Author: anabristow

Big Data CPD Course

Author anabristow | Posted on

In line with fulfilling the needs of the Digital Skills requirement in the Engineering sector, UWE Bristol’s DETI Skills programme with its partner companies are delivering a free skills and training CPD course on Big Data.   

The course is free for all to attend but is specifically targeted to Technicians, Engineers, Operators, and anyone interested in upskilling or reskilling their knowledge in the subject area.  

Mode of Delivery: Online 

Date:    24th November 2021  

Time:    10.00  am – 16.00 pm

Cost:     Free to attend

Activity: Explore analytics models 

Review: Online assessment to test the understanding of participants

Strategic Alignment

This course supports the learning and the development of skills to breach the huge skills and employment gap in the UK for current and future engineers of the workforce through DETI delivery programmes.

Course Objective: The Big Data course will introduce Big data concepts and its’ applications. 

What is Big Data? 

Big Data refers to the analysis of large datasets to discover trends, correlations, or other insights not easily visible with smaller datasets or the conventional processing methods. With the high rate of adoption of sensors and connected devices with the internet of things, there has been a huge increase in the data points created in the manufacturing industry with the rise in data availability.  

Big data in manufacturing can discover new information and identify patterns that enable them to improve processes, increase supply chain efficiency and identify variables that affect production 

CPD Course in Big Data

Learn the fundamentals of big data with this CPD course which is designed to introduce you to this in-demand field, and will teach you how to design and implement big data analytics solutions. Delegates will also learn key tools and systems for working with big data such as Hadoop and Spark, and learn how to implement NoSQL data storage and processing solutions.

Course Delivery: 

Introduction to Big Data

  • Defining Big Data and sources of Big Data
  • The four dimensions of Big Data: Volume, velocity, variety, veracity
  • Big Data applications/examples in business
  • Delivering business benefit from Big Data
  • Establishing the business importance of Big Data

SQL Databases vs. NoSQL Databases 

  • Understand the growing amounts of data
  • RDBMSs ACID, and Introduction to NoSQL databases
  • Understanding the difference between a relational DBMS and a NoSQL database
  • Identifying the need to employ a NoSQL DB
  • Overview of Hadoop and Related Technologies 

Data Quality

  • Metrics and Measures: Why are the metrics and measures important for data quality estimation and how to select appropriate and relevant metrics for a project?
  • Tools and Techniques: How to estimate data quality using some of the current tools and technologies? How to use the tools and advantages/disadvantages of various tools.

Knowledge Retrieval

  • Knowledge Extraction: Types of knowledge
  • The lifecycle of knowledge extraction from big data
  • An overview of core principles and techniques used to extract knowledge, for example, classification, clustering and regression analysis.

Assessment

There will be a Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) via mentimeter both mid way and at the end of the course to gauge the understating of participants.

Attending the Course

To register your place on the course contact Dr. Ramin Amali  – ramin2.amali@uwe.ac.uk  or Dr. Halimah Abdullahi – halimah.abdullahi@uwe.ac.uk

New sustainability solutions show for schools heads to COP26!

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A new immersive experience developed by Explorer Dome in collaboration with the DETI Inspire team at UWE is being featured at the COP26 Green Zone this week.

We Make Our Future is a new interactive, educational & entertaining science show that celebrates the ingenuity of human engineering, addresses current issues around climate change and introduces digital engineering as a relevant and attainable aspiration for all young people.

The show is one of several educational workshops on offer from the DETI Inspire programme, designed to engage local children with design thinking for sustainability. For a full list of free workshops available for schools please visit https://digitaltrailblazers.net/resources or download the brochure below.

DETI Inspire Free Workshops for SchoolsDownload

The show

We Make Our Future is a presenter-led experience which can be delivered inside Explorer Dome in schools.

When inside, full-dome digital projections allow you to visit engineering marvels from history and explore the pros and cons of modern life. Industry, technology and invention have progressed civilisation, but at what cost? Get to know how the Engineering Design Process and application of digital technology can make the world a better place for us all.

Free shows for West of England Schools

The Digital Engineering Technology & Innovation (DETI) initiative have provided funding for 10 West of England schools* to experience this new show in the Explorer Dome inflatable planetarium for free! If you would like to bring the show to your school please apply for a free place by contacting deti@uwe.ac.uk

For any schools outside the West of England area, the show will also be available to book as part of Explorer Dome’s current programme of shows.

*Please note that free shows funded by DETI can only be offered to state schools in the West of England area with a high proportion of free school meals.

