LECS UK celebrates its 30th anniversary this year and is taking the opportunity to introduce the award in memory of its colleague Alex MacDonald, who died in February 2020.
Having studied both architecture and engineering, twenty-nine year MacDonald was leading a project in the Docklands. The Alex MacDonald Award for Lift Engineering plus £200 prize money will be awarded annually for an outstanding dissertation submitted by the MSc Lift Engineering students at the University of Northampton.
Eur Ing Dave Cooper, MD of LECS UK, says: “As an engineering consultant working in this area for 35+ years, I am a keen supporter of ongoing education, learning and bringing new blood into the industry. Our dear colleague Alex MacDonald was a great example of the best of the next generation coming into this sector and is greatly missed by all who worked with him.
“It is a privilege to be MD of LECS UK on its 30th anniversary and we hope this award will encourage all MSc students to push the boundaries in thought and research developments, as well as create a legacy for Alex who was an exceptional engineer.”
Professor Stefan Kaczmarczyk, postgraduate programme leader for Lift Engineering at the University of Northampton, adds: "The University has been proud to be associated with LECS UK over the years and with Alex who studied here. We hope this annual award will inspire and motivate our students to achieve their academic and professional goals while always remembering Alex MacDonald.”