I have always been interested in motorsport, the automotive sector, and building things. I guess I was also okay at Maths and Physics in high school. That was why I wanted to study mechanical engineering, as well as the fact that this degree is incredibly versatile.

I really wanted to gain some work experience before I graduated university. The links Bath has with industry are unrivalled compared to other universities. Moreover, their Formula Student team at the time was one of the best in the world.

An affinity for propulsion

I did my placement at IAAPS – the University’s propulsion institution. I mostly helped with active research projects or in the commissioning of the new building that IAAPS had moved into. It was great exposure to the propulsion industry – from heavy-duty diesel to hybrid renewable fuel powertrains. I learnt a lot about different powertrain architectures and the testing procedures needed for each type.

One of my favourite projects was working on the Clean Hybrid Alternative Marine Powertrain 2 (CHAMP2). It taught me a lot about the challenges of hybridising and electrifying the marine sector. A boat’s drive cycle is quite different to that of a car or motorcycle. So, events such as regenerative braking play a smaller role in the energy strategy. Therefore, you need to find other ways to extract the maximum amount of energy.

My placement has had a great positive impact on my time at University. I was interested in the propulsion industry, but I didn’t really appreciate the complexity and fun challenges that come with testing and designing powertrain technologies for the future. I developed quite an affinity for propulsion technology, whether that be electric machines or combustion engines. Now I don’t see how I could have done anything else.

Advancing electric motorsport

My placement experience spurred me on to want to do something similar in my extracurriculars, so I joined Team Bath Zero. The team is trying to advance electric motorsport for motorcycles. With motorsport in general looking to more sustainable options, developing and researching this area is key to progressing its future.

We’re designing and building an electric motorcycle to compete in MotoStudent 2027. After the suspension of Moto-E, MotoStudent is the highest tier of electric motorcycle track racing. Universities from all over the world bring their prototypes to compete in events including dynamic tests, qualifying, and racing.

As Team Lead, my role entails a lot of administrative and project management tasks. It has forced me to be incredibly proactive, decisive and good with people. One of the biggest challenges has been trying to align people to the same goal. Many join the team for various reasons but at the end of the day, we are trying to create a prototype to compete in MotoStudent. Constantly reminding the team of that can be challenging but rewarding!

MotoStudent provides teams with a set of regulations which every team must adhere to. It’s our job as engineers to not only follow the rules for safety so we don’t get disqualified, but to also find underdeveloped areas of the regulation which we can exploit. We must constantly iterate designs, speak with experts in their field, and spend lots of long hours on the project!

We also have a lot of great sponsors who provide us with either monetary investment, consultancy services, components, or simulation tools. All of which give us incredible amounts of support and are key to getting us to MotoStudent. We cannot do it without them!

For the greater good

I am not particularly picky on the industry I go into as long as I know I’m making a tangible impact for the greater good of the world. The experience of leading a team and managing students from different degree backgrounds is something quite unique. I hope these experiences – whether directly relevant in a professional career or not – help me achieve whatever it is I go on to become in later life.