Radio Frequency (RF) engineering and communications are an important part of the electronics sector in the UK, however the decline in numbers of young people taking an interest in radio communications has created a specific skills shortage.
The Radio Communications Foundation (RCF) and the UK Electronic Skills Foundation (UKESF) have teamed up to run an annual competition for students at UKESF partner universities who are focusing on RF engineering and communications in their final year.
The competition
This national competition is open to undergraduates who are completing their major individual project—3rd or 4th year; 4th or 5th year in Scotland—with a principal focus on RF engineering and communications. Entrants are required to submit to their university contact a summary of their project on an A1 printable poster, including:
- Aim and objectives relating to RF engineering and communications
- A circuit diagram (if applicable; projects based on simulations still eligible)
- Results
- Impact and outcome in relation to RF engineering and communications
- Next steps
Universities then submit three entries to the national judging panel—via the UKESF—in late May, with winners being notified in mid-June.
Prizes
The overall winner will receive £1,000, with two runners-up receiving £500 each. The prizes are usually awarded at a ceremony in July. Winners will be expected to help promote RF engineering and communications.
Eligibility
Entry deadlines are set by universities individually, around mid-May. Each university will then submit their top three entries to the UKESF by the end of May. To qualify, entrants must;
- Be registered at a UKESF partner university on a BEng or MEng degree that contains a substantial amount of electronics or electronic engineering; and
- Qualify as a UK or EU student for tuition fees or be a British national, with a permanent right to work in the UK upon graduation.
Any questions, please email info@ukesf.org
The 2018 winner was Jonathan Rawlinson (Imperial College London), with runners-up Max Landles (Heriot-Watt University) and Scott Dearnaley (Lancaster University).