A pivotal moment in the fight against climate change

This November, the UK are hosting an event many believe to be the world’s best chance to get runaway climate change under control. COP26 is the 2021 United Nations climate change conference, bringing together almost every country on Earth for a global climate summit, to reach agreement on how to tackle climate change.

World leaders have been arriving in Glasgow this past week, alongside tens of thousands of negotiators, government representatives, businesses and citizens for twelve days of talks. Throughout the duration of the summit, the Green Zone will be open to the public at the Glasgow Science Centre, where youth groups, civil society, academia, artists, and business from across the UK and all over the world will be hosting events, exhibitions, cultural performances, workshops and talks.

We Make Our Future has been selected to feature in the Green Zone from Nov 8-10. Keep an eye on our Twitter channel for updates from the team in Glasgow. If you are visiting during the summit, you can book your free Green Zone tickets here https://ukcop26.org/the-conference/green-zone-programme-of-events/

UWE Bristol awarded prestigious British Construction Industry Award for School of Engineering building

Author anabristow | Posted on

UWE Bristol has won Social Infrastructure Project of the Year at the 2021 British Construction Industry Awards.

The well-deserving winners of the 2021 British Construction Industry Awards were crowned in front of the industry on Wednesday 13 October at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane in London.

Celebrating its 34th year, the British Construction Industry Awards brought together more than 600 of the most influential clients and peers in the built environment sector for a glittering evening of celebration, recognition and networking.

Following a rigorous judging process with a prestigious and independent panel of judges, UWE Bristol won in recognition of it’s innovative new School of Engineering building, which earlier this year achieved an “Excellent” rating for its green credentials from the international scheme BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method).

After receiving the Social Infrastructure of the year award, #TeamUWE then went on to win the Project of the Year Award, making our new engineering building a multi-award winning space! Huge congratulations to the entire project team:

  • Tod Burton – Deputy Dean, FET
  • Lisa Brodie – Head of Department: Engineering Design ＆ Mathematics
  • Marianne Reed – Senior Programme Manager
  • Chris English – Head of Technical Services, FET
  • Elena Marco – Head of Department: Architecture and the Built Environment
  • Stephen Denning – Estates Project Manager, Estates and Facilities
  • Doug MacLeod – ITS Strategic Business Partner
  • Richard Dewey and Paul McCluskey – BAM Contractors
  • Andrew Lintern and Darren Edson – Capita
  • Jim Crouch – MACE
  • Adam Spall and Hira Teirney  – AHR Architects
  • Stuart Hitchcock, Eunan Scanlon & Simon Nation – Hydrock Consultants

What did the judges say?

The judges were impressed at how well this project delivered against a range of challenges, firstly the intelligent design impressed – where every space within is a potential learning space, and design choices are made to not only encourage collaboration, but also to ready students for their future careers in engineering by replicating the types of environments they will go on to work in. 

Secondly the judges were impressed with how the project was delivered – strong use of digital tools and a real focus on driving down carbon use in construction and driving up the long term sustainability of the structure. The judging panel also noted how the scheme was used to engage and inspire young people into a future in engineering, through engagement with schools, apprenticeships, work experience and long term roles created. 

The standard of entry this year was very high indeed, but the judges awarded the prize to this scheme for all-round excellent performance.  Congratulations, UWE!

Claire Smith, editor of New Civil Engineer said:

Everyone on the shortlist should be immensely proud of their achievements – the judges had a really challenging time deciding on the winners.

The last year has been extremely challenging but despite the difficulties, this year’s entries show that the industry has responded and taken delivery of value, carbon reduction and improved societal outcomes to a new standard. This year’s winners have taken that standard to the highest level and we have some exemplary projects and initiatives that really shine a light on the brilliance of the British construction industry.

The full list of winners can be found at: bcia.newcivilengineer.com/2021-winners

Sustainability solutions show from UWE Bristol chosen to take part in COP26

Author anabristow | Posted on

A new planetarium show designed with the Engineering department at UWE Bristol has been chosen to showcase sustainability solutions as part of the Green Zone at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow on 31 October – 12 November 2021.

The team will be exhibiting “We Make Our Future”, an interactive, educational & entertaining science show for the next generation of engineers. The show has been designed with planetarium experts Explorer Dome, and is part of the Inspire educational work from the Digital Engineering Technology and Innovation (DETI) team at UWE Bristol. 

