To coincide with its 60th anniversary, BSRIA recently launched its INSPIRE commemorative publication which looks at 120 engineers of the past and present to show their achievements and the great impact they’ve had on – not just the industry – but the world. To go alongside this, BSRIA has narrowed down the engineers to a list of 15 for the industry to vote on – who has been – and continues to be the most influential engineer.

INSPIRE raises the question of why are STEM subjects important? What does engineering mean for you? Why does technology matter? There is one answer to those three questions which is quite simply ‘everything’. History has shown that those who pursue science arguably make the biggest impact to the world; incredible minds provide us with incredible ideas we once might have thought of as unbelievable but are now ingrained in our society.

Julia Evans, Chief Executive, BSRIA, said: “Science fiction has shown that the unbelievable can become reality. We now have wearable technology, video calls and tablets are a normal part of our personal and work lives, no one bats an eyelid at flat screen televisions. Yet these ideas were once viewed as technologically impossible, a dream. It is STEM that has made those dreams into a reality and not just for Back to the Future fans.

The nature of STEM is about pushing boundaries and making the impossible possible. STEM has changed the way we work, travel, heal and enjoy life. The advancing of the human race has always depended on the bright minds willing to focus their energy on engineering ideas. Did you know that the first vending machine was invented by Hero of Alexandria in 10AD? Even at the beginnings of society we were trying new things.”

BSRIA’s new publication INSPIRE, researched and designed by sixth form student Jason Finch, commemorates the achievements of STEM and celebrates the impact it’s had on the world. By featuring 120 of notable past and present engineers BSRIA hopes the book inspires the next generation by showing them what they’re capable of. We have a history of greatness so let’s make a future of one.

The choices are:

• Alan Turin
• Bill Gates
• Frank Whittle
• George Stephenson
• Isambard Kingdom Brunel 
• James Watt
• Katherine Blodgett
• Leonardo Da Vinci
• Marie Curie
• Michael Faraday
• Nikola Tesla
• Rosalind Franklin
• Steve Wozniak
• Tim Berners-Lee
• Willis Carter

To make your vote click here: www.bsria.co.uk/goto/influentialengineer.
The survey will be open until 31st December 2015 and results will be published in early 2016.