Ladies and Gentlemen, it is an enormous pleasure to be here today, especially representing Her Majesty.
I have said, along with a number of people in this room, the UK is the best place to do Science and Engineering. My passion is looking to see how we can encourage and inspire young people to take up the challenge that us old people have held; now is the time to really encourage young people to take up the challenge of Engineering. It is across so many different areas that it is really really important to encourage those young people. This Prize is absolutely critical as a part of that fabric of Engineering.
I have not come here to say very much and I can just quote from the current article that my father has written in the current issue of the New Scientist and I am just going to read an excerpt which I think it encapsulates what we are trying to achieve:
“Engineering is not just a profession to be learned and practised as a way of making a living. It is one of the few ways in which human talent can be given the chance to improve, and frequently to transform, the comfort and prosperity of the human community. In fact, engineering has made a greater positive difference to human life than almost any other human endeavour.”
I believe that like many Engineers I have been inspired by my father as well and I think that this is something that young people can aspire to in the future.
It is a great pleasure to be able to join you today, thank you very much.
