It was great to see the students inspired and motivated by the visit. I’ve personally enjoyed it as I’ve been working in the field for a few years but never got the opportunity to see how scanners are built.
Abdoul Aziz Amadou, Research Scientist at Siemens Healthineers and King’s PhD student
27 April 2023
Success For Black Engineers Students Visit Siemens Factory
Students on the Success for Black Engineers programme learnt about superconducting magnets and how MRI scanners are produced on a recent field trip to Siemens Magnet Technology near Oxford.
On 24 April 2023 14 undergraduate students from the School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences (FoLSM) and the Department of Engineering (NMES) visited the Siemens Healthineers site in Eynsham, accompanied by staff and PhD students.
Siemens Principal Engineer, M’hamed Lakrimi and Senior Engineer, Claire Hazleton gave the students an insight into MRI technology and an overview of the business. Students were given a tour of the shop floor, where different types of MRI scanners are made, and had the opportunity to ask questions about the process as well as careers in medical technology.
The students learned about working in industry, felt more motivated to pursue careers in healthcare engineering and were able to build a sense of community with their peers.
Students on the trip found it to be a fantastic experience:
“It was really informative, I really enjoyed the day with other students and staff members. M’hamed, our tour guide was so enthusiastic and helpful which made the Siemens tour memorable. I was able to understand the Magnet Technology with what I am learning in my modules which was encouraging.”
“The tour around the factory was amazing. I feel like I have an edge applying to this institution in the future.”
It was amazing to visit Siemens Magnet Technology with the students and staff on the Success for Black Engineers Project. The thing that really stood out for me was to see how the host staff at Siemens were so passionate about outreach, just like colleagues within our School. The trip was a great opportunity to talk to our students and to see how the project is positively impacting on their progress at King’s.
Prof Kawal Rhode, Head of Education at the School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences
Success for Black Engineers is a programme led by Professor Kawal Rhode (Professor in Biomedical Engineering and the School Head of Education), which received funding from the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Diversity Impact Programme in 2022. The programme also provides other support and opportunities for black undergraduate engineering students such as peer and academic mentoring, and funded summer research placements. Over 140 school pupils have also attended outreach activity run by the project.
In this story
Professor in Biomedical Engineering and the Head of Education at the School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences
PhD Student