Full-dome projections allow attendees to visit engineering marvels from history and explore the pros and cons of modern life. The team aims to celebrate the ingenuity of human engineering, address current issues around Climate Change, and introduce engineering as a relevant and attainable aspiration for all young people.

Guests will learn how the Engineering Design Process can spark our imagination for sustainability solutions to the greatest challenges of our time.

Cllr Toby Savage enjoyed a sneak peak of the show at UWE’s recent Zero Carbon Tour event

Inspiring climate action

To achieve net zero and a low carbon global economy, everything we make and use will need to be completely re-imagined and re-engineered. The digital revolution is boosting the potential for engineers’ design thinking to optimise not only the development process but also the potential for collaborative citizen engagement. That’s where DETI comes in, bringing together industry, academia, and education from across the West of England region. The research collaboration aims to identify and develop the tools, technologies, processes, and skills needed to rapidly accelerate and embed digital engineering to deliver energy transition and clean transport.

We are so pleased to be selected to attend COP26 – at such a critical time in history, all industries need to come together to make a difference for our future. Our new show celebrates the ingenuity of human engineering and shows how we can harness our creativity to implement sustainability solutions. Thinking like an engineer offers hope to solve global problems and bring about real change. We see this as a call to action for the diverse and socially conscious engineers of today – and tomorrow.

Project Lead Dr Laura Fogg Rogers, Senior Lecturer in STEM Education and Communication, UWE Bristol

The COP26 summit will bring parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The theme is #TogetherForOurPlanet, and UWE Bristol will also be highlighting our climate action through the new linked Climate Action Hub on the Frenchay Campus.

The ‘We Make Our Future’ show is available to tour schools after COP26 in Explorer Dome’s mobile planetarium. To book the show please look at the resources here: https://digitaltrailblazers.co.uk/resources

Blog written by Anna Jones, Research Business and Innovation Unit, UWE Bristol

New Community STEM Club in Eastville launched

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A new Community STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths) Club run by UWE Bristol academics and local volunteers has launched at the Old Library Community Hub in Eastville.

The first session was incredibly well attended, with around 60 children and their parents and carers getting involved in the various activities on offer.

The Bristol version of Minecraft was especially popular at the club. Developed by the DETI Inspire team, local design and engineering consultancy Atkins, and Science Hunters, it gives children the opportunity to digitally explore, build, re-design and re-engineer their city and the surrounding area.

The Thymio robots were also very well received during the session. The small androids are designed to introduce children to programming and coding through interactive play. There were also a range of “analogue” STEM themed activities available, including construction sets, games, craft and books.

The sessions take place every Thursday 3.30-6pm and are free of charge. They are run on a drop-in basis with no prior booking required. The activities vary from week to week, depending on volunteer and equipment availability.

The club is co-developed by Old Library volunteers and the DETI Inspire Team at UWE. It receives further support from the STEM Ambassador Hub for the West of England. For more information on how to get involved or how to support the club, please get in touch with hello@theoldlibrary.org.uk or deti@uwe.ac.uk.

UWE Launches Climate Action Hub

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The #ZeroCarbonTour made a stop at UWE Bristol earlier this month, on its way through the UK to COP26 in Glasgow this November. Its aim is to share the net zero message and raise awareness of the UN Race to Zero and the UK’s #TogetherForOurPlanet campaign.

The event brought together local companies and UWE researchers to showcase their low or zero carbon technologies, campaigns and initiatives, through a series of talks and exhibitions – the perfect launch event for UWE’s new Climate Action Hub!

The School of Engineering atrium was transformed, with several stalls exhibiting staff and student projects, including teams from ClairCity, WeCount, Bristol BioEnergy and many more! We also had a visit from Explorer Dome – a large inflatable planetarium with 360 video projection.

Explorer Dome have been developing a new sustainability solutions science show with the DETI Inspire team, which will begin touring local schools this Autumn term.

South Glos Councillor Toby Savage and Metro Mayor Dan Norris enjoyed a sneak peak of the new show We Make Our Future which celebrates the ingenuity of human engineering, addresses current issues around Climate Change and introduces Digital Engineering as a relevant and attainable aspiration for all young people.

The Z block foyer will continue to host the Climate Action Hub throughout the 2021/22 academic year, providing a dedicated space to showcase the work of UWE staff and students and inspire others to take action on the climate and ecological emergency.

We want to hear from you!

Are you doing something cool for the planet? If you would like to host a take-over of the Climate Action Hub or get involved with UWE’s Green Week this October please email engineeringourfuture@uwe.ac.uk

Say YEESS to climate action!

