Questions & Answers
Q. Who can win?
A. This will be a single prize awarded to one individual, or a team of up to three people, responsible for a groundbreaking advance in engineering which has clearly created significant benefit to humanity.
Q. What is in the scope of ‘engineering’ that the prize could be awarded for?
A. Engineering benefits us in all aspects of life and the boundaries are constantly changing. The prize will reflect this breadth and will include all disciplines and sectors.
The fruits of engineering range from nano-scale devices that get medicines to where they are needed in the body to the world’s biggest – and greenest – buildings; from the pinpoint accuracy of robots that perform heart surgery to the proliferation of ever-faster multiplatform broadband applications; from hi-tech fabrics to make the smart clothes of the future to new, clean and green sources of energy to power the world.
Engineering also promotes the sharing of ideas and information, empowering the desire for freedom, security and a better quality of life.
The fruits of engineering range from nano-scale devices that get medicines to where they are needed in the body to the world’s biggest – and greenest – buildings; from the pinpoint accuracy of robots that perform heart surgery to the proliferation of ever-faster multiplatform broadband applications; from hi-tech fabrics to make the smart clothes of the future to new, clean and green sources of energy to power the world.
Engineering also promotes the sharing of ideas and information, empowering the desire for freedom, security and a better quality of life.
Q. Who is the prize open to?
A. The prize is international and open to any nationality. Nominations are welcomed from across the world. The only limitations are that self-nomination and posthumous nomination are not allowed.
Q. Who is involved in judging?
A. Judging is carried out by an independent international judging panel of distinguished engineers and leaders in their fields. There is a full list of judges, including biographies, on the prize website: www.qeprize.org. Judges will make their recommendation to the trustees of the Queen Elizabeth Prize Foundation and they will announce the winner in spring 2013.
Q. Will there be an award ceremony?
A. A ceremony and gala event will take place in spring 2013.
Q. What is the point of the prize?
A. Perceptions of engineering are often outdated. If people think of it at all, they tend to associate engineering with heavy industry and civil infrastructure. This is not only a limited view of what engineering is really about, it means many young, creative people – especially women – don’t consider a career in engineering. The prize will recognise and celebrate the best and also serve to illuminate the sheer excitement of modern engineering. It will provide an unparalleled opportunity to demonstrate how engineers and engineering are making a real difference across the world. The Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering will excite and inspire a whole generation of young people.
Q. How did the prize come about?
A. The prize is the result of a growing realisation within political, business and engineering circles of the need for a pioneering initiative based in the UK to focus attention on engineering worldwide.
Oliver Letwin MP, Minister of State at the Cabinet Office in England, took the lead in turning the idea into reality, the first requirement being a significant endowment fund to support the creation of a new and independent charitable trust, the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering Foundation.
Oliver Letwin MP, Minister of State at the Cabinet Office in England, took the lead in turning the idea into reality, the first requirement being a significant endowment fund to support the creation of a new and independent charitable trust, the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering Foundation.
Q. How is it funded?
A. An initial endowment has been established with donations from the following companies: BAE Systems, BG Group, BP, GlaxoSmithKline, Jaguar Land Rover, National Grid, Shell, Siemens, Sony, Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Steel and Toshiba.
Q. Who is running it?
A. The Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering Foundation, a charitable trust, has been established so that the prize objectives can be realised and free from external intervention or influence. It is important for the reputation of the UK that the prize is recognised internationally as of the highest standards in every respect.
The QEPrize Foundation is chaired by Lord Browne of Madingley and the other trustees are Sir John Parker, President of The Royal Academy of Engineering; Sir Paul Nurse, President of the Royal Society and Ms Mala Gaonkar, Managing Director of Lone Pine Capital. The Government Chief Scientist, Sir John Beddington, is an adviser to the foundation.
The day-to-day running of the prize is handled by the Royal Academy of Engineering. The Director of the prize is Anji Hunter.
The QEPrize Foundation is chaired by Lord Browne of Madingley and the other trustees are Sir John Parker, President of The Royal Academy of Engineering; Sir Paul Nurse, President of the Royal Society and Ms Mala Gaonkar, Managing Director of Lone Pine Capital. The Government Chief Scientist, Sir John Beddington, is an adviser to the foundation.
