Zac Smith accepts the TCT Sanjay Mortimer Foundation Rising Star Award at this year's TCT Awards ceremony.
Entries are now open for the second Sanjay Mortimer Foundation (SMF) Rising Star Award.
The TCT Group is once again collaborating with the foundation to recognise an up-and-coming neurodivergent young person who has the potential to contribute greatly towards the engineering industry.
The winner of the SMF Rising Star Award 2024 will receive their own mod0 3D printer, with custom artwork from BrendonBuilds, and the opportunity to become an SMF Star, which provides access to grants, training and more.
Neurodivergent minds have been shown to be associated with creativity, innovation, and risk-taking, all of which are critical skills for engineers to tackle the challenges of the future. Despite this, they remain highly underrepresented in engineering degrees, which makes them significantly less likely to enter engineering careers. Set up in honour of the late Sanjay Mortimer, co-founder of E3D, the SMF is a registered charity which aims to help neurodiverse individuals, interested in engineering and making, realise where their talents and strengths lie.
Inaugural award winner Zac Smith took home the SMF Rising Star Award in 2023 at last year's TCT Awards ceremony in Birmingham, UK. Smith's nominator described the 16-year-old as someone who has found solace and joy in exploring engineering and design, and is using his unique perspective to bring fresh and invaluable qualities to the field of engineering. During his acceptance speech, Smith thanked all the support he has received from his school teachers as well as thanking Sanjay specifically for his incredible influence and inspiration.
Speaking with TCT after last year's event, Teula Bradshaw, Director of the Sanjay Mortimer Foundation said: "We’re so grateful to TCT for helping us to continue Sanjay’s legacy and gifting this award. It was a fabulous way to kick off the SMF. We couldn’t think of a better way to share our story, to recognise Zac for who he is and all his brilliance and get our message out there."
The judges will be looking for candidates who find enjoyment, creativity, and/or an outlet in 3D printing. They’d like to understand how each candidate discovered 3D printing and the extent of their passion for it. When they print, where they print, do they own a printer, do they use one at university, work or attend makerspaces. What it would mean to the candidate if they were to win this printer and if they have any exciting plans for what they would do with it.
To qualify, the following criteria must be met:
- A young person between the age of 14-25 year old
- Resident in England or Wales
- Must be either diagnosed as neurodivergent, or on the neurodivergent waiting list
- Must find enjoyment from engineering and/or making
- Must be passionate about 3D printing
Entries Close on 30th April 2024. Submit your entry here.
