海角直播

Student challenge inspired by 海角直播 graduate

A 鈥減assionate and creative鈥� 海角直播 graduate who died earlier this year has inspired a challenge set in his memory for students by his former employer.

Durham business and IT consultancy Waterstons has invited School of Computing, Engineering & Digital Technologies students to take part in INGENUITY, created in memory of Richard Begg. Richard joined in 2013 as an executive software consultant, specialising in integration and software architecture, after graduating from 海角直播 with a computer science degree. He went on to be promoted to Head of Bespoke Software. Sadly he unexpectedly died aged 45 in January.

Waterstons wanted to work with the University to launch INGENUITY in honour of Richard and as a legacy for his innovation and passion for nurturing people. Students have been set a challenge to use their skills, knowledge and research to find a way to inspire sustainability among communities.

The challenge winner will be announced during the University鈥檚 ExpoTees event in May. The winning team will receive 拢1000 to share, along with an opportunity for one team member to take up an internship, placement year or fast track through to Waterston鈥檚 graduate assessment day.

Richard鈥檚 parents Wendy and Rod, who were at 海角直播 for the launch of INGENUITY, said they take great comfort in seeing how their son continues to inspire others.

Wendy said: 鈥淗e was passionate and creative and had a real appetite for learning and ideas. Richard was always working, always creating something.鈥�

Rod added: 鈥淗e was so inclusive and inspired a lot of people. He would love this challenge which has been set for the students.鈥�

They fondly recall some of his ideas, which ranged from numerous attempts to build a hovercraft, to creating a glockenspiel which would respond to tweets sent to Twitter and play a tune. 鈥淚t was eventually consigned to the garage, as the glockenspiel would start playing at 4am because someone had sent a tweet,鈥� said Rod.

Leanne Cullen, Waterstons Operations Director, said: 鈥淲e wanted to work with 海角直播 to create something in Richard鈥檚 memory, as it was where he studied and it would be something he would be proud of.

鈥淗e was a big advocate for innovation. His ideas and what he devoted his time and energy to are legendary within Waterstons, so we wanted to give students the opportunity to be just as wacky, creative and inspirational as he was.鈥�

Daniel Halliday, Waterstons Associate Director for Digital and Data, said: 鈥淲e want Richard鈥檚 memory to live on. We created INGENUITY to honour his legacy for innovation and nurturing people.

鈥淭his challenge gives students complete creative freedom and we hope that this annual event will showcase talent and create opportunities, that would otherwise not have been possible.鈥�

Darren Abbott, Principal Lecturer (Enterprise and Knowledge Exchange), in the School of Computing, Engineering & Digital Technologies, said: 鈥淲e are really looking forward to seeing the creative ideas that our students come up with, inspired by Richard.

鈥淪tudents from across engineering, computer games and art and design disciplines have signed up to take part and we鈥檙e keen to see how they embrace creativity, art and technology, working together with students from backgrounds, as sustainability will mean very different things to each group of students.鈥