In the digital age of "overnight" success stories such as Facebook, the hard slog is easily overlooked.

So I think the winners in recession are the people who produce new technology that does things better, which people really want.

When decisions on nuclear power stations and runways are delayed and the government dilly-dallies, people think they aren't important.

As an engineer I'm constantly spotting problems and plotting how to solve them.

The media thinks that you have to make science sexy and concentrate on themes such as rivalry and the human issues.

Manufacturing is more than just putting parts together. It's coming up with ideas, testing principles and perfecting the engineering, as well as final assembly.

Engineering undergraduates should not be charged fees. They should receive grants, not student loans, and the government will get the money back long-term from increased exports.