January 11, 2012 11.15 am This story is over 146 months old

University prepares for Royal visit

Royal opening: HRH Princess Anne will officially open the University of Lincoln’s £37 million Engineering Hub built with Siemens.
Princess Anne visiting Lincoln Cathedral in December 2011

The University of Lincoln is preparing to welcome HRH The Princess Royal on January 19 to formally open the Lincoln Engineering Hub.

Princess Anne will meet the university’s Vice Chancellor and engineering academics and professionals from the university and Siemens, who have helped found the new School of Engineering, the first to be built in the UK for more than 20 years.

Construction at the £37 million engineering school started in early 2011 and was completed in September, when the first students began their courses there.

Her Royal Highness will arrive at midday and visit the turbine room, where she will be shown by students and staff how they can be tested and dismantled.

The Princess will then be escorted to the Laser Laboratory where Dr Jonathan Lawrence will explain what the laser machine is capable of and its applications.

HRH will arrive at the Atrium on the third floor of the building at 1pm. She will give a short speech before unveiling a plaque.

Second year Mechanical Engineering student Carl Hockley (19) will then present a posy to The Princess.

Last year, Hockley was awarded the first ever Sir Frank Whittle Bursary, an award set up by Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire, in memory of Sir Frank Whittle.

The Princess will depart Lincoln at 1.30pm.

University Vice Chancellor, Professor Mary Stuart, said: “I am delighted that Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal is coming to open the Lincoln School of Engineering.

“Staff and students are looking forward to demonstrating the world-class facilities and talking about the exciting research we are conducting with our partners in global industry, of which we extremely proud.”

Source: University of Lincoln | Photo (main): Dominic Clark for The Lincolnite