The day-to-day running of the prize is handled by the Royal Academy of Engineering. The Director of the prize is Anji Hunter.
Q. What is the mechanism for nomination?
A. Nominations will be open from 28 February 2012 to 14 September 2012. Nominations are to be made online via the QEPrize website: www.qeprize.org
Q. The rules and conditions of the prize state that each nomination must be accompanied by two references from ‘suitable referees, who are distinguished people not employed in the same organization as the nominee, who are not the nominee’s collaborators and who are not part of the nominee’s immediate family’. What is a distinguished person?
A. A ‘distinguished person’ is someone who is a recognised expert in the relevant field with a profile in the academic or corporate world, as demonstrated by their publication record and/or international recognition. They must be very familiar with the technical detail and significance of the work of the nominee and able to speak with authority about the nature and impact of the innovation.
Q. What are the key milestones?
A. Key milestones include:
- Appointment of international judging panel - February 2012
- Call for nominations - February 2012
- Nominations closed - September 2012
- Announcement of the winner - Spring 2013
Q. Will any of the donor companies be allowed to nominate projects for the prize?
A. Donor companies have no influence on the judging process, which will be carried out by an independent panel of international judges who are distinguished leaders in their fields.
Q. Against what criteria were the judges selected?
A. The judges are eminent international figures representing the range of engineering disciplines, and reflecting every region of the world. The judging panel includes leading academics and heads of corporations. Together they have the authority, perspective and experience required to establish the overall winner of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering.
Q. Won’t this prize be awarded to the most ‘media friendly’ winner rather than for engineering merit?
A. Judges will be looking for nominations that satisfy the following criteria: a person or up to three people who is (or who are) personally and indisputably responsible for a ground-breaking innovation in engineering, of demonstrable global benefit to humanity.
Q. What criteria will the judges use to identify the winner?
A. As above
Quotes
"Over the past 60 years, I have had the privilege of seeing how engineering developments can make a profound impact on people’s lives. I am delighted to lend my support to this prize and I hope that it inspires many more people across the globe to develop life-changing engineering creations in the years to come."
“This is a wonderful opportunity for engineers everywhere to show the world their work and have it honoured on an international platform. To simply be nominated for this award would be an achievement in itself but to win it would be to write your name in the annals of engineering history. ”
“We need to stop thinking of the engineer as a man with a greasy rag. The Queen Elizabeth Engineering Prize is what Britain has been waiting for; it is set to change our perception of engineers. This award celebrates global engineering success and will inspire Britain’s talented and creative young men and women to embrace engineering as their career of choice.”
“As an engineer by training, I appreciate the importance of this award in recognising outstanding achievements in the field, but also in inspiring future generations of engineers.”
“Engineering is a challenging and rewarding path to economic growth. My hope is that the prize will create new role models, inspiring young people to become scientists and engineers.”
“The creation of the Queen Elizabeth Prize is brilliant news for the discipline of engineering, which brings such benefits to us all. I hope the prize will recognise those who are making world-changing discoveries and inventions, and will inspire young people to follow in their footsteps.”
“Engineering excellence is all around us but often not appreciated or recognised. We are proud to support this prize which seeks to recognise those achievements, raise the profile of the sector and, importantly, inspire the next generation of engineers”.
“As a company active in products ranging from semiconductors to power plant systems, Toshiba recognises that engineering offers powerful tools and solutions for tackling the challenges society faces. For this reason, we are delighted to support the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering. Our approach to engineering focuses on innovation and imagination. The Queen Elizabeth Prize does the same and is a marvellous way to inspire the next generation of engineers worldwide.”
“BP is pleased to be a founder supporter of this award. The award will provide an unparalleled opportunity to demonstrate how engineers and engineering are making a real difference across the world.”
“As one of the largest private employers of professional engineers in the UK, BAE Systems is proud to be supporting this unique prize for engineering. In these challenging economic times, it’s vital that we continue to commit and invest in our engineering and science capabilities as they offer viable and long-term opportunities for growth.”
