QC Old Boy among winners of UWI engineering competition

Apr 15, 2013 News

Three engineering students from the University of the West Indies (UWI), including a former Queen’s College student, got the opportunity of a lifetime when they won the grand finals of BP Trinidad and Tobago’s “Ultimate Field Trip 2013” competition held at the BP TT hospitality suite at the Queen’s Park Oval.

Guyanese Azam Ally (centre) and his Team Innovo colleagues.

The winners were Omari Blackman, Azam Ally of Guyana, and Ravier Weekes, of the Faculty of Engineering, UWI, St Augustine, members of “Team Innovo”. They received prizes worth TT$10,000, but the real reward is a two-week field trip to BP’s Norway and North Sea (Shetland Islands) operations. While there, the students will meet other international winners from the UK and US, as well as industry experts.
This is the first time steps were taken to encourage intense participation from Trinidad and Tobago. The competition is targeted at Undergraduate and Masters’ students in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. It challenges teams of three students to safely and responsibly solve a real-world problem connected to the growing demand for energy.
Norman Christie, Regional President, BPTT, was pleased with the outcome of the initiative. “Throughout the competition, we saw participants who epitomise the energy and promise of youth. The judges had a tough job and many of the projects submitted have great potential.
“At BPTT we sincerely believe that investment in young people is a critical part of development and we are especially proud to note that since 2002 we have employed 15 to 20 graduates each year. The fact that our future is in the hands of these young people is very promising and we are proud of them all,” Christie told participating students.
The scenario for the competition was based on the outlook that by 2030 the world will require 50 percent more energy than is used today. At the same time, due to the rising cost of fossil fuels, the cost of Passenger Kilometres Travelled (PKT) will increase. Teams were required to develop a single original technology-focused, practical and innovative solution to significantly reduce the cost of PKT per capita in their country by 2030.
The winning submission centered on a proposed Thermal Energy Recovery System (TERS) that will utilise the wasted heat generated by engines to power or re-charge car batteries. Team Innovo, like the others who participated, were guided by experts who work at BPTT.
Speaking on behalf of Team Innovo, Omari Blackman expressed the satisfaction of victory. “We have been working hard since November last year and it feels really great to be selected as the best. We believe that our idea can make a difference and we hope to see it implemented one day.
“Students should enter this competition because the benefits are limitless as you get to meet experts in various fields as well as other creative and pioneering students. We look forward to going on the field trip and BPTT has opened a world of opportunity for us that we intend to make the most of,” Blackman said.
Ally, an old student of Queen’s College, said that he joined the competition because it called for applying innovative engineering solutions to real world problems.
Additionally, he said, the opportunity to meet and present to BP executives was very appealing. “I am currently studying Computer and Electrical Engineering at the University of the West Indies. In the years to come, I intend to use my knowledge and skills to be at the forefront of technological advancement and innovation in Guyana,” he noted.
The initiative started off with 23 teams that were whittled down to the four final teams following the preliminary and semi-final rounds.

Server Sunday: awards
Caption: Guyanese Azam Ally (centre) and his Team Innovo colleagues.