George Buckley, Chairman, President and CEO of 3M Corporation, gave the keynote address at the Department of Mechanical Engineering’s 2009 Design and Project Exhibition on Wednesday 27 May.
The exhibition showcased work from third and fourth year students in the department, with projects ranging from designing an aeroplane that will use 15% less fuel, to measuring the aerodynamics of potato crisps.
In the 2009 Joseph Black lecture, Mr Buckley talked about the ingredients for innovation to a packed audience of industrialists, academics and students, before going on to tour the poster exhibition, accompanied by a number of senior executives from 3M.
He highlighted the importance of allowing people to develop, have dreams and risk failure and stressed the value of giving them a clear direction of travel. He particularly highlighted the need for an undying curiosity for the world around us.
3M is a large multinational conglomerate corporation that produces a wide range of products and technologies from advanced materials to adhesives.