“I greatly welcome the establishment of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering. It will aid BG Group in its work with schools and universities aimed at stimulating a passion for engineering and science careers in the UK. The Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering will bring important public recognition to the vital contribution that engineering research makes to society and to the economy. I hope that, in turn, it will inspire young people to pursue the highly creative and fulfilling careers enjoyed by many professional engineers and scientists.”
“Innovation drives commercial invention, pushes up productivity and needs to be at the heart of any agenda for economic growth. The UK is home to some of the world's most exciting and original innovation and engineering-based companies, including the pharmaceutical sector. This prize will reward genuine excellence and the joint investment by the government and private sector recognises that engineering will be pivotal to rebalancing Britain’s economy and reinforcing its international competitiveness.”
"The UK has an incredibly rich heritage of engineering excellence and it is imperative that we nurture this vital skill. The opportunities for change today, driven by business and academia partnering in new and creative ways, are unprecedented: the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering celebrates this by recognising the elite innovators who will shape the future of our society."
“Engineers make a vital contribution - not only to the energy sector but to society at large – and it’s time this was recognised at the highest level around the world. Our hope is that this prize will help more people see the real value of engineering and inspire young people to view it as a career worth pursuing. At Shell we want to do this, not least because science and engineering will continue to play a critical role in the provision of energy for a growing global population.”
“Siemens is proud to support this prestigious prize. It should help put UK engineering back on the map, where it belongs.”
“Sony Corporation welcomes the establishment of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering, which is expected to generate and foster new initiatives in engineering across the globe. With our heritage in cutting-edge technology, engineering and R&D, both in the UK and globally, we are excited to be part of this project and to ultimately deliver innovation to consumers and communities around the world.”
“The International Engineering Prize is intended to provide an incentive and recognition to individuals and companies engaged in engineering and manufacturing. I commend the UK government and the companies who have contributed to the prize’s endowment and am confident that the prize will contribute to the rejuvenation of the manufacturing industry in the UK.”
“The 21st century poses formidable challenges and solutions to these challenges lie in developing scientific understanding and the technology based on that understanding. This prize rightly recognises this and celebrates the vast contribution that engineering and technology have already made.”
“The Royal Society enthusiastically welcomes the Queen Elizabeth Prize in Engineering. This prize will showcase to the world how science and engineering benefit society.”
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a major shift in the public perception of engineering. The products of engineering are everywhere, but too often the engineering and engineers behind even the most brilliant innovations remain hidden from public view. So the sheer excitement and creativity of professional engineering often do not get recognised, let alone celebrated. The search for the winning project will provide a platform to explore the best innovation in engineering across the world and inspire the public, especially young people, about the potential of engineering on a global scale.”
The Queen
“This is a wonderful opportunity for engineers everywhere to show the world their work and have it honoured on an international platform. To simply be nominated for this award would be an achievement in itself but to win it would be to write your name in the annals of engineering history. ”
Lord Browne of Madingley, Chair
“We need to stop thinking of the engineer as a man with a greasy rag. The Queen Elizabeth Engineering Prize is what Britain has been waiting for; it is set to change our perception of engineers. This award celebrates global engineering success and will inspire Britain’s talented and creative young men and women to embrace engineering as their career of choice.”
Mandy Haberman, Inventor, Founder and Creative Director of Haberman Products Ltd
“As an engineer by training, I appreciate the importance of this award in recognising outstanding achievements in the field, but also in inspiring future generations of engineers.”
Virginia Rometty, President and Chief Executive Officer, IBM
“Engineering is a challenging and rewarding path to economic growth. My hope is that the prize will create new role models, inspiring young people to become scientists and engineers.”
Sir James Dyson, Founder, Dyson
“The creation of the Queen Elizabeth Prize is brilliant news for the discipline of engineering, which brings such benefits to us all. I hope the prize will recognise those who are making world-changing discoveries and inventions, and will inspire young people to follow in their footsteps.”
Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, Vice-Chancellor, The University of Cambridge
“Engineering excellence is all around us but often not appreciated or recognised. We are proud to support this prize which seeks to recognise those achievements, raise the profile of the sector and, importantly, inspire the next generation of engineers”.
