Women Who Soar
A Queen Mary prize competition in Aerospace Engineering for girls in Year 12
Are you currently in Year 12, female and studying STEM subjects? Are you interested in studying Aerospace Engineering, or do you want to find out more about what the subject involves?
The competition
Women Who Soar is a prize competition allowing female school pupils to find out more about Aerospace Engineering, interact with other girls interested in the subject, and engage with undergraduate students, academics and engineers in industry. If you are not sure what Aerospace Engineering involves, you can read more about this exciting area, including how it is taught at Queen Mary. The competition has two stages:
Stage 1
Stage 1 consists of preparing an online written submission to two questions on Aerospace Engineering. There is an essay-type question on a topical subject followed by an open-ended problem-solving question. The submissions will be marked for technical content, coherent logic and presentation.
Twenty finalists will then be invited to take part in Stage 2 of the competition, with five places reserved for attendees of schools in Tower Hamlets and five places reserved for applicants who are eligible for free school meals.
Stage 2
Stage 2 of the competition involves an in-person presentation on an Aerospace Engineering subject of your choice, which will take place at Queen Mary's Mile End campus during a Finalists’ Day. As well as delivering your presentation, this event will include a tour of the facilities, a hands-on activity, a flight simulator experience and a taster lecture, as well as opportunities to interact with undergraduate students, academics and engineers in industry, through panel sessions and networking breaks.
All finalists will be presented with a certificate and a small prize to recognise reaching this stage of the competition. In addition, the judges of Stage 2 will select one winner and two runners-up, who will be awarded book allowance prizes. The winner will receive a book allowance of £100 to be used on Aerospace Engineering-related books, and each runner-up will receive a similar £50 book allowance.
Timeline
| Thursday 27th March 2025 | Competition opens |
| Friday 30th May 2025 (5pm) | Deadline for Stage 1 entries |
| Monday 2nd June 2025 | Finalists notified |
| Monday 16th June 2025 | Finalists’ Day at Queen Mary |
Eligibility
For full details on eligibility, please see the competition rules. In general, the competition is for:
- Female-identifying pupils
- Currently studying in Year 12 at a UK school
- With enthusiasm for STEM-related subjects
Enter the competition
The competition is now open! You can read the competition brief and submit your entry once it is ready.
You can also still register your interest, so that we can remind you when the deadline is approaching. If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch by email at k.sabnis@qmul.ac.uk or sems-outreach@qmul.ac.uk.
Teacher resources
Download our flyer to display in your school:
Funding acknowledgement
The organisers of the competition are grateful to the following for their financial support:
- QMUL EDI Team (Supporting PCI Initiatives)
- Centre for Public Engagement (Small Grants)
- School of Engineering and Materials Science