Festival of Design and Innovation - Design Show 2007
170 new designs and prototypes
The Festival of Design and Innovation presented the first opportunity for the public to view over 170 new designs and prototypes created by students completing courses in Product Design, Interior Design, Computer Aided Product Design, Interior Design and Fashion & Textiles.
Inventor and entrepreneur Mandy Haberman, recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from BU in 2005, officially opened the Festival and said she was "blown away by the standard and volume of designs on display."
"BUs Design Show is a flagship event," she continued. "I would like to see more universities follow suit. Well done Bournemouth!"
Mandy invented the 'Anyway Up Cup' a non drip container that is sealed between sips and has won a variety of awards for her unique design and been recognised by the Queen as a Pioneer to the Life of the Nation.
The festival welcomed over 700 visitors to BUs Talbot Campus during the four days.
Prizes were awarded to:
Ashley Rose for his Modular magnetic Measurement Sensor
(Design Engineering)
Phillip Billmore for his Personal Medication Injection Gun
(Computer Aided Product design)
Claire Pondel for her Regimented Fury
(Fashion and Textiles)
Petrina Salema for her Dwelling & Learning Centre
(Interior Design)
Adam Rollo for his Solder Feed Soldering Iron
(Product Design)
Aimhigher coordinated the schools day
For the third year running, Aimhigher coordinated the schools day on 29 June when schools in the Aimhigher in LIFE partnership area were invited to the Festival of Design and Innovation. We were joined by over 300 students and teachers from years 9, 10 and 12 from the following schools: Blandford, Bournemouth School for Girls, Bucklers Mead, Budmouth, Castledown, Corfe Hills, Kings High, Poole High, Rossmore, Thomas Hardye, Wadham and Wey Valley.
This event was an excellent opportunity to raise aspirations in HE by giving students the ability to witness first hand the work undertaken by BU undergraduates. These students also attended mini lectures in their chosen subject areas and were given campus tours by Aimhigher Student Ambassadors.
Liz Gordon, coordinator for the Aimhigher School, College & Community Strand said: We have excellent role models at BU both in our Student Ambassadors and Undergraduates showing their work at the Festival, this makes it relevant to our visitors from Schools and it is these role models that can really change opinions with regard to continuing in education. This fascinating and comprehensive day has really allowed students to taste what University may have to offer them in the future.
Aimhigher supported schools coming to the Festival by covering supply teaching and transport costs, providing lunch and refreshments, as well as making a financial contribution towards the festival to DEC.
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A view of the 2007 BU Festival of Design and Innovation by Geoff Bell, BU Commercialisation Manager
The Festival of Design and Innovation is always a good hunting ground for commercialisation opportunities for us in the BU Centre for Research & Knowledge Transfer, and this year was no exception. There seems to be a year on year improvement on the quality of the presentation at the Festival and this is noted outside of the University, as well as inside.
In the past, a few concepts from the Festival, and its predecessor the Design Show, have made it through to the market place to the benefit of the student. These were cases where the students contacts were able to assist them or in a few cases where the student took a chance and set up on their own. More recently, the staff at the University has taken a more active role in assisting in the marketing of the designs. We now have our very own Commercialisation Program. The program was set up with a view to assisting in the exploitation of Intellectual Property generated by staff and students from within the University
Students who have succeeded in the past in getting their concepts to market include;
Tom Lawton, the programmable Wakeyoo Alarm Clock
Phil Robinson, the POSTPUMP bicycle pump
www.zorinpump.com/designer.htm
Franziska Conrad, the Festival tent
www.gelert.com/Products/QuickPitch.aspx
Simon Phelps, the FLOODSTOP flood barrier
www.fluvial-innovations.co.uk
The Festival is a great showcase for students to demonstrate their design skills. Its also a hunting ground for prospective employees to recruit from. Many of the students receive significant interest in their concepts by visitors to the show. Those that wish to attempt to commercialise them may be able to get assistance from the Universitys Commercialisation Program. Weve signed 14 students to this years program, which is a new record for us.
You can tell when youre becoming successful at something. This year we were invaded by a raiding party from the TV program Dragons Den. Two researchers from the BBC came down and we duly showed them around, (after they had signed the compulsory NDA, of course). They were very impressed by the quality of work and level of innovation and have offered us and many of our students an invite to put a pitch for investment to the Dragons. Watch this space and, look out for Dragons!
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Events calendar
To help keep you up to date with events happening within DEC, please find attached a chart which outlines Open Days, Conferences, School Visits, Planned Activities, Events, Careers Fayres and other activities.
We are hoping that the introduction of this calendar will provide a useful overview, to see which schools are having visits and outline various events you may wish to be included in.
You are welcome to add to the list yourselves by visiting the link below. If you are filling in a School Visit please also fill in the other sheet within the table outlining the details of your trip.
I:\DEC\Public\Marketing\All Hands on DEC
Any questions or queries please contact Helen Stickland via email.
How to submit future stories
If you have a story you would like included in the next issue of all hands on DEC please send it to Helen Stickland. Each month the next deadline will be found at the bottom of the newsletter and a document can be found in the I drive (I:\DEC\Private\Marketing\All Hands on DEC) with all copy/story deadlines for the rest of the year.
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Next Newsletter
Story deadline is: Monday 16 July
Newsletter will be sent out: Friday 27 July
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