Rory Bennett, Queen Mary University, London

receiving his Award from Dr Shini Somara with Master Engineer Eur Ing Penny Taylor, JP and Clerk Cdr Peter Gracey VR RN [photo courtesy of Mark Witter Photography] 

Rory Bennett completed both his primary and secondary education at Bishop Bavin School in Johannesburg, South Africa. From a young age, his parents fostered and encouraged his interests not only in the sciences but also in music and sports. This support allowed him to develop a passion for engineering and problem-solving early on, excelling in Mathematics, Physics, and IT during school. Beyond academics, he pursued a variety of extracurricular activities, from playing piano and guitar to participating in cooking competitions and obtaining an open water diving license.

Continuing his studies at the University of Pretoria, he earned his undergraduate, honours, and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering. His master’s research focused on wireless transport latencies and their effect on stable vehicle control from an off-site controller, culminating in a paper published in the IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transport Systems journal. Alongside his studies, he served as a teaching assistant, helping second- and fourth-year students in programming and control systems while also tutoring high school students.

After a two-year break spent exploring programming and mentoring students at a local girls’ high school, he embarked on a PhD at the University of York, later transferring to Queen Mary University of London. His doctoral research focuses on developing a potential prostate cancer screening technique using AI and surface-based ultrasound scans. His work has been widely recognised, with multiple conference presentations, a published research paper, and two more research papers currently under review. He also placed second in the University of York’s first-year thesis presentation competition.

Outside of research, he enjoys spending time outdoors, particularly hiking, trail running, and exploring new landscapes. His passion for adventure and exploration extends beyond engineering, making the most of every opportunity to be active. He has also contributed to outreach programs such as the Festival of Communities and the British Science Festival at Queen Mary, and in 2023 he competed in the Movella Biomechanics Competition with a team from York, securing third place.

The Mercia Award is made annually to a student for a postgraduate paper describing how engineering techniques are being used for the advancement of medical treatment and provides a medal and bursary towards the cost of a taught or research programme of postgraduate studies in Medical Engineering.

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.