A student from the East Midlands has scooped an award in The Big Bang Competition, a prestigious nationwide competition for young engineers, scientists and technologists.
Tadiwa Nyikadzino a year 11 student at Outwood Academy Valley, Worksop, won the Network Rail Innovation in Transport Award. Tadiwa designed a cargo ship for their project ‘Generation hybrid cargo ship powered by forces of the ocean’ that produces its own clean hydrogen fuel while travelling.
Tadiwa was inspired to create their ship after learning that cargo ships contribute significantly to global pollution and the need for cleaner transport solutions. By generating fuel on board via using wind, water flow, and wave energy, the design avoids reliance on limited hydrogen refuelling ports and supports more sustainable global shipping.
The winners of The Competition, which recognises and rewards talented young innovators, were announced at an awards ceremony at The Big Bang Fair. The Fair is the UK’s largest celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) for young people held at Birmingham’s NEC over 9 June to 11 June. Run by EngineeringUK, The Fair is supported by organisations across the engineering and STEM sector including major supporter Rolls-Royce, easyJet, EDF Energy, Royal Aeronautical Society, The Wildlife Trust, University of Cambridge and V&A museum.
All the finalists impressed the Competition judges, who commended them on their innovative projects.
Ian Russell, Regional Head of Sustainable Growth at Network Rail, who was on the judging panel commented: “Well done Tadiwa! We were lucky enough to listen to some fantastic presentations where the standard was extremely high and yours was a standout to us. What stood out in this project was the depth of thinking and research throughout the design process and the identification of a very unique solution. We need talented young people to enter the railway industry to help us innovate and meet the evolving needs of our passengers in the future. This is why we are so passionate about giving young people the opportunity to showcase their ideas through The Big Bang Competition.”
Dr Hilary Leevers, Chief Executive of EngineeringUK who run The Competition said: “Massive congratulations to Tadiwa and all the winners and runners-up. Their curiosity and creativity have driven them to produce some brilliant STEM projects addressing some really big societal problems. They should all be very proud of their dedication and hard work. Competitions like The Big Bang Competition help young people connect their passions with making a real-world difference, it shows young people a future in engineering and technology is possible for them.”
To find out more and discover all the winners and runners-up of The Big Bang Competition 2026 visit: www.thebigbang.org.uk/competition-winners
To find out more about The Big Bang Fair, which is running at Birmingham’s NEC from 9 June to 11 June 2026, visit: www.thebigbang.org.uk/fair