Steve Holliday, Chief Executive, National Grid
“As a company active in products ranging from semiconductors to power plant systems, Toshiba recognises that engineering offers powerful tools and solutions for tackling the challenges society faces. For this reason, we are delighted to support the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering. Our approach to engineering focuses on innovation and imagination. The Queen Elizabeth Prize does the same and is a marvellous way to inspire the next generation of engineers worldwide.”
Norio Sasaki, President and CEO, Toshiba Corporation
“BP is pleased to be a founder supporter of this award. The award will provide an unparalleled opportunity to demonstrate how engineers and engineering are making a real difference across the world.”
Robert Dudley, Chief Executive, BP
“As one of the largest private employers of professional engineers in the UK, BAE Systems is proud to be supporting this unique prize for engineering. In these challenging economic times, it’s vital that we continue to commit and invest in our engineering and science capabilities as they offer viable and long-term opportunities for growth.”
Ian King, Chief Executive, BAE Systems
“I greatly welcome the establishment of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering. It will aid BG Group in its work with schools and universities aimed at stimulating a passion for engineering and science careers in the UK. The Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering will bring important public recognition to the vital contribution that engineering research makes to society and to the economy. I hope that, in turn, it will inspire young people to pursue the highly creative and fulfilling careers enjoyed by many professional engineers and scientists.”
Sir Frank Chapman, Chief Executive, BG Group
“Innovation drives commercial invention, pushes up productivity and needs to be at the heart of any agenda for economic growth. The UK is home to some of the world's most exciting and original innovation and engineering-based companies, including the pharmaceutical sector. This prize will reward genuine excellence and the joint investment by the government and private sector recognises that engineering will be pivotal to rebalancing Britain’s economy and reinforcing its international competitiveness.”
Andrew Witty, Chief Executive Officer, GlaxoSmithKline
"The UK has an incredibly rich heritage of engineering excellence and it is imperative that we nurture this vital skill. The opportunities for change today, driven by business and academia partnering in new and creative ways, are unprecedented: the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering celebrates this by recognising the elite innovators who will shape the future of our society."
Dr Ralf Speth, CEO, Jaguar Land Rover
“Engineers make a vital contribution - not only to the energy sector but to society at large – and it’s time this was recognised at the highest level around the world. Our hope is that this prize will help more people see the real value of engineering and inspire young people to view it as a career worth pursuing. At Shell we want to do this, not least because science and engineering will continue to play a critical role in the provision of energy for a growing global population.”
Malcolm Brinded, Executive Director Upstream International, Royal Dutch Shell plc
“Siemens is proud to support this prestigious prize. It should help put UK engineering back on the map, where it belongs.”
Andreas J. Goss, Chief Executive, Siemens UK and Cluster North West Europe, Siemens
“Sony Corporation welcomes the establishment of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering, which is expected to generate and foster new initiatives in engineering across the globe. With our heritage in cutting-edge technology, engineering and R&D, both in the UK and globally, we are excited to be part of this project and to ultimately deliver innovation to consumers and communities around the world.”
Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman, CEO and President, Sony Corporation
“The International Engineering Prize is intended to provide an incentive and recognition to individuals and companies engaged in engineering and manufacturing. I commend the UK government and the companies who have contributed to the prize’s endowment and am confident that the prize will contribute to the rejuvenation of the manufacturing industry in the UK.”
Ratan Naval Tata KBE, Chairman, Tata Group
“The 21st century poses formidable challenges and solutions to these challenges lie in developing scientific understanding and the technology based on that understanding. This prize rightly recognises this and celebrates the vast contribution that engineering and technology have already made.”
Professor Sir John Beddington CMG FRS, Chief Scientific Adviser, UK Government Adviser
“The Royal Society enthusiastically welcomes the Queen Elizabeth Prize in Engineering. This prize will showcase to the world how science and engineering benefit society.”
Sir Paul Nurse FRS, President, The Royal Society Trustee
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a major shift in the public perception of engineering. The products of engineering are everywhere, but too often the engineering and engineers behind even the most brilliant innovations remain hidden from public view. So the sheer excitement and creativity of professional engineering often do not get recognised, let alone celebrated. The search for the winning project will provide a platform to explore the best innovation in engineering across the world and inspire the public, especially young people, about the potential of engineering on a global scale.”
Sir John Parker FREng, President, The Royal Academy of Engineering Trustee