Organised by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), “Speak Out for Engineering” is a competition with a history of approximately 60 years. It is designed for young engineers to help them develop verbal and visual communication in explaining technical mechanical engineering-related subjects.

Xiao learned Bernoulli’s Principle in the Foundation Science A module in year one. “It was a key concept in fluid dynamics and can be used to explain many phenomena in daily life,” Xiao recalled her inspiration for her presentation in the global final. She fully utilised her painting skills and added a number of original hand-drawn illustrations into her presentation, making the seemingly complex and dull (to some) physical principle appealing and attractive to the layman. With such an innovative and efficient approach, combined with logical and fluent communication, the jury naturally recognised Xiao’s performance.

Jake Fraser, Director of Digital, Data and Innovation at the IMechE and one of the judges of the competition, said: “Xiao demonstrated exceptional creativity, thoughtful pragmatism, and delivered an excellent presentation on a fundamental principle all engineers should know.”

When speaking of her championship, Xiao was also grateful for the support she received from the university. “Dr Gavin Lai from the Department of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering has kept encouraging me since I excelled in the campus competition. He also helped me to organise the logic of my presentation, suggested I add the future outlook of Bernoulli’s Principle into my speech and guided me to polish my PPT slides.”

In addition, Xiao mentioned that the Oral Communication Skills A module in the preliminary year greatly improved her communication and presentation skills. “Also, studying and living in an English environment allowed me to communicate freely with candidates from all around the world.” Xiao believed that the diverse and open campus environment and the English-teaching programme at UNNC laid a great base for her personal capabilities and prepared her for a broader future.