Public Engagement

Glasgow University Engineer Takes His Research to Parliament

Multicorder researcher Boon Chong Cheah with Glasgow North MP Patrick Grady at the House of Commons

Mr. Boon Chong Cheah, [27], a PhD student at University of Glasgow, hailing from Malaysia, attended Parliament to present his engineering research to a range of politicians and a panel of expert judges, as part of SET for Britain on Monday 7 March 2016.

Boon’s poster on research about the development of a personal metabolome machine will be judged against dozens of scientists’ research in the only national competition of its kind.

Boon was shortlisted from hundreds of applicants to appear in Parliament.

On presenting his research in Parliament, he said, “I am really pleased to have the opportunity to showcase my research to national leaders and demonstrate the possibilities for personal metabolome machine.”

Stephen Metcalfe MP, Chairman of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee, said:

“This annual competition is an important date in the parliamentary calendar because it gives MPs an opportunity to speak to a wide range of the country’s best young researchers.

“These early career engineers, mathematicians and scientists are the architects of our future and SET for Britain is politicians’ best opportunity to meet them and understand their work.”

Boon’s research has been entered into the Engineering session of the competition, which will end in a gold, silver and bronze prize-giving ceremony.

Judged by leading academics, the gold medalist receives £3,000, while silver and bronze receive £2,000 and £1,000 respectively.

The Parliamentary and Scientific Committee runs the event in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Institute of Physics, the Royal Society of Biology, The Physiological Society and the Council for Mathematical Sciences, with financial support from Essar, the Clay Mathematics Institute, Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), the Institute of Biomedical Science, the Bank of England and the Society of Chemical Industry.