Strathclyde student is Scotland’s next emerging engineer for work on AI-powered concrete inspections

Mr Dow’s paper – Lights, Camera, Action: AI-Powered Concrete Inspections – focuses on the field deployment of an automated, and robot-mountable concrete visual inspection device that uses lighting and artificial intelligence to detect, classify, quantify, and monitor concrete defects with unprecedented speed, accuracy, and precision.

The Emerging Engineers Award is for ICE members in the early careers and encourages and rewards the communication of civil engineering ideas, research and best practice in projects and design.

Candidates from across the world are invited to submit synopsis papers to compete in regional heats, with the final selection of three papers for the overall Emerging Engineer Award final in October each year.

Hamish Dow said: “I am incredibly honoured to receive the ICE Scotland Emerging Engineers Award. With many concrete structures now reaching the end of their design life, routine inspections are crucial for ensuring continued structural safety.

“This award recognises the value of innovation in inspection methods, and I’m proud to contribute to building a more sustainable future for our infrastructure.”

ICE Scotland regional director, Ben Westland, added: “A huge congratulations to Hamish whose innovative work really caught the attention of all the judges. The judging panel were inspired by the caliber of all the finalists this year and were in agreement that on the basis of this competition, the future of civil engineering is in safe hands!”