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Department of Engineering

ISMM student awarded Masters in Motorsport Scholarship

ISMM student awarded Masters in Motorsport Scholarship

Chris Tagnon

Chris Tagnon, who is currently studying an MPhil in Industrial Systems, Manufacture and Management (ISMM) at the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM), is one of eight graduates of Black and mixed Black ethnic backgrounds to be awarded a Masters in Motorsport Scholarship.

I’ve been passionate about motorsport since I was a kid, and Lewis Hamilton has been an idol of mine throughout my journey to this point. I’m so excited to be a part of this initiative and the doors it will open.

Postgrad Chris Tagnon

Presented by The Royal Academy of Engineering and Sir Lewis Hamilton’s charitable foundation Mission 44, each recipient receives £28,000 to study for a Masters in motorsport engineering or an associated discipline.

“Being awarded the scholarship is such a great feeling, especially with the link to Lewis Hamilton,” says Chris. “I’ve been passionate about motorsport since I was a kid, and he has been an idol of mine throughout my journey to this point. I’m so excited to be a part of this initiative and the doors it will open.”

Mission 44 was founded to build a fairer, more inclusive future for young people in underserved communities through grant-making, research and advocacy. The Masters in Motorsport Scholarships aim to help address the under-representation of Black and mixed Black ethnic engineers and accelerate the rate of progress of change.

“I have been focussed on a career in motorsport since I started my academic journey. I was previously a part of the Accelerate 25 Mentorship Programme, which aims to support students from under-represented backgrounds to pursue a career in STEM subjects. I undertook a placement in the performance and simulation department at Red Bull in vehicle dynamics and performance engineering during my undergraduate studies. I was recommended the scholarship from my mentor and chose the ISMM course for the broad overview of manufacturing and management, in particular the ability to learn and develop transferrable skills that can be applied to the motorsport sector,” explains Chris.

The new awardees were welcomed to the programme at a special event recently at the Formula 1® Exhibition at Excel London, where the scholars had the opportunity to have a Q&A session with engineers from Formula 1® and the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 team. In addition, the scholarship also offers awardees the benefit of several networking events throughout the year, where they will have the opportunity to meet industry professionals and gain additional experience and knowledge about the sector.

“Motorsport has some of the most innovative and cutting-edge manufacturing facilities, with the ability to produce custom, ultra-specialised and precision parts for some of the most well-engineered cars in the world,” says Chris. “After ISMM, I would like to work at the intersection of motorsport and the wider industry, bridging the gap and applying the specialised engineering know-how to impactful applications, like venture development in aerospace, energy or clean mobility. But the ultimate dream is to be a team principal in Formula 1® – there are only 10 in the world!”

Written by Dr Harriet Riley.

This article first appeared on the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) website.

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