Bike helmet apprentice Roxanne to represent UK in LA
1 min read
Developing an innovative bicycle safety helmet that helps cyclists to make their presence and intentions known to other road users while keeping full control of the bike has won engineering apprentice Roxanne Pollard (pictured) a trip to Los Angeles.
The first year technical apprentice at the Gloucestershire-based engineering group Renishaw won her prize at the Young Engineer for Britain national final where she was chosen to represent the UK at LA's Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in May 2011.
The award includes an all-expenses paid week-long trip to ISEF and was made to Ms Pollard for the helmet she developed as part of an A level Design & Technology course project at Chipping Sodbury School, near Bristol.
In Los Angeles, she will be one of 1,600 students competing for over US$4 million in awards and prizes.
Ms Pollard joined the Renishaw apprenticeship scheme last year and is studying mechanical and electrical engineering. Although she has three A-levels and one AS-level, she turned down university places to apply for an apprenticeship. "The more I learned about it the better option it seemed," she says.
