10 December 2007 This news release issued by The Royal Academy of Engineering

The ExxonMobil Excellence in Teaching Awards in association with The Royal Academy of Engineering have been established to identify and reward centres of Excellence in Engineering Teaching in the UK and Republic of Ireland at a time when teaching is looking for equal status with research within universities.

Dr Keith Guy FGCI FREng commented: “The Royal Academy of Engineering is most grateful to ExxonMobil for taking the lead in encouraging the most able young engineers to remain in academia in order to produce the next generation of world class engineers on which the UK economy will be critically dependent. The ExxonMobil Excellence in Teaching Awards highlight the importance that must be placed on developing the engineering education curriculum to meet the needs of industry in the 21st century and to create the enabling pedagogy. They are an imaginative and timely reminder to universities and Government that teaching should have equal status to research quality if UK universities are to maintain their world class pre-eminence.”

To apply for a Teaching Award ideal candidates need to have shown a commitment to teaching, professional activities, establishing industrial-academic links and promoting engineering as a rewarding and creative career. Six awards were made this year; each successful candidate's university department will receive £10,000, plus priority access to ExxonMobil for graduate recruitment and undergraduate work placements, as well as access to teaching material and site visits.

ExxonMobil Excellence in Teaching Awards Winners 2007:

Dr Gary Locke, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bath University
“I think it is fabulous that excellence in Teaching is being rewarded. Teaching is the heart of the university experience for all undergraduates and lecturers. The quality of teaching might be difficult to quantify but everyone knows when they've encountered a good teacher.”

Dr Arthur Garforth, School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science
"This award is an important incentive to encourage innovation in our curricula and I hope I can continue to encourage our talented students and promote engineering as a rewarding and creative career.”

Dr Sarah Bell, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geometric Engineering, UCL
“New models of engineering teaching and practice are required in order to help society move towards ecological sustainability. It is an honour to be recognised by The Royal Academy of Engineering and ExxonMobil for taking the risks of moving beyond the traditional boundaries of engineering in my career.”

Dr Kenji Takeda, School of Engineering Science, Southampton University
“This award is great recognition for the student-centred approach we take at Southampton, and the importance that teaching has in higher education today. It will help us to further develop our school outreach activities, and the quality of engineering education that we are able to deliver, to help secure the future of the UK’s knowledge economy.”

Dr Claire Davis, Metallurgy and Metals, Birmingham University
"I was recently awarded a Birmingham University Teaching Fellowship, which I have used to employ a research associate to work with me on developing resources to enhance our departmental teaching. This ExxonMobil award is excellent as it will allow me to extend the scope of this project."

Dr Zoltan Nagy, Chemical Engineering, Loughborough University
“The award motivates me even further to combine high quality research with devoted education. I strongly believe that in our role as lecturers we all possess a real power, which can allow us to have a significant positive impact on our society.”

Robert Olsen, chairman of ExxonMobil International Limited, said: "The energy industry needs engineers. Everyday it faces the technological and logistical challenge of delivering vast quantities of energy, safely and in an environmentally responsible manner, to consumers around the world. As the economic gap between developed and developing countries closes, energy demand will grow rapidly. Through our sponsorship of the ExxonMobil Excellence in Teaching Awards, we are hopeful that the scheme will help to encourage many more people to seek careers in the energy industry."

Notes to editors
Founded in 1976, The Royal Academy of Engineering promotes the engineering and technological welfare of the country. Our fellowship – comprising the UK’s most eminent engineers – provides the leadership and expertise for our activities, which focus on the relationships between engineering, technology, and the quality of life. As a national academy, we provide independent and impartial advice to Government; work to secure the next generation of engineers; and provide a voice for Britain’s engineering community.

For more information on the ExxonMobil Excellence in Teaching Awards, please visit the The Royal Academy of Engineering website

ExxonMobil is the world’s premier petroleum and petrochemical company, with a presence in some 200 countries and territories. It is the parent company of the Esso, Mobil and ExxonMobil companies that operate in the UK.