UCL’s Festival of Engineering

150 years of engineering education. Six days to change the world. 

I developed the strategy and campaign for UCL Engineering’s 150th anniversary, culminating in a six-day public festival.

Big idea.

UCL Engineering helped pioneer engineering education in the UK. Its 150th anniversary was an opportunity to do more than celebrate the past. It could show how engineering changes lives, responds to global challenges and belongs to everyone.

The faculty needed a programme with the scale, energy and clarity to reach schoolchildren, policymakers, industry partners, and the public.

Simply told.

I worked with UCL Engineering over three years, from research and strategic development through to the festival’s events, communications and marketing.

I built and directed the creative team, helped shape the identity and programme, and led work to grow registrations across six days of activity.

I also worked with NASA to secure a live link to the International Space Station (ISS) creating a standout moment that brought engineering’s possibilities directly to the audience.

Lasting impact.

More than 7,000 people attended, including participants from six London boroughs and international online audiences.

The festival delivered more than 150 activities for children aged six and above, policymakers, industry partners, and the public. Over 600 people attended the ISS link in person, with many more joining online.

The programme won ‘Best Widening Participation Initiative’ at the 2025 HESIT awards. It also raised the faculty’s ambitions for public engagement well beyond its anniversary year.

UCL’S Festival of Engineering event

A wrap up video for the week of events were shown at the Bloomsbury Theatre ’The Wonders’ event and shared widely with partners after the festival. The video content was captured by James Allan (UCL) and Cinematic Pictures

A young woman with glasses and a backpack stands in front of a large interactive screen, touching the screen with her right hand. The screen displays a presentation about engineering's role in offering solutions for the world, with handwritten notes and typed text. There are other people in the background.
A group of four people, including a young boy, are engaged in woodworking activities at a workshop table. The boy and two adults are focusing on a piece of wood, using tools, while a woman on the right is also working on a project. The setting appears to be a woodworking class or workshop.
A young boy wearing 3D glasses and a black and yellow sports jersey stands in a virtual reality exhibit, holding a controller, with screens and projections in the background.
Children at a science or educational event observing a skull model.
A girl wearing a virtual reality headset and a man showing her a handheld device, while another woman looks on, in an indoor educational setting.
Group of diverse people smiling and laughing indoors, with some displaying excitement or joy.
Three presenters or scientists stand at a table on stage during a 2024 engineering event at University College London, with a large digital screen behind them displaying colorful graphics and text about wonders and curiosity. The stage has bright lighting, and large orange

Over 150 events took place during the week long festival. Photo credits: James Tye and Lucy Pope

UCL’S Festival of Engineering printed material

Brochures for the Festival of Engineering 2024, held from July 15-20. The design features a yellow background with a picture of Earth surrounded by clouds, a robotic hand, a wind turbine, and a building.
Flyer for the Festival of Engineering 2024, 15-20 July 2024, with a young girl holding a robot and the text 'Six days to change the world,' along with images of an orange slice, robot hand, circuit, Earth, astronaut, and green leaves.
Flyer for the University College London Festival of Engineering 2024, taking place from July 15 to 20, 2024, featuring young students and highlights of health and wellbeing, reducing inequalities.
Colorful page layout with sections about science and engineering activities, including young students wearing virtual reality headsets, astronauts in space suits, a scientist in a red jumpsuit, and images of wind turbines, robots, and space exploration tools. Text describing events and careers in engineering, space, and innovation.
Flyer for the Festival of Engineering 2024 at UCL, titled 'UCL Engineering Turning Discoveries into Solutions,' featuring images of a sleeping baby, a person playing a guitar, a digital art scene, colorful LED lights, a person working with wires, and a plant.
Open magazine or brochure featuring text about engineering solutions and healthcare improvement, with a smiling man wearing a black Adidas jacket, and a partial photo of another person working with machinery.
Printed flyer for the Festival of Engineering 2024 at UCL, scheduled for July 15-20, featuring illustrations of a robotic hand, a cluster of colorful molecules, and the Earth with a torn paper effect.
A three-dimensional card with a blue background features illustrations of wind turbines and a virus model, and has a gold medal with the text 'DUAL Festival of Engineering 2024' engraved on it.

Visual identity for the festival was developed by Hope and worked as part of UCL’s wider brand guidelines. Photo credits: Emma Todd

“A real standout - it went one step further with strategic planning. An outstanding initiative and achievement, all delivered with impressive cost effectiveness. This inclusive design, collaborative approach, and strategic use of role models powerfully showcased engineering as an accessible and exciting career path for everyone. Truly inspiring!”

–Judges comments, Heist Awards 2025

Royal Academy of Engineering / Imperial College London / DSIT
Pharmacy Technicians of Colour