Engineering student awarded STEM scholarship

A Teesside University student has secured a scholarship from Dogger Bank Wind Farm which was developed to support young adults studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

The Scholarship Fund provides £5,000 each to 25 university students from coastal communities in the north and north-east of England undertaking STEM courses.

The grants provided this month are the first round of the Scholarship Fund, with a total of 62 scholarships being awarded during the construction of the wind farm.

Mechanical Engineering student Ethan Young, from Redcar, was delighted to be among those who have received a scholarship.

He said: ‘Teesside is rich in engineering history, and it is something I have always been interested in.

‘You can change the future by the way you design and develop new technologies.

‘I think the financial support provided by the wind farm is really immense as it allows you to fully focus your time on your studies rather than have the burden of financial worries associated with university.’

Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm once construction has been completed and will be able to power 6 million homes.

Its scholarships form part of a £1m programme of investment which was unveiled in June to support the coastal communities where its onshore infrastructure is being developed.

The programme includes a significant investment in STEM, as well as an operators fund to support local causes.

Lindsay Dougan, Community Investment Manager for Dogger Bank Wind Farm, said: ‘The quality of scholarship applications from students was very high and shows the excellent subjects being studied by local people.

‘We are proud to help 25 young people take steps into further education and to support the workforce of the future as we continue our work to build the world’s largest offshore wind farm.’

Sajid Abdullah, Programme Leader BEng/MEng Mechanical Engineering at Teesside University, said: ‘We are really pleased Ethan has been selected by the Scholarship Fund, and we hope other students will take up future opportunities.

‘Renewable energy growth is poised to accelerate as concern for climate change and demand for cleaner energy sources accelerates and offers fantastic opportunities for Teesside University engineering graduates.’

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