Bolton West MP Chris Green met a local Atherton scientist at a parliamentary competition – who then went on to win the top award.
Lauren McNeill, a PhD researcher and postgraduate teaching assistant at Manchester Metropolitan University, was shortlisted from hundreds of applicants as part of STEM for Britain, a poster competition in the House of Commons involving over 200 early stage or early career researchers organised by the Parliamentary & Scientific Committee.
Miss McNeill appeared in Parliament with her poster on research about origami chips which was judged by professional and academic experts against dozens of other scientists’ research in the only national competition of its kind.
Miss McNeill won the gold award for biological and biomedical sciences, and then went on to take the Westminster medal for overall winner of the event.
Chris said:
“These early career engineers, mathematicians and scientists are the architects of our future and STEM for Britain is a great opportunity to meet them and learn about their work.
“I enjoyed meeting Lauren and found her work fascinating – that she went on to win the entire competition is very well deserved.
“Congratulations to Lauren, and I wish her every success in the future.”
Stephen Metcalfe MP, Chair of the Parliamentary & Scientific Committee and Science & Technology Committee said:
“Today’s event is a two-way process designed to strengthen the dialogue between Parliament and the science and engineering community. Many colleagues in the House of Commons will meet researchers who live and work in their constituencies and will forge links and cultivate their contact in the future.
“I hope they will be invited to visit laboratories or companies to see research at first hand. I also hope that researchers can increase their awareness of how Parliament deals with science and STEM issues and learn about the political process. Perhaps in future years some will return as Members of Parliament themselves. Both Parliament and Government benefit from having scientific expertise within their ranks.”