A SOUTHAMPTON student has won first prize at a young researcher’s competition.

Laurence Clough, 29, a researcher from the University of Southampton, won the Young Researchers’ Conference and £500 for his work.

Laurence’s poster presentation looked at how steel plates react to an extreme amount of heat and pressure while it is inside a fireball, something which has never been explored before.

Laurence said: “Given the quality of work on show I never expected to win – I’ve never won anything before, so this is a real pleasure!”

The event, hosted by the Institution of Structural Engineