2025 Young Persons' Lecture Competition UK final
The Young Persons' Lecture Competition invites students and professionals up to the age of 28 to deliver a short lecture on a materials, minerals, mining, packaging, clay technology or wood science related subject.
Finalists give a 15 minute presentation on a technical topic of their choice and answer questions from a panel of three judges.
The winner will represent the UK at the 2025 Young Persons' World Lecture Competition online final.
Meet the 2025 YPLC UK finalists
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Timetable
| 17:00 | Tea & Coffee |
| 17:30 | Welcome & Introductions |
| 17:40 | YPLC final |
| 19:50 | Drinks reception & networking |
| 20:15 | Results |
| 20:45 | End |
Judging Panel
Antonia Fan CEng CSci MIMMM
Antonia works for BAE Systems Submarines as a Corrosion and Coatings Engineer, providing build line support to in-process and design queries. She is also the System Owner for coatings on BAE Systems new class of nuclear-powered submarines, responsible for qualification for all coating systems. This role includes the development of Research and Technology projects and field trials. Currently, Antonia is working on the implementation of Cold Metal Spraying on an industrial scale and innovative anti-fouling technologies to reduce bio-fouling and improve propeller and hull performance.
Antonia previously studied Chemical Engineering at the University of Sheffield, and then went on to complete a Master of Science in Material Science Engineering at the University of Leeds. She has always had an invested interest in coatings, enhanced by her summer placement at AkzoNobel.
Outside of work, you will find Antonia in her running kit on a fell or a mountain. She has represented England on the International stage on multiple occasions and remains dedicated to her training. Antonia is also a climber and often spends her spare time sport and traditional climbing.
Chaired by
Student Grade
Hannah Hilton-Tapp
Student Grade
Hannah Hilton-Tapp
Hannah is a third-year PhD student at the University of Leicester, working in the Centre for Sustainable Materials Processing and Space Park Leicester, under the supervision of Dr Ramy Mesalam. Her research interests include surface finishing of materials, electrodeposition of nanocomposites and the production of thermoelectric devices for use in Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs).
She also sits on the Advisory Council for IOM3 as a postgraduate student representative.
About the sponsors
The Worshipful Company of Armourers & Brasiers
The Armourers & Brasiers’ Company is one of the largest private sponsors of education and research in Materials Science in the UK. It is a livery company of the City of London, tracing its origins back to 1322. The Company’s home, Armourers’ Hall, has occupied the same site since 1346. The Armourers & Brasiers were engaged in the control and development of the armour and brass trades in London from medieval times until the industrial revolution, ensuring quality control, supporting the training of apprentices and encouraging manufacturing innovation. From its beginnings the Company engaged in philanthropy. In earlier centuries this was largely for the welfare of its members and their dependents but since Victorian times it has increasingly targeted its charitable giving towards science education and research, with a particular focus on Materials Science. Currently it gives over £220,000 each year for this purpose, mainly in small grants to numerous beneficiaries ranging from primary schools through to universities. In July 2020 the Company through its charitable arm the Gauntlet Trust, gave its largest ever gift to established the Armourers & Brasiers Chair in Materials Science at Imperial College to mark its 700th Anniversary in 2022.
- Website:
- www.armourershall.co.uk/
Henry Royce Institute
The Henry Royce Institute is proud to partner with IOM3 in supporting the Young Person’s Lecture Competition. Royce shares with IOM3 a passion not only for developing the next generation of materials, but also the next generation of materials scientists. A number of former winners of this competition have engaged with Royce during the course of their research and we are encouraged to see the exciting research undertaken presented by the people who have undertaken the research.
The Henry Royce Institute is the UK’s national institute for advanced materials research and innovation. Royce was established to ensure the UK can exploit its world-leading expertise in advanced materials and accelerate innovation from discovery to application. With investment of over £300 million, and ongoing long-term support from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Royce is ensuring that both the UK academic and industrial materials community have access to world-class research capabilities, infrastructure, expertise, and skills development.
From future cities and their energy supplies, to computing, manufacturing and medicine, the research and innovation facilitated by Royce has the potential to significantly impact peoples’ lives. With its Hub in Manchester and with capability distributed across nine founding Partners, Royce works collaboratively to create real solutions and make a fundamental difference to the UK economy.
Through a variety of access grants, Royce offers students, academics, and industry world-class equipment, expertise and training, to support their advanced materials research.
- Website:
- www.royce.ac.uk
Lucideon
As a development and commercialisation organisation, Lucideon specialises in the research, implementation, and scaling-up of novel materials technologies. We work across a variety of industries including healthcare, construction, energy, and aerospace, with expertise in a wide range of materials. Lucideon utilises its thousands of combined years of experience in development, analysis, and assurance to provide technical consultancy to enhance and accelerate its clients' R&D activities.
Lucideon hosts and manages The AMRICC Centre, an open-access international facility partly funded by UKRI through the Strength In Places Fund, which focuses on transforming innovative materials and technologies into real-world solutions.
- Website:
- www.lucideon.com/