The Princess Royal Award for Emerging Engineers: Scotland final

Sarah McKee

Sarah joined the Ground Engineering team in Arup’s Edinburgh office as a Graduate Engineer in 2021, following an MEng in Civil Engineering from the University of Edinburgh. With prior experience from industry and research placements, Sarah has since developed a broad portfolio across building, bridge, civil, and energy projects.

Sarah is experienced in delivering desk studies, scoping and supervising ground investigations, and producing interpretative reports. Her design work has focused on slope stability, shallow foundations and material reuse. Sarah has also gained experience drafting Employer’s Requirements for major multidisciplinary energy schemes.

For the final of the Princess Royal Award for Emerging Engineers, Sarah will present her paper titled "Earthworks design of a separately graded spoil storage area for arisings from the Coire Glas exploratory adit to ensure material reusability"

Harvey Leak-Smith

Harvey is a graduate geotechnical engineer based in Glasgow. 

He graduated from Durham University, completing his MEng in general engineering with civil specialism. While at university, he completed a year in industry at Network Rail. 

Currently, Harvey is working on a number of exciting projects, including FE modelling (Plaxis 2D) for an extension to an existing shopping centre in Glasgow and assessing impacts on neighbouring Subway and rail infrastructure and the earthworks design for the Star of Caledonia, a new sculpture on the England-Scotland border. 

At the Scotland final of the Princess Royal Award for Emerging Engineers, he will present his paper covering the Freeze-Thaw effects of biopolymer-stabilised soils. 

John Casey

John Casey is a senior engineer with Farrans Construction, having joined the company in 2017 straight out of high school as an apprentice engineer.

Since then, he has progressed through an HNC and a BEng degree via day release, graduating in 2023 as Farrans’ first apprentice to complete a degree. John has worked his way from Apprentice Engineer to Senior Engineer and, in 2025, was awarded both Farrans Foundation Graduate of the Year and overall winner of the Farrans Graduate Programme. He has worked across a range of major infrastructure and renewable energy projects and is currently delivering onshore wind farm projects in southwest Scotland.

Alongside his engineering role, John is a Farrans STEM Ambassador, supporting university engagement, social media outreach and career pathway promotion, and has appeared on BBC radio discussing alternative routes into engineering. Outside of work, he is a former international amateur and professional boxer who now helps coach at his local gym, encouraging young people to engage in sport and positive activity.

John is a finalist in the 2026 Princess Royal Award for Emerging Engineers for his paper titled "Governance of temporary works in large scale onshore wind farm construction with particular focus on frictional guy rope systems used to stabilise partially erected wind turbine generators exceeding 100 metres in height".