23 July 2010
Graduates cross deserts and mountains in charity feat
Mechanically-minded graduates will be embarking upon a 10,000 mile adventure across deserts and mountains in a beaten old banger tomorrow (24 July 2010), as part of a bid to raise cash for charity and put their engineering expertise to the test.
Philip Turnock (22) and George Dinsdale (22), who graduate today from the University´s Department of Mechanical Engineering, along with their friend William Day (22), will be revving-up their engines and setting off on the Mongol Rally, a charity challenge which gets participants to travel a third of the way around the world in a car costing less than £1000 with an engine smaller than 1.2 litres.
Set with the task of using a car unsuitable for the challenge, the team used £500 in funding from the department to buy a £900 Ford Fiesta as their form of transport across uneven, rocky terrain during the four-week long challenge. Because the likelihood of breakdowns is high and the trip is unsupported, it will be down to the graduates to be creative with their mechanical solutions to any hiccups along the way.
Each team taking part in the rally must raise a minimum of £1,000 for their designated charities and the intrepid University team have selected the Mercy Corps, who distribute aid and support to communities living in rural and extremely harsh conditions, preserving a traditional way of life. Upon arrival at the finish line in Mongolia, the car will be auctioned off, with all the proceeds going to struggling local farmers in the region.
The Mongol Rally, which first began six years ago, attracts 400 teams of people and does not require participants to follow a set route. Instead, it only lists starting points in England, Spain or Italy and an end location in the Mongolian capital Ulaan Baatar, giving participants the chance to go all over the world on their way, whether that be as far north as the arctic circle or as far south as Afghanistan.
During their attempt to cross the finish line in Mongolia, the University team have devised a route that will see them cross 16 countries, ranging from the highly westernised to the developing economies. These will include Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Romania and Russia and the graduates hope to capture the highs and lows of their travel on camcorder.
Philip Turnock, a MEng graduate from the University of Sheffield´s Department of Mechanical Engineering, said: "I´m really excited about the adventure and I can´t think of a better way to cap off four years in Sheffield. Our aim for the rally is to make it there in one piece and enjoy every minute of it along the way!"
Notes for Editors: To find out more about the Mongol Rally, visit the link below.
The Faculty of Engineering at the University of Sheffield is one of the largest in the UK. Its seven Departments include over 2,500 students and 700 staff and have research-related income worth more than £40M per annum from government, industry and charity sources. The 2008 Research Assessment Exercise confirmed that two thirds of their research was in the top two categories of Internationally Excellent or Internationally Leading. In the 2008 National Student Survey, 93% of graduates expressed satisfaction with their courses, placing the Faculty equal first in the UK. The faculty has a long tradition of working with industry as exemplified by the award-winning Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and the new £25 million Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (NAMRC). To find out more about the Faculty of Engineering, visit the link below.
For further information please contact: Shemina Davis, Media Relations Officer, on 0114 2225339 or email shemina.davis@sheffield.ac.uk
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