Sports shoes: A feat of engineering
Using sport to engage children in Manchester with science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Summary
Working as engineering teams in their schools, the children are designing sports shoe midsoles under the guidance of engineering ambassadors. They are learning about the latest trends in environmental design and bringing their designs to life with 3D printing.
Engineers new to public engagement are becoming champions of engineering and acting as role models for children and teachers. They are demonstrating the exciting ways that engineering underpins society, from the latest breakthrough technology to the shoes on our feet.
Articles and interviews
- ‘It feels like running on trampolines’ – Kipchoge & Kosgei’s marathon trainers, BBC Sport
- Running shoes: how science can help you to run faster and more efficiently, theconversation.com
- The Secret Genius of Modern Life – Series 1: 6. Trainer, BBC iPlayer
Protective metamaterials
Researchers explain how metamaterials can reduce sports injury costs and protect athletes. Metamaterials are materials that gain their properties from the precise engineering of their structure.Our ambassadors
Engineering ambassadors
Team
Project team
Lead
Co-leads
- Dr Olly Duncan
- Ivan Hay
External partners
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Dr Caroline Adams, English Institute of Sport
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Shruti Mandhani, Sheffield Hallam University
Contact
Contact us
For general enquiries about our Sports Engineering research group, you can contact its lead Dr Tom Allen.
Project enquiries
If you’re an engineer interested in participating in the project, you can find out more about our ambassador opportunities.
To register your interest and get further details, complete this short online form.
Funding
With funding from
Related research
Project logo and posters created by Stuart Pond Design.