Sixth formers from across the country will enjoy trying out apparatus including hydro-power experiments, a portable wave tank and a miniature wind turbine at the two-day energy engineering summer school, the first of its kind at UEA.

The new equipment has been bought thanks to a generous donation from Perenco, an independent oil and gas company with operations in 16 countries across the world, including at the Bacton Terminal on the Norfolk coast.

The new scientific devices will be housed in the laboratories of the university’s Faculty of Science, where as well as being used by the summer school students, they will also be utilised by students on the MSc Energy Engineering with Environmental Management course.

Dr Lawrence Coates, senior lecturer in engineering in UEA’s School of Mathematics, said: “Our undergraduate energy engineering degrees admit their first students in September 2013, so the recent Open Days and this summer school are a good way to show potential students what we now have to offer.

“The generous and timely donation of this equipment by Perenco has allowed us to enhance the experience of the summer school students, as well as providing support for the next cohort of MSc students who will start this September.”

Richard Philpott, HR advisor for Perenco, said: “We were delighted to have the opportunity to support the engineering initiatives at UEA. The energy industry needs an increased supply of graduates from both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees and we are really pleased that our donation has provided useful laboratory equipment for the students.

“The offering of an energy engineering programme at UEA brings us one step closer to the aim of developing a first-class, industry leading energy sector within the region"

For more information about the university’s Able, Gifted and Talented summer schools, visit www.uea.ac.uk/giftedandtalented.  

To find out more about UEA’s engineering courses, visit www.uea.ac.uk/eng.