A team of Lower Sixth students from Hurst College took part in the Big Bang South East Region Science and Engineering Competition last month and won two special awards, the overall competition and the title of Young Engineers of the Year.

Bella Shepard, Matthieu Bridger, Olivia Hampshire and George Rodriguez were showcasing their Engineering Education Scheme and Gold CREST project on Improving Coagulation and Flocculation in Wastewater Treatment.

Since winning an innovation award in April they worked tirelessly on improving their experimental data and design of static mixers. They tested their revolutionary and totally organic chemical, chitosan, on actual treated sewage water, which produced impressive results to support its suggested use as a replacement for the currently used ferric chloride, which leaves a heavy metal residue. They also designed and 3D printed in array of static mixers, along with a creative modular system of incorporating the mixers into currently used sewage treatment plants.

The team were delighted to be given two special awards: the Electric Prize for Commercial Potential sponsored by Eurotherm and the Prize for Research sponsored by Photek. These were topped, however, by the team being announced overall winners of the competition and a place in the national finals.