Chemical engineering graduate wins Salters’ Award 2021
Conor Copithorne Crainey, who graduated from Surrey this year, has been named one of the top 10 chemical engineering/chemistry students in the UK in the highly prestigious Salters’ Institute Graduate Awards.
Conor on his graduation day.
The Graduate Award from the Salter Institute, worth £1,000, is given to outstanding final year undergraduates with the potential to occupy leading positions in public life, with each UK university allowed to nominate just one high achieving candidate.
Conor was named as a winner following two intensive interviews with Awards Chairman Sir Tom McKillop (formerly CEO of AstraZeneca) and previous winners who are now leaders in their respective industries.
Having graduated from Surrey’s MEng Chemical Engineering in 2021, Conor is now a Process Engineer at Proctor & Gamble, where he’s responsible for reducing losses on packing line equipment for a well-known household product. During his time at Surrey he won numerous prizes including the Tailby Prize for highest overall performance on the MEng Chemical Engineering course, the UOP Research, Development and Design Prize for highest overall mark in the masters research project, and the IChemE prize for best performance on placement which he undertook at GSK.
Conor is now a Process Engineer at Proctor & Gamble.
Conor said: “I’m incredibly grateful to have been awarded one of the Salters’ Institute Graduate Awards. The last five years have involved a lot of hard work, and this award really feels like the perfect end to my university life and a chance to represent Surrey one last time. I’m very thankful to all the lecturers who have supported and pushed me over the years, and I’m now looking forward to what my future career may hold.”
Head of the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Dr Franjo Cecelja commented:
“Conor has been an exceptional student from the very beginning – not only academically but also in his roles such as course rep and open/applicant day guide. The Department is very proud of what Conor has achieved. To be recognised amongst award recipients from other top universities shows that combining a high calibre student with the high standard of teaching, support and training we offer can generate a leader of the future.”
Conor will be presented with his award in December at a special ceremony and lunch to be held at the Salters Hall in London.
The Salters’ Institute is the educational charity of the Worshipful Company of Salters, and was originally set up in 1918 as the Salters’ Institute of Industrial Chemistry to support chemistry students after the First World War.
Discover our courses in chemical and process engineering, including our MEng Chemical Engineering.
