The Ingenious grant funded project welcomed 80 high school students to the FloWave Ocean Energy Research Facility to explore wave behaviour using remote lab ripple tanks and to meet our engineers. Pupils met engineers who shared their backgrounds and how they became engineers, and gave a demonstration of the FloWave tank, including its spike wave capability. The School of Engineering team developed a set of remote lab ripple tanks for pupils to measure wave length and speed to support teaching physics concepts as part of the high school curriculum. Remote labs are controlled using an online interface featuring a camera, so pupils can see the experiment in action. While visiting campus, pupils designed a curved reflector to bounce waves and gather data about wave behaviour, building an understanding of the fundamental wave principles that underpin the design of experiments used to test marine renewable energy technologies. Their reflectors were placed in the ripple tank which pupils then operated remotely. The pupils met a diverse range of our engineers who spoke to them about their career paths and what it means to be an engineer. Pupils unable to attend campus can access these experiments online along with a bank of videos from our engineers showcasing examples of careers in engineering. Pupils at the event said: "It was very insightful and helpful and inspiring to hear people from all walks of life are able to become amazing engineers" and "Just seeing female engineers was very encouraging." Dr Katie Grant, Widening Participation and Outreach Manager, commented: After meeting teachers and reps from exam boards at the ASE teachers conference, it was very clear that the ripple tank is a tricky experiment for all schools to demonstrate in class either due to lack of equipment or due to the shortage in specialist physics teachers across the UK. By developing these ripple tanks, we hope to provide a ready-made, easy to access activity that fits the curriculum and allows pupils to do real experimental work. It was great to have pupils come to campus to see our world-leading research facilities and test out the tanks!Remote labs are used at the School of Engineering to conduct experiments from anywhere and at any time. They allow students to use real engineering and scientific hardware via a simple web browser. Each setup includes electronic sensors and actuators to collect data. Cameras let students watch the experiments as they happen. The Royal Academy of Engineering awarded the School of Engineering an Ingenious grant of £26,198 for a public engagement project designed to inspire the next generation of engineers. Funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the projects engage communities throughout the UK to help reach underrepresented audiences and change perceptions of engineering. The programme provides engineers with training and encouragement to share their stories and engineering expertise with the public. Related links Remote Labs Ingenious public engagement grants scheme: The Royal Academy of Engineering Publication date 23 Jul, 2026
