Why British Science Week Matters

British Science Week is a ten‑day nationwide celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths, designed to spark curiosity and highlight the many paths a future in STEM can take. This year, QEPrize Ambassadors Udit Srivastav and Inès Tunga share their perspectives on why this week matters - both for showcasing the impact of engineering today and for inspiring the next generation to imagine themselves as the innovators of tomorrow.

Why is it important to engage wider audiences, including young people, with engineering?

Inès
We’re facing huge challenges: climate change, inequality, and energy resilience. To solve them, we need a wide range of voices and experiences around the table. Young people bring fresh ideas, bold questions, and imagination that we desperately need. When they can see themselves in engineering, they open doors we haven’t even thought about yet.

But science isn’t only about innovation. It’s also about people, all of us, especially when life is tough. Through my work with Foothold, the charity supporting engineers and their families, I’ve seen how powerful it is when someone feels able to say, “I’m struggling, and I need help.” There’s nothing weak about that. It’s brave. When we create space for engineers to look after themselves, they’re able to bring their best energy and creativity to the work that matters.

Udit
Engaging wider audiences, especially young people, with engineering is important because it shapes how they see both the field and their own potential at an early stage. If engineering feels distant or inaccessible, many people never consider it as an option. Outreach helps change that by showing engineering as hands‑on, creative, and closely linked to real‑world problem‑solving.

Early engagement also encourages curiosity and experimentation. When young people understand that it’s okay to try things, make mistakes, and learn from them, they build confidence alongside technical skills. That mindset is essential for developing future engineers.

What’s your favourite aspect of being an engineer?

Inès
One of the things I love most about engineering is that it’s a mix of courage, curiosity, and humanity. Engineering is rarely about having everything figured out. More often, it’s about taking the first step, testing ideas, learning, and trying again, something that came up in a recent conversation with fellow engineer Alex Knight. She said that courage often comes before confidence, and that really resonated. Another reminder from a leader I admire was: “Don’t over-deep it.” Don’t overthink yourself out of opportunities. Just start where you are. Grow as you go.

Udit
What I enjoy most about being an engineer is working at the point where real problems meet emerging technology. A big part of my role involves scouting new and developing technologies and assessing whether they can genuinely address specific use cases in the energy sector. That process is rarely straightforward. It requires understanding the operational context, the constraints of the environment, and where existing solutions fall short before deciding whether a new approach has the potential to add value.

I particularly enjoy designing the first proof of concept. This early stage is where curiosity meets realism. You are testing assumptions, learning quickly from what works and what does not, and shaping an idea into something that can be demonstrated in practice. From there, the challenge shifts to maturing the solution by refining the design, building robustness into the system, and thinking ahead to what it would take to scale it up safely and reliably. Engineering allows me to combine curiosity with discipline by exploring what is possible while taking responsibility for turning promising ideas into solutions that people can trust and build on. That balance is what I enjoy most.

Describe how your work as a QEPrize Ambassador helps you to engage wider audiences with engineering.

Inès
Through the QEPrize Ambassador Network, I often meet young people who are curious about engineering but not quite sure it’s “for them.” One of my favourite things is showing what engineering actually is — not just machines or equations, but people. It’s teamwork. It’s creativity. It’s solving the kinds of challenges that shape everyday life.

And when we start talking about real impact, how clean energy makes communities more resilient, or how technology supports people’s independence, you can see the shift. Engineering suddenly feels relatable, creative, and full of possibility.

Speaking recently at a college reminded me of how powerful these conversations can be, how a simple insight or an honest answer can help a young person see themselves in engineering for the first time.

Udit
Being part of the QEPrize Ambassador Network has been a great way for me to talk about engineering in a way that feels real and relatable. It’s given me the chance to meet people where they are through panel discussions, and hands‑on sessions, and to show that engineering isn’t just equations on a page but something that plays out in the real world every day.

These experiences have helped me become much more comfortable explaining what my work involves. I often share stories about working with new and emerging technology solutions, how data is gathered and turned into insight, and how different teams collaborate to make sure those solutions are safe, reliable, and fit for purpose.

When people hear about the practical steps behind the scenes, from design and testing to logistics and safety, engineering suddenly feels far less intimidating. The role gives me a platform to share these stories openly and honestly, and to encourage others to see engineering as something tangible, accessible, and genuinely worth exploring.

Read more from our QEPrize Ambassadors on our blog.