A veterinary student has been named the first female UK Young Scientist of the Year at this year's National Science & Engineering competition.
Hannah Eastwood, a first-year undergraduate studying veterinary science at the University of Bristo l, was awarded the prestigious accolade at The Big Bang: UK Young Scientists' & Engineers' Fair.
She is the first woman to be awarded any senior title in the competition. Her winning project explored how chromium can be removed from drinking water. This enables tap water to be purified and reclaimed for the steel industry, where it is a valuable resource.
Hannah, originally from Coleraine in Northern Ireland, made a substance called Lepidocrocite, which is an iron oxide-hydroxide mineral. She discovered its formation pathways after creating a control system to make the substance.
"I'm still in shock but so thrilled," Hannah said . "This is an unbelievable opportunity to be an ambassador for science and to inspire young people."
Professor Brian Cox, one of the judges of the National Science & Engineering Competition, explained: "The judges were truly overwhelmed by her project and it's wonderful to witness such enthusiasm and dedication for science. It's left me hugely excited about the future of science in the UK, with passionate young scientists such as Hannah at the helm."
The National Science & Engineering Competition is open to 11-18 year olds from across the UK. Finalists showed off their projects at the Big Bang fair at the ExCeL centre in London last week [10-12 March], which marked the start of National Science and Engineering Week 2011.
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Mohammed Hanif Khan, 42, was also found guilty by a jury at Nottingham Crown Court of sexual activity with a child, as well as the two counts of rape.
The charges relate to two boys who attended the mosque in Capper Street, Stoke on Trent, where he was imam, in 2009.
Prosecutor Tariq Bin Shakoor told the jury part of Khan's job was to lead prayers and give Islamic education lessons to boys at evening classes.
He told the court one of the boys claimed in police interviews that he was singled out by Khan after evening prayer on several occasions. He was sexually assaulted in various areas of the mosque which were not covered by CCTV, Mr Shakoor told the court.
The other boy was assaulted when he was an overnight guest at Khan's house, the jury of six men and six women were told.
But in his evidence to the court Khan, of Owler Lane, Sheffield, said he had a close relationship with the youngsters because he tried to help them with their unruly behaviour, adding that he would often be more lenient on the boys if they were late or did not turn up for classes at the mosque because he was aware they had issues at home.
Khan's lawyer, Robert Woodcock QC, asked him who had invited him to get involved in the family's business and he said it was mainly the mothers of the two boys who asked for his help.
Khan, who told the court he travelled to Syria, Egypt, Pakistan, India and Cyprus to complete his imam training, showed no emotion as the jury delivered its verdicts.
A further five charges were dismissed by Mrs Justice Dobbs because the jury could not reach a decision, and she adjourned the trial for pre-sentence reports to a date yet to be fixed.
By emma king emma.king@thesentinel.co.uk
A TEENAGE boy made up allegations that an Imam attempted to rape him because he feared he would be sent to Pakistan, a court heard.
The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, claims Imam Mohammed Hanif Khan sexually assaulted him and tried to rape him when he stayed over at his Meir home.
The 41-year-old Muslim leader, who now lives in Owler Lane, Sheffield, denies three counts of rape, four attempted rapes and one count of sexual activity with a child. The charges relate to two boys.
Nottingham Crown Court heard yesterday that the teenager's parents were struggling to control his behaviour and that Khan was also concerned that the boy was getting involved with drugs.
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The jury heard that last year the boy had admitted, in court, offences of robbery and attempted robbery relating to an incident.
Robert Woodcock QC, defending Khan, said to the boy: "In your police interview you denied being present and denied committing the offences.
"Then you pleaded guilty.
"I suggest that you are not someone who tells the truth.
"And I suggest that on the night at the Imam's house absolutely nothing happened as you describe."
The boy replied: "No".
Mr Woodcock said: "I suggest you and the other boy put your heads together and this is all lies.
"I believe that at the time you made this complaint there was a very serious consideration by the Imam and your grandfather to send you to school in Pakistan."
The boy denied members of his family wanted to send him to Pakistan because of his behaviour.
Mr Woodcock said: "After the night you spent at the Imam's house, you told your family he was a chilled out bloke and how he was somebody you could trust."
The boy said: "I told my mother that he was not the kind of person she thought he was. He might seem like a nice person but he's not."
"Did your mother not ask you what you meant by that?" said Mr Woodcock.
"Yes," said the boy. "I didn't have the confidence to tell her what happened."
"But you plucked up enough confidence to tell her what sort of man you thought he was. You could have just explained more about it?" said Mr Woodcock.
"I just couldn't. I was in shock," said the boy.
The trial continues.
The New Yorker recently selected 20 young writers who are headed for literary stardom and who it believes we’ll be reading in years to come. Nigeria/Africa’s own Chimamanda Adichie made the cut! Here’s the full list!
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, 32
Chris Adrian, 39
Daniel Alarcón, 33
David Bezmozgis, 37
Sarah Shun-lien Bynum, 38
Joshua Ferris, 35
Jonathan Safran Foer, 33
Nell Freudenberger, 35.
Rivka Galchen, 34
Nicole Krauss, 35
Dinaw Mengestu, 31
Philipp Meyer, 36
C E Morgan, 33
Téa Obreht, 24
Yiyun Li, 37
ZZ Packer, 37
Karen Russell, 28
Salvatore Scibona, 35
Gary Shteyngart, 37
Wells Tower, 37
The students, who invented a solar-powered electric car automated module, represented Nigeria at the exhibition which was attended by young scientists from 120 countries between March 23 and March 27.
The Vice-President, Nigeria Society for the Promotion of Science and Technology, Dr Yusuf Sara, disclosed on Monday in Bauchi that the students won a trophy at the exhibition.
Sara, while presenting the trophy to Alhaji Abdullahi Kashuri, the acting chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), said the students had, in 2009, won similar international scientific innovation competition in Germany.
Sara described the performance as "noble," adding that such competition would enhance the quality of education and encourage the growth of science and technology research and development in the country.
He said the association, in collaboration with private firms, would showcase its talents to enable other students to benefit from the experience.
Sara urged SUBEB and the Bauchi State government to provide scholarship to students to enable them to further their education.
Kashuri commended the students for promoting Nigeria among the science and technology developing countries, adding that the board would ensure improved funding of schools to ensure sustainable development of science and technology in the state.