Jane Doran, Coundon Court School, Coventry

receiving her Stephenson Award from Mark Wild OBE FREng, the CEO of SGN, with Master Engineer Dr Dolores Byrne OBE. [image courtesy of Mark Witter photography]

Jane is an exceptional teacher at Coundon Court School, Coventry who goes out of her way to ensure that all pupils grasp the essentials of science and mathematics.  She runs her own after-school VEX Robot Club every Wednesday, a First® Lego® League club every Friday, and assists others with their after-school Science Clubs.  She also leads the school’s Careers Fair and its annual STEM day.

Jane makes a point of bringing her club members to other local activities including a Robot Day where she and some of her pupils give presentations of their achievements to other schools.  Last year she also obtained funding from IMechE which enabled her to share her work directly with local primary schools on robots and STEM with very positive feedback.

Her latest initiative has resulted in many of her pupils working with a local architect and a builder for a building at the school completed in 2022, and for all the other replacement buildings now being considered.  Finally, Jane finds time to be Akela at a local Cub-Scout Pack where she also inspires both boys and girls in scouting and in STEM.

The Stephenson Award is for those who have been particularly successful in encouraging young people to study engineering with an emphasis, but not exclusively, on mechanical engineering. In 1997, members of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers made donations to fund a Worshipful Company of Engineers Loving Cup to mark the Institution’s 150th Anniversary. Donations in excess of those needed for the Loving Cup were used to establish the Stephenson Award and further donations were received from members in later years, supplemented by a substantial grant from Rolls-Royce plc. The Engineers’ Company acknowledges the assistance of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the EDT (formerly the Engineering Development Trust) with nominations for this Award.

The Worshipful Company of Engineers Charitable Trust (the Engineers Trust) acknowledges excellence in engineering, supports engineering education and research, gives grants and assists in the relief of hardship and poverty.