The competition is run annually for civil engineering graduates and students to test their public presentation skills. They can choose from a selection of scenarios and have to come up with a plan to present their solution as if at a public meeting. This includes producing printed materials such as leaflets and briefing documents. After their presentation they take questions (sometimes hostile) from the audience. Perhaps similar to the sort of situations they will have to deal with throughout their careers.
The Ramboll team, who called themselves ‘Urban Flux’, competed against two other teams. These were from AECOM St Albans and a team made up of representatives from four offices of the SISK civil engineering group.
All three teams opted for the same scenario called ‘Grey Road Urban Regeneration’ which involved explaining how a 1960s tower block estate was to be demolished and redeveloped including rehousing the residents.
The winning team received £250 and a place in the semi-final to be held in London in July. The runner-up teams each received £125. The competition was held at the Holiday Inn, Cambridge.
Image: Urban Flux: Bryan Carroll, Katherine Wade and Mike Kovacs.
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