George Daniels Lecture 2026 with Susan Scurlock MBE

Since 2005, Primary Engineer has developed innovative ways to embed engineering skills within the curriculum, train teachers, connect engineers with schools, demonstrate creative problem-solving, and provide the vital spark that can inspire children to become obsessed about learning.

Reaching over 2000 primary schools each year through its competitions and programmes, Primary Engineer will work with 180 primary schools over the next three years through the Primary Engineer Horology programme 'Time Machines' and even more with the 'If you were an engineer what would you do competition?'

This lecture will present the how and the why that is set to inspire thousands of young people through precision engineering, creativity, innovation and horology.

Speaker

Susan Scurlock MBE founded Primary Engineer in 2005 as a not-for-profit purpose-led organisation to build engineering knowledge and skills that begin in primary schools. The aim was to engage pupils with engineering to develop a love of learning and creative problem solving linked to engineering and the careers associated therein.

Since 2005, Primary Engineer has grown into an award-winning UK wide organisation developing programmes, competitions and qualifications for teachers and pupils to embed engineering into their curricula. They work with many industry partners across a range of sectors and governments including the George Daniels Educational Trust. All their activities have a thread of engineer involvement, contextualising the activities to the real world and careers.

Susan and her team have developed a sophisticated programme of award-winning teacher training courses ranging from one day courses to master’s level postgraduate certificates. She originated the ‘If you were an engineer what would you do?’ national competition, The Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal and multiple educational programmes across a range of sectors involving industry, universities, councils, and professional engineering institutions.

The programmes annually reach almost 7,000 teachers, involving over 2,000 engineers and 110,000+ pupils across the UK accounting for over 788,000 hours of engineering education taking place in schools. Susan is dedicated to the belief that all children should engage with engineering from an early an age as possible.

She is the recipient of the Royal Academy of Engineering 2020 Rooke Award, holds Honorary Doctorates from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow Caledonian University and Kingston University, an Honorary Fellowship of the Institution of Structural Engineers, and was awarded an MBE in the 2018 Queens New Year’s Honours list in recognition of her work in engineering education.