Organised by Greenlight for Girls (g4g) in collaboration with AIG, the event aimed to inspire young girls to explore careers in STEM through interactive and engaging workshops.

Lindsey Legg, Emma Howat, and Laurel Chan, all Sports Technology students at Loughborough University, led the workshop alongside Dr Aimee Mears, Senior Lecturer in Sports Technology.

All three students have strong ties to PING, a leading golf club manufacturer. Lindsey is pursuing a PhD co-funded by PING, Laurel completed a placement with PING last year, and Emma is set to begin her placement with PING this year.

The workshop, aimed at girls aged 10-15, introduced participants to sports engineering, emphasising career opportunities in golf equipment engineering and research.

During the workshop, participants explored the technologies used in research with companies such as PING, focusing on women’s golf biomechanics and equipment. They also learnt how to capture players’ perceptions when using golf equipment and had the opportunity to design their own golf putter, demonstrating key concepts like the moment of inertia of golf clubs.

Dr Aimee Mears commented: “I’ve been involved in golf research since 2009, seeing firsthand how research can impact both the industry and golf coaching education. I was fortunate to discover how great golf is through my research, which has been incredibly fulfilling, and to see others such as the students joining me for the event have similar experiences is great to see.”

Offering advice to women interested in careers in sports technology and engineering, Aimee added: “I’d recommend building a strong network and seeking out as many opportunities as possible. Don’t hesitate to reach out to people, as most will be happy to offer guidance and support.”

As a current participant in the R&A Women in Golf Leadership Development Programme, Aimee became involved in the g4g event through this network of women in golf.