Materials Processing Institute hosts exhibition celebrating the best of North East innovation
The Materials Processing Institute is hosting a free exhibition celebrating the North East’s world-changing feats of engineering.
Graft & Glory is a travelling exhibition from The Common Room, formerly known as The Mining Institute, highlighting the achievements of the region’s past and present innovators.
Running from Monday 20 January until Friday 31 January, it charts the development of the industry, from the world’s first passenger railway, the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825, through to today’s renewable energy projects.
It is being staged at the Teesside campus of the Institute, which works with global steel and materials industries to undertake cutting-edge research and innovation in advanced materials, low carbon energy, the circular economy and digital technologies.
Several other events designed to encourage and inspire the next generation of engineers are being held to coincide with the exhibition’s visit.
These include schools being offered a series of Northern Aspirations Workshops which will provide an opportunity for local primary school children to use their scientific skills to solve real world problems. The event is organised by The Common Room with support from the Institute’s research staff.
A Curious Minds Family Activities session is held on Monday 27 January from 3.30pm until 6pm, designed to unleash the inner engineer through a range of challenges suitable for all the family.
Other events include the Words for Work: Dream Big Programme which focuses on linking literacy skills to the world of work. A Year 1 class from Lockwood Primary School, Boosbeck, will take part in the programme, organised by the National Literacy Trust with support from Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council and the Institute.
Finally, the public are invited to drop in during opening times between Wednesday 22 January to Friday 24 January to witness contemporary artist Eddy Dreadnought create an artwork based on the temperature variations of steel.
Liz Mayes, chief executive of The Common Room, said: “The Materials Processing Institute is an ideal venue to stage this exhibition along with other events that promote engineering and science as it remains at the forefront of research and innovation.”
Chris McDonald, chief executive of the Institute, added: “I hope that by highlighting this region’s proud industrial past, Graft & Glory will encourage and inspire the next generation of engineers required to keep the North East at the forefront of innovation.”
The Materials Processing Institute is at Eston Road, Middlesbrough, TS6 6US. For exhibition opening times visit: https://www.mpiuk.com/events.htm or call 01642 382000.
Engineers and businesses are invited to attend a panel discussion at the Institute on The Future of Engineering in the UK.
Organised by the Cleveland Institution of Engineers, The Common Room and the Materials Processing Institute, it is being held on Tuesday 21 January from 8.30am to 10.30am.
The panel comprises Dr Jonathan Aylen, president of the Newcomen Society; Liz Mayes, chief executive of The Common Room, Penny Marshall, regional director of the Institute of Civil Engineers and Paul Freeman, Head of Blast Furnaces, Primetals Technologies Ltd and Ben Houchen, Tees Valley Mayor. It will be chaired by Chris McDonald, chief executive of the Materials Processing Institute
17 January 2020
