharing the benefits of the grant, Declan said: “IGEM is a respected institution within the industry and upon receiving the grant, I have seen it as a reward for my commitment and continued development within the industry.
“Being granted the funds has given me a confidence boost which has encouraged me to pursue my academic and career goals with greater determination. The grant has allowed me to gain a broader view of the industry as a whole and how important this industry is in reaching our net zero targets.”
Declan has since used the grant towards an online course covering biogas. He plans to continue to the next level of the course and look at courses with universities to help boost his membership grades within IGEM.
During his time at Firmus Energy Networks, he has completed a programme to develop his skills at as a Network Engineer alongside a two-year part-time foundation degree in civil and environmental engineering.
Completing these courses, cemented his commitment and dedication to bettering his knowledge and skills in the industry, making him the ideal candidate for receiving the EngTech Grant.
Find out more about IGEM's Scholarships, Grants and Awards