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DETI Inspire at UWE Bristol have partnered with I’m an Engineer to host an online sustainability and engineering youth summit this October, ahead of the UN climate change summit COP26 taking place in Glasgow this November.

The Youth Engineering for Environmental Sustainability Summit (YEESS) will enable young people from the West of England region to connect with local engineers and policymakers, to explore how engineering can help tackle the Climate Emergency and discuss the interconnected solutions needed for future sustainability.

On the 11, 12 and 13 October, sixth form students from across the region will come together to discuss potential solutions, using the engineering design process to explore ideas.

The summit will focus on three key themes from the Bristol Climate Action Plan to reach net zero by 2030: Transport, Energy and Waste.

Through a series of videos and live chats, students can visualise what climate solutions look like, from engineering innovation to societal change, discover what green jobs and career paths are available, and have the opportunity to ask questions of our four West of England political leaders, Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees, Councillor Toby Savage of South Gloucestershire Council, Councillor Sarah Warren of Bath and North East Somerset Council, and West of England Mayor Dan Norris.

See the full programme here.

Register your interest

If you are a teacher, parent, carer, or young person, and would like to know more or register your place at the summit, please sign up here.

If you are a West of England engineer and would like to take part in a live chat during the summit, please register your interest here.

Each evening will also see a green jobs panel to discuss routes into these industries. This will also form part of Bristol Technology Festival on Tuesday 12th October at 19:30 – find out more about the live talk here.  

YEESS is a joint project by I’m an Engineer, Get me out of here and UWE Bristol, with funding from the initiative for Digital Engineering Technology & Innovation (DETI) as part of the DETI Inspire programme.

Empowering WECA pupils with data for sustainable school streets

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Speeding cars, traffic jams, air pollution… these are but a few of the grievances the average city dweller contends with on a daily basis. Below the driving age, children in the West of England do not contribute to these problems, yet they are among the most vulnerable to their consequences.

To allow children to safely make their way to school, without the need to breathe in polluted air and to arrive in a timely manner, EU citizen science project WeCount, together with DETI Inspire, has launched a series of educational resources for KS2 and KS4 pupils.

Covering a wide range of subjects, all curriculum linked, children are able to learn about the grand challenges’ cities face in relation to urban travel, and the steps they can take collectively to make their school streets, and cities, safer, healthier and happier.

By taking part, schools can gain points towards Modeshift STARS Travel Plan accreditation.

This collaborative project is coordinated by UWE researchers from the Science Communication Unit. Project manager Laura Fogg-Rogers explains why these resources are so important:

Road transport is a leading cause of air pollution and climate change within the West of England. For our cities to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2030, the date which scientist warn is our deadline to keep global warming below 1.5°C and prevent runaway climate change, drastic changes need to be made to every aspect of life, not least driving. WeCount sensors and associated school resources are one piece of the puzzle in helping citizens to create the changes they wish to see.

Dr Laura Fogg-Rogers, Senior Lecturer for the Science Communication Unit and Engineering Design & Mathematics Department, UWE Bristol

What is WeCount?

WeCount, led by UWE Bristol, is a project that equips households, community centres and schools with low-cost traffic sensors to count cars, bikes, pedestrians and heavy vehicles, as well as the speed of cars. Over time, the citizen scientists can observe trends and use the evidence to lobby for changes on their roads. Among the successes with WeCount data so far, citizens across Europe have convinced their councils to install speed cameras and reduce road speeds, and consider bike lanes and pedestrianisation, spread awareness among residents and contributed to consultations on new housing developments.

How do we get involved?

WeCount is giving away 20 sensors to schools across the West of England. Contact engineeringourfuture@uwe.ac.uk to apply.

KS2 resources are freely available here. KS4 due for release early Autumn term. Email the above email address if you would like to be sent a KS4 pack directly to your school when available. All resources can be delivered without a sensor, using the data available at https://www.telraam.net/en

You are also able to buy all of the components required for the sensor at PiHut. More details on the equipment you need are included in the component list below.

Traffic-senssor-component-parts-list-UKDownload

What’s inside the KS2 pack?

A whole school assembly

Fifteen curriculum-linked worksheets, with instructions and PowerPoint for teachers, covering Geography, IT, Maths, Science, Art and English, Design and Technology. These include tasks to: collect and analyse data; understand different urban travel views; design a bike for the future; vision a healthier, happier school street; and persuade the mayor to consider your proposals.

Lessons can be delivered independently or combined for after-school clubs or themed curriculum, and can be teacher-led or with the support of UWE or STEM Ambassadors.

