What does the future of engineering look like? A Biomedical Engineering Perspective

Ella Leatt, Cohort 2019

Biomedical engineers are professionals which combine the disciplines of biology and engineering in order to apply engineering principles in medical fields.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, biomedical engineering has come to the forefront of future technologies as a light has been shone on the need for virtual healthcare. Engineers will be required to develop technologies which will alter the way we manage our healthcare. We have already seen a shift in the way we view our own health with apps and smartwatches, but this is only the tip of the iceberg.

Five steps to changing your habits: An insight into mental resilience

Sam Casadei, Cohort 2019

As humans, we have an instinct to crave safety, an evolved desire that if left untreated, can become a hindrance to development. We all want to be comfortable in what we do, and we prefer to be in familiar surroundings. But at what cost? Why is Mental Resilience Important?

Three ways SELA helped me grow

Thomas Binu Thomas, Cohort 2019

SELA teaches engineering and computer science students the non-academic skills needed to enable a driven individual to strive in their workplace. But it is so much more than just a skill development opportunity! As Dr Gary Wood, Head of SELA, says: it is an individual journey that every single cohort member will experience differently throughout the two year period. If you were to listen to any exit interview, they would all be different! Here’s a small window into my own journey and what I have learnt so far during my first year at SELA.

Celebrating SELA’s Royal Academy of Engineers Scholarship Winners

SELA is proud to announce that members Sam Maxwell and Sam Rhodes have been chosen as winners of this year’s Engineering Leaders Scholarship from the Royal Academy of Engineering.

The RAEng has a long history of engineering excellence and part of this is identifying next generation leaders in the field. The Engineering Leaders Scholarship identifies these future leaders and supports their personal and professional development. The scholarship includes a £5,000 personal award over three years towards career development activities, as well as offering exciting opportunities to develop the winners’ potential, such as undertaking an accelerated personal development programme. All of which helps the winners bag that dream job post graduation!

The scholarship is open to all undergraduate students who have completed their first year in engineering or a related field, so competition for places is fierce. SELA would like to take this opportunity to extend a huge congratulations to both Sam Maxwell and Sam Rhodes for this phenomenal achievement.

Wellbeing & Managing Stress

Oskar Ernst, Cohort 2019

Mental health is as important as physical health as it dictates our thoughts, emotions and behaviour. To live a balanced life, we need to keep our wellbeing in check and not let stress get the better of us.

With that in mind, SELA’s first virtual workshop could not have come at a better time with the current stressful events that have hijacked our normal lives. The workshop was led by Pam Burrows, a wellbeing coach for the workplace, and was full of useful information on how to manage stress and increase wellbeing.

The Case for the Engineering Community to Take Action on Mental Health

Bertie Knight, Cohort 2018

Given the restrictions on our day-to-day lives at the moment, our collective mental health is unfortunately in a very vulnerable place, which is why I figured now would be a good time to write about it. Many people who we meet day-to-day can struggle with mental ill health, even without us realising it. In fact, according to NHS England, roughly one in four adults will experience a mental illness at some point each year in the UK.[1]

Here, I share the reasons I think workers in the engineering community can be susceptible to mental health problems, and what I think the engineering community should do about it.

Difficult Conversations: My Advice for Tackling Taboo Discussion Topics with Ease

Jack Trethewey, Cohort 2018

Think back to the last time you had to have a difficult conversation. Perhaps you were plucking up the courage to ask for that much-needed pay-rise. Maybe you wanted to give an uncooperative group member a piece of your mind. Or perhaps you were reaching the climax of some intense negotiations. How did the conversation make you feel? Did all participants get their desired outcome? Or did you choose to avoid the conversation, convincing yourself it was something for someone else to eventually deal with? Tricky chats have always filled me with a sense of dread and have usually left all parties involved feeling slightly dissatisfied. However, thanks to the entertaining workshop facilitated by Lucy Owens from Lucy Owens Coaching, actors Jamie Cymbal, Marie Ekins and Andrew Palmer, I realised that my conversation-anxiety was misplaced and that it is, more often than not, possible for everyone to come away from tough conversations feeling satisfied. So I am here to share with you some key things I learned, in the hope that you’ll also tackle any tricky talks with confidence and positivity.