Sports shoes: A feat of engineering
Using sport to engage children in Manchester with science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Summary
Project summary
- May 2022 to July 2023
Leveraging the success of Euro 2020, Tokyo 2020, the Commonwealth Games and the FIFA World Cup 2022, this public engagement project showcases sports engineering and promotes an inclusive economy.
The project introduces nine and ten-year-old children to sports shoe design through discussions, hands-on activities and testing. It is funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Ingenious programme.
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
-
Mohamed Abdulslam
Follow @hamady166 on Twitter
-
Kadiri Abioye
Follow @waleqadri on Twitter
-
Taiwo Agunbiade
Follow @TaiwoDamy on Twitter
-
Ebele Ahizi
Follow @EbeleAhizi on Twitter
-
Liam Aspinall
Follow @liamaspinall123 on Twitter
-
Emelia Funnell
Follow @emeliafunnell on Twitter
-
Brijesh Gurav
Follow @guravbrijesh on Twitter
-
Mohammed Islam
Follow @MASI_KSA on Twitter
-
Stanley Obilikpa
Follow @Stanley20566757 on Twitter
-
Jordon Probst
Follow @ProbstJordon on Twitter
Team
Project team
Lead
Co-leads
- Dr Olly Duncan
- Ivan Hay
External partners
-
Dr Caroline Adams, English Institute of Sport
-
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.