12 Mar 2019
Research Associate wins prestigious prize
A Research Associate based at Loughborough University has won the British Geotechnical Associations’ (BGA) Cooling Prize.
The competition takes place each year and is awarded to an early-career geotechnical engineer working in the UK.
Dr Harry Postill works at the University as a Research Associate through the EPSRC ACHILLES Programme grant, which has enabled him to extend his PhD research.
He had previously graduated from the University with a first-class degree in MEng in Civil Engineering before undertaking a PhD at Loughborough, which he completed earlier this year.
His paper and presentation titled, Clay cut slope deterioration, climate change and maintenance, was announced as the winner after he gave a polished presentation and answered challenging questions from the audience.
Dr Postill collected his award at a ceremony which took place at the Institution for Civil Engineers in London earlier this month. Harry was the 50th researcher to be awarded the Cooling Prize, and was joined by 25 of the previous winners who attended the event.
He was presented with the award by Dr Christine Cooling, who is the daughter of the founder of the competition, Dr Leonard Cooling.
As part of the prize, Harry received a £200 cheque and will have his paper published in Ground Engineering magazine, and has also been funded to represent the UK at the next International Young Geotechnical Engineers Conference.
Speaking about the award, Dr Postill said: “It was a great experience presenting at the Institution of Civil Engineers and really nice that my work was so well received by such a varied audience, and even better to win such a prestigious award in my research field!”
“I am really pleased to have won the Cooling Prize, and I look forward to representing the BGA at the International Young Geotechnical Engineers Conference in 2020.”