Edinburgh scientists takes their research to Westminster

Two scientists from Edinburgh will be presenting their engineering research in Parliament to a range of politicians and a panel of expert judges as part of STEM for BRITAIN on Wednesday 13thMarch.

Athanasios Nathanail, 26, a PhD student at Heriot-Watt University and Afrooz Aryan, 37, a PhD Student at Heriot-Watt University, both from Edinburgh,  have been from hundreds of applicants to appear in Parliament and will be judged against dozens of other scientists’ research in the only national competition of its kind.

Athanasios’s poster focuses on his research about Human-Like Geological Interpretation by Using Artificial Intelligence Systems.

On presenting his research in Parliament, he said, “The reason I applied to participate in STEM for BRITAIN was to communicate my research topic to various people with different backgrounds and highlight the expected outcome of my project across multiple domains.

“The technology developed in this project can have a great impact on various fields by rapidly inventing multiple realizations and concepts, creating new knowledge, explaining the results with reasoning and evidence including images that, in geology, are the principle type of communication.

“The ability to act like a human geologist and produce plausible results and interpretations can have a vast impact to the geological community. Although my research is in the early stages, during the day in Parliament I hope to deliver a clear message about what I am aspiring to achieve upon completing this project as well as to draw the attention of the MPs to the excellent research program of Heriot-Watt University and supported by NERC in my case.”

Afrooz will profile her work on Planning for Scanning Using Building Information Modelling (BIM).

Afrooz said, “I would like to present my research to show women’s presence in the field of engineering and also to share my passion about finding a new approach to make Laser Scanning more practical in construction management.

“I hope during the session I could have enough opportunity to explain my research to a diverse audience, who do not necessarily have the background but need to know about the topics of research in Engineering in order to provide the supporting ground for future. ”

Stephen Metcalfe MP, Chairman of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee, said: “This annual competition is an important date in the parliamentary calendar because it gives MPs an opportunity to speak to a wide range of the country’s best young researchers.

“These early career engineers, mathematicians and scientists are the architects of our future and STEM for BRITAIN is politicians’ best opportunity to meet them and understand their work.”

Anjana’s research has been entered into the engineering session of the competition, which will end in a gold, silver and bronze prize-giving ceremony.

Judged by leading academics, the gold medalist receives £2,000, while silver and bronze receive £1,250 and £750 respectively.

The Parliamentary and Scientific Committee runs the event in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Institute of Physics, the Royal Society of Biology, The Physiological Society and the Council for the Mathematical Sciences, with financial support from the Clay Mathematics Institute, United Kingdom Research and Innovation, Warwick Manufacturing Group, Society of Chemical Industry, the Nutrition Society, Institute of Biomedical Science, the Heilbronn Institute for Mathematical Research and the Comino Foundation.

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davepickering

Edinburgh reporter and photographer