Young Engineers Awards for Innovation and Sustainability

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Frequently asked questions

General

What are the awards going to recognise?

The IChemE Young Engineer Awards for Innovation and Sustainability will recognise and celebrate the ideas and innovation emerging in the chemical engineering profession, supporting the IChemE’s vision of engineering a more sustainable world.

IChemE’s Strategy 28+ sets out the desire to work together to make an impact and contribute positively to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

We invite all young engineers to submit an entry which celebrates your novel ideas in helping to reach this goal in one of the following priority areas:

  • Clean energy and climate action
  • Water and sanitation
  • Food, health and wellbeing
  • Responsible production, innovation and industry
  • Quality education, including lifelong learning
  • Process safety, including major hazards management
  • Digitalisation, including cybersecurity

Your entry will be based on either a new area of research/design/innovation, or a new application of a process or product.

How do these awards relate to the IChemE Global Awards?

The prize is independent of the IChemE Global Awards, although winners will be recognised as part of the awards ceremony.

Are there opportunities to sponsor these awards?

If you are interested in sponsoring this event or any future events please do get in contact via yeais@icheme.org.

Who can I contact for more information?

Entry

What are the Award categories?
  • UK only: 16–18-year-olds who are participating in the Davidsons Inventers Challenge
  • Undergraduate or equivalent: members studying full time for their first degree or undertaking an apprenticeship or related qualification.
  • Postgraduate or equivalent: members studying for an additional Masters qualification, PhD or other postgraduate qualification.
  • Early career: who are working in a chemical, process or biochemical engineering field.
Can I enter if I am outside of the UK?

Following a successful pilot in 2024, the event will be extended to IChemE members in Malaysia and Australasia with both of these regions running their own parallel event.

What are the age restrictions for the 2025 YEAIS?

All entrants must be aged 18 to 30 at the point of submission and current members of IChemE. The only exception is for the UK category of 16 to 18 year olds in full time education who will not eligible for IChemE membership.

Can group entries be submitted?

Yes. A maximum of four people per group who ideally (*) must all be in the same category**. All members of the group must be members of IChemE. The maximum group size for the UK 16-18 year old category is 6. Entrants in this category are not required to be members of IChemE.

Do I have to be a member of IChemE to submit an entry?

Yes. Submissions from non members will not be judged. The only exception to this rule is for the UK 16 to 18 category. Join IChemE today.

How do I submit my entry?

If you are shortlisted as a finalist to attend the Awards Ceremony, you will be asked to present your poster to the judges in a three minute pitch on the day to demonstrate your communication skills and your ability to clearly communicate the key aims and deliverables of your project, what problem is being solved and how the solution will be delivered.”

You are welcome to bring any supporting notes with you, however if you would like to bring in additional items eg a model or other props to support your presentation, please email yeais@icheme.org to check whether this can be accommodated by the venue.

How will each entry be judged?
  1. Has the entrant demonstrated how a chemical, biochemical or process engineering concept can support the delivery of one of the Global Sustainable Development goals or the IChemE’s priority topics? 
  2. Has the entrant clearly communicated the key aims and deliverables of their project? What is the problem that is being solved and how will the solution be delivered?
  3. Has the entrant clearly demonstrated the benefit to society in a qualitative or quantitative manner?
  4. Is the idea innovative and what aspect of it is novel or new?
  5. Has the entrant demonstrated an understanding and application of chemical engineering principles (eg chemical processes, thermodynamics, mass and energy balances, process design etc)?
  6. Science communication - how visually stimulating and/or easy to access is the information on the poster? How clearly has the entrant communicated their project?
Do I have to let my university or employer organisation know I have entered?

We do advise you to let appropriate colleagues, lecturers etc know as you may want to gain approval for intellectual property or any commercial sensitivities with them before you submit your entry. We are sure they would be keen to support you in any way they can. For UK entries into the 16 to 18 age category, only teachers /school staff will be able to make submissions on behalf of this age group.

Do I need to carry out new work to be eligible or can I submit a poster based on work that I have previously completed?

Your entry can be based on either your own research that you have completed at any stage of your studies/career OR your own ideas of how current practices can be developed for new applications.

How do I know that experimental processes or sensitive research concepts that I submit as part of my entry will not be shared publicly during the judging process?

It is the responsibility of the entrant to ensure that they are NOT submitting commercially sensitive information.

Will this prize impact regional awards run by member groups and SIGs?

No, you can submit work completed for any other competition or award to this prize as long as your work is repurposed into the required template. You would then need to contact the organisers of other awards to see if the reverse is true. Work is underway to align other prizes to the YEAIS awards.

Q&A sessions

UK sessions

Malaysia sessions

Australasia sessions

Awards

What awards are being offered?

There are no financial prizes being offered. Winning entrants will receive a:

  • trophy and certificate to recognise their achievement
  • feature article in The Chemical Engineer
  • digital badge so they can invite others to share in the success and celebrate with them on social media.
When will finalists be notified

Finalists will be notified on 16 May 2025.

When will winners be notified?

Finalists will be invited to the awards ceremony on 16 June 2025, at the Royal Society in London where the winners will be announced.

Will prizes be awarded even if there are only a few entries?

Not necessarily – please refer to the Terms & Conditions.

Will there be an event when the awards are presented?
  • A UK event will take place at the Royal Society in London on 16 June 2025.
  • Malaysia and Australasia events will take place online.
Who will judge the different categories?

IChemE member volunteers will dedicate their time and expertise to help with the judging and celebration event. They will rigorously assess all entries against the set criteria and select the following for each category:

  • 1-2 x highly commended.
  • 1 x category winner.
Can I bring someone with me to the award ceremony?

For individual entrants they will be invited to bring one guest (in a professional capacity eg lecturer, supervisor or colleague) to the award ceremony. Where a submission is made by multiple entrants, further guests may be permitted but by request. Please note that IChemE will not cover travel or accommodation costs for guests this must be met by themselves.

Can I get financial help for travel and accommodation to attend the event?

Travel and accommodation costs will only be reimbursed for finalists travelling from Scotland and Ireland.

Will the IChemE help me to find accommodation for the event?

No, but we have curated a list of local accommodation that you may wish to book. Please email yeais@icheme.org to request this.