What’s inside the KS4 pack?

A whole school assembly

Ten curriculum-linked worksheets, with instructions and PowerPoint for teachers, covering nearly all GCSE subjects – Geography, Computer Science, Maths, Science, Citizenship and English, Design and Technology, History and Engineering. These activities include tasks to: learn about the influence of powerful actors on the proliferation of the car; collect and analyse data; explore the science behind the sensors; debate the role of AI in solving the climate crisis; research local travel issues and viewpoints; design interventions and deliver action projects; creatively write about their experiences.

Lessons can be delivered independently or combined for after-school clubs or themed curriculum, and can be teacher-led or with the support of UWE or STEM Ambassadors.

DETI announces key research results

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DETI has announced key research highlights and results from the partners collaborating on the programme, developed to help UK manufacturers achieve engineering leadership and better sustainability. 

Digital Now presents nine key research highlights; from a visualisation tool that displays carbon emissions, and an industry first with sustainable prototyping to a novel software system used to improve fault detection  –  these are just a snapshot of the digital technologies and research showcased.

The work of UWE Bristol research teams are featured, including our research into automating and digitalising the inspection process of composite materials using a novel software system and state-of-the-art machine learning techniques, and bringing digitalisation to the manufacturing process using immersive technologies such as augmented reality.

Our DETI Skills programme is also featured, highlighting the successful launch of our educational resource packs and recent outreach events including the Big Beam In.

Read the full results report here.

New Digital Trailblazers App Launched for West of England

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The University of the West of England’s Department of Engineering Design and Mathematics have today launched their new mobile app, Digital Trailblazers, as part of their work for the Digital Engineering Technology and Innovation (DETI) Skills programme.  

Digital Trailblazers highlights the West’s best engineering inventions of the past, present, and future, and showcases the organisations and people that create them. 

The West of England has a rich engineering heritage and is also home to businesses and organisations pioneering the latest in digital technologies. With the new Digital Trailblazers app, you can now explore famous engineering landmarks, businesses, and institutions via a series of trails throughout the West of England, digitally or on foot. 

The app features an interactive map of the West of England, with key engineering locations highlighted, each with its own information page, allowing users to quickly and easily explore what is on offer in their locality as well as discovering engineering landmarks from further afield. 

Several of the locations have been grouped into themed trails, allowing users to visit engineering attractions in person, using the mobile app to navigate through a series of locations by foot, bike or e-scooter.  

Trails include the Bristol Harbourside Trail, a 5km family-friendly walk around the floating harbour, and the Bristol Brunel Loop, a longer and more challenging trail that weaves through the city centre from Temple Meads station up to the iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge. 

Designed to be a hub for all things engineering in the region, Digital Trailblazers links to other successful projects led by UWE Bristol’s EDM department, as part of the West of England Combined Authority’s DETI programme, including Curiosity Connections, Diversity Demonstrator, and Women Like Me, and hosts locally relevant educational resources, including the new school resource packs from UWE Bristol: The West in Minecraft, WeCount Schools and Engineering Curiosity. 

DETI is a strategic programme of the West of England Combined Authority, delivered by the National Composites Centre, in partnership with the Centre for Modelling & Simulation, Digital Catapult, the University of the West of England, the University of Bristol, and the University of Bath. 

These educational packs link curriculum learning to real-world projects and people in the West of England, engaging children with local engineering career opportunities. They have been developed by the DETI Inspire team at UWE Bristol with the aim of inspiring the next generation of digital engineers. 

The resources are designed to be delivered or supplemented with a visit from a local STEM Ambassador or engineering professional, and it is hoped that through positive role modelling experiences like these, that more children, particularly those from underrepresented groups within engineering, will choose to study and pursue a career in the field. 

The West of England is well known as a hive of historic engineering activity, from Brunel to Concorde.  This new app highlights the digital trailblazers around our region, continuing this tradition of ingenuity with green and digital innovation. We aim to showcase the West’s future for sustainable engineering, connecting up our innovators and inspiring engineering curiosity for young people.

Dr Laura Fogg-Rogers, Senior Lecturer and DETI Inspire lead, UWE Bristol

Digital Trailblazers has been developed by the DETI Inspire team at UWE Bristol’s Department of Engineering Design and Mathematics with funding from the Digital Engineering Technology & Innovation initiative (DETI). For more information, please visit https://www.digitaltrailblazers.net/about or contact engineeringourfuture@uwe.ac.uk  

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