Top award for engineer Dan (From Western Telegraph)

Top award for engineer Dan

3:00pm Saturday 9th March 2013 in News

A Haverfordwest student has proved his worth after being recognised as one of the most exceptional engineering undergraduates in the UK.

Dan Eade beat off tough competition to bag a Royal Academy of Engineering Advanced Leadership Award, which recognises students who have the desire and capability to reach the top of engineering or manufacturing business.

And after attending the annual training event in Birmingham in September, the Swansea University student will be packing his bags for the European congress of chemical engineering in the Hague, Holland, in April.

He has also opted to visit Asia to gain working exposure in the summer.

Dan, who is currently completing a year in industry with Valero at Pembroke Refinery, said: “I was thrilled to be given the award. The selection process was tough.

After getting through the written exercise I was then invited to an interview weekend.

It was attended by the 70 top applicants for the award, as well as fellows of the Royal Academy, previous award holders and Sainsbury’s management fellows.

“Competition was very fierce, so I was just myself and answered questions truthfully and gave my opinions, which weren’t necessarily the same views as others.”

He added: “I’m looking to get a graduate position in the oil and gas industry as a process engineer. From there I’m looking to become a future leader in the oil and gas industry.”

Dan’s lecturer Dr Paul Williams said: “Dan has been a great asset to the chemical engineering portfolio at Swansea. He was instrumental in setting up the Chemical Engineering Society and was chair of the committee which organised the IChemE Frank Morton Sports Day. The Advanced Leadership Award is well deserved.