Congratulations Class of 2019!

Huge congratulations to our Class of 2019, who donned their caps and gowns on Wednesday 17th July to receive their mechanical engineering degrees.

Man gives a speech to graduates

It was fantastic to see our students become alumni, attending their graduation ceremony at the Octagon Centre. Here they were confirmed as graduates, all watched on by University dignitaries, Department academics, friends and family.


We are really pleased to welcome our graduates and their guests to celebrate today. It is the culmination of lots of hard work by our students and from all at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, congratulations - we are very proud of you all.

Neil Sims

Head of Department


The ceremony also included the presentation of a Senate Award for Leadership in Learning and Teaching to Dr Beverley Gibbs, a senior academic within the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Following the graduation event, graduates and their families were invited to attend also a special celebration event hosted by the Department following the ceremony, where staff and lecturers offered their congratulations to our newly graduated students too.

“We are really pleased to welcome our graduates and their guests to celebrate today,” said Neil Sims, Head of Department, during the event. “It is the culmination of lots of hard work by our students and from all at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, congratulations - we are very proud of you all.”

Alongside the opportunity to celebrate with classmates, a number of prizes were also presented during the festivities, highlighting graduates who had shown outstanding academic achievement whilst studying for their degrees.

Prizes awarded included:

  • Mappin Medal and Premium - awarded to Daniel Pitchforth
  • Baker Prize - awarded to Joshua Astley
  • Daniel Doncaster Prizes in Engineering Materials and Design - awarded to Fiona Westcough
  • Hector Aitkin Wainwright Prize - awarded to Hanting Xiao
  • The Chris Wilson Prize for Technical Communication – awarded to Joseph Baldwin
  • Richard Pover Outstanding Contribution Award - awarded to Máté Lukacs
  • Richard Pover Year in Industry Prize – awarded to Christopher Checkley
  • Marjorie Mallik Award for Mechanical Engineering Communication and Outreach - awarded to Yaser Rauf
  • The IMechE Institution Best Project Certificate and Medal - awarded to Fiona Westcough
  • The Frederic Barnes Waldron Best Student Certificate and Medal - awarded to Daniel Pitchforth

IMechE Best Project Certificates:

  • BEng Mechanical Engineering – awarded to Joshua Astley
  • BEng Mechanical Engineering with a Year in Industry – awarded to Stefan Karmakov
  • MEng Mechanical Engineering with a Year in Industry – awarded to Benjamin Peters
  • MEng Mechanical Engineering with a Year in North America - awarded to Jack Poole
  • MEng Mechanical Engineering with Nuclear Technology – awarded to Thomas Powell
  • MEng Mechanical Engineering with Biomechanics - awarded to Arthur King
  • MEng Mechanical Engineering with Biomechanics with a Year in Industry – awarded to Samuele Gould

IMechE Best Student Certificates:

  • BEng Mechanical Engineering - awarded to Hanting Xiao
  • BEng Mechanical Engineering with a Year in Industry – awarded to Stefan Karmakov
  • MEng Mechanical Engineering – awarded to Alex O’Connell
  • MEng Mechanical Engineering with a Year in Industry – awarded to Daniel Pitchforth
  • MEng Mechanical Engineering with a Year in North America – awarded to Andrew Loat
  • MEng Mechanical Engineering with Nuclear Technology – awarded to Thomas Powell
  • MEng Mechanical Engineering with Biomechanics – awarded to Helen Clark
  • MEng Mechanical Engineering with Year in Industry – awarded to Samuele Gould

Congratulations again Class of 2019, we wish you the very best of luck with your future plans and keep in touch! #shefunigrad

Visit our Facebook page for more photos from the celebrations!

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