CSIC hosted a dynamic and engaging "Dragon’s Den" event this week, where researcher associates and PhD and Master’s students pitched their innovative ideas to a panel of industry experts in the hopes of winning research support for the summer.
Held on Wednesday morning 18 June at the University’s Cambridge West site, the event brought together researchers from across civil engineering to present their visions for advancing infrastructure and construction technologies. The prize? A fully funded undergraduate engineering student, supported by CSIC’s industry Members, to work on the winning project over the summer.
Five shortlisted projects were presented to a panel of CSIC’s Members, who served as the "Dragons" for the day. Each pitch highlighted cutting-edge ideas in areas including sensing, monitoring, data-centric engineering, AI, and advanced modelling—demonstrating the breadth and ambition of research being carried out at Cambridge.
After a highly competitive round of presentations, Nandeesh Babanagar, a PhD student from the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Future Infrastructure and Built Environment (CDT-FIBE), emerged as the winner with his proposal titled “Digital Twins for the Observational Method 2.0.” His project aims to modernise the traditional observational method used in civil engineering by integrating digital twin technologies to enable real-time decision-making during construction.
The runner-up was Dr Guangming Wang, a Research Associate at the Department of Engineering, with his proposal, “A Simulated Robotic Brick-Stacking Environment Guided by Vision-Language Models,” which explores the potential of AI-driven robotics in construction automation.
All five researchers delivered outstanding presentations, making it a tough decision for the panel. The event not only showcased the innovative potential of the Cambridge research community but also encouraged participants to develop essential skills in pitching and project leadership.
“We were incredibly impressed by the creativity, technical rigour, and passion on display today,” said CSIC Director Dr Brian Sheil. “It’s a testament to the vibrant research culture at Cambridge and the importance of supporting early-stage ideas that could transform the way we design, build and manage infrastructure.”
CSIC expressed its gratitude to all participants, especially the presenters and industry Members, for making the event both productive and enjoyable. With this year’s success, the Centre hopes to continue this type of initiative as an annual feature, offering a valuable platform for innovation, collaboration, and research impact.