Zayna Ahmed, a final year student on the Design, Innovation and Creative Engineering course (DICE), has been awarded a prestigious scholarship from the Royal Commission Exhibition of 1851.

The Royal Commission originally took the profits of the 1851 Great Exhibition to fund the ‘museums district’ of South Kensington as well as Imperial College London. Today, it continues as an organisation which aims to "increase the means of industrial education and extend the influence of science and art upon productive industry" – it does this through fellowships and funding of individuals and projects.

The Industrial Design Studentship funds science and engineering graduates to pursue a master’s degree in industrial design, "with the objective of stimulating industrial design capability amongst the country's most able science and engineering graduates."

When Zayna heard about the scholarship, she didn’t think she’d get it “but I knew I’d regret it if I didn’t try” she says.

After submitting her application, explaining her career aspirations in British Industry, she was interviewed by the head of the Royal Commission and Academics from Cambridge and Loughborough universities where she gave more detail about the projects she’s been a part of on the DICE programme.

“…a huge functional zip made from wood, accessible clothing for wheelchair users, a radio that tunes into sounds around the QM campus, and a robot that reacts to conversations. I’m especially proud of my final year projects, working with the Royal London Hospital to reduce the amount of significant incidences in the ER department and my individual project working on an augmented reality headset that allows deaf musicians to experience music without sound.”

The Scholarship will cover both her fees and living expenses for two years, whilst she takes her place on the competitive joint MSc/MA programme with Imperial College and the Royal College of Arts.

“The scholarship is such an incredible opportunity. I know how inaccessible living in London can be and this scholarship removes a lot of the stress and extra work I would’ve had to do to afford it. Another great thing about the scholarship is the network of people I will be able to meet through the Royal Commission. Being able to talk to a variety of talented individuals will be an incredible opportunity.”