Rachel Woodward, a PhD researcher from Ulster University\u2019s Belfast School of Architecture and the Built Environment (BSABE), has won the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Northern Ireland Princess Royal Award for Emerging Engineers 2026.<\/p>\n
Woodward\u2019s achievement makes her the first geotechnical engineering PhD researcher from Ulster University to receive the accolade since 2004.<\/p>\n
Woodward was recognised for her technical paper and presentation on \u201cCalcined waste clays as low-carbon supplementary cementitious material for decarbonising soil stabilisation\u201d \u2013 pioneering research that explores innovative low-carbon cement solutions for the construction sector.<\/p>\n
Wooward\u2019s award-winning research focuses on decarbonising construction materials and advancing more sustainable approaches to soil stabilisation \u2013 a critical area in reducing carbon emissions across the built environment.<\/p>\n
Her success further strengthens Ulster University\u2019s reputation for delivering impactful research and supporting the next generation of engineering leaders in Northern Ireland and beyond.<\/p>\n
The Princess Royal Award for Emerging Engineers celebrates outstanding emerging engineers who demonstrate technical excellence, innovation and leadership within the profession.<\/p>\n
Woodward\u2019s success sees her name engraved on ICE Northern Ireland\u2019s prestigious Brennan Cup, which she will formally receive at the ICE Northern Ireland Annual Dinner in December.<\/p>\n
The winners selected at regional level will be further shortlisted to three finalists who will present their papers again at The Princess Royal Award for Emerging Engineers International Final in Autumn 2026.<\/p>\n
Woodward said of her award: \u201cBeing recognised as the ICE Northern Ireland Emerging Engineer for 2026 is a proud achievement. It has strengthened my personal commitment and ambition to produce meaningful and necessary engineering solutions for what is essentially a global challenge within the construction and cement manufacturing industries.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis research highlights the value of rethinking materials which were once considered waste and transforming them into low-carbon cementitious materials, contributing to resilient and future-ready infrastructure. I\u2019m grateful for the unwavering support from both academic and industrial colleagues and I look forward to progressing with my PhD journey at Ulster University, eventually aiming to achieve my Chartered qualification through the ICE.\u201d<\/p>\n
Paul Sargent, lecturer in Civil Engineering, said: \u201cAs Rachel\u2019s lead PhD supervisor, I\u2019m delighted by her success in winning the ICE NI heat of the Princess Royal Emerging Engineers Award \u2013 a hugely deserved achievement for both Rachel and Ulster University.<\/p>\n
\u201cRachel presented her PhD research on using calcined waste clay as a low-carbon binder for geotechnical soil stabilisation to an industry audience at Arup\u2019s Belfast office, impressing the judging panel with both her technical paper and presentation. The standard of competition from fellow finalists Myah McDonald and Jamie Killough was exceptionally high, highlighting the strength of emerging civil engineering talent in Northern Ireland. Rachel is a rising star in geotechnical engineering and low-carbon cements, and it is a privilege to work with her. Congratulations, Rachel.\u201d<\/p>\n
Professor Neale Blair, head of Belfast School of Architecture and the Built Environment at Ulster University, added: \u201cRachel\u2019s achievement is a significant moment for Ulster University and for civil and geotechnical engineering within BSABE. To receive this prestigious ICE honour reflects the exceptional quality of her research, technical expertise and commitment to advancing sustainable solutions for the construction industry.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Rachel Woodward, a PhD researcher from Ulster University\u2019s Belfast School of Architecture and the Built Environment (BSABE), has…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":989642,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[5011],"tags":[274969,232783,274970,259630,1144,274971,274972,16,96245,15],"class_list":["post-989641","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-northern-ireland","tag-belfast-school-of-architecture-and-the-built-environment","tag-geotechnical-engineering","tag-ice-northern-ireland","tag-institution-of-civil-engineers","tag-northern-ireland","tag-phd-researcher","tag-princess-royal-award-for-emerging-engineers","tag-uk","tag-ulster-university","tag-united-kingdom"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/116650849613531224","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/989641","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=989641"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/989641\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/989642"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=989641"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=989641"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=989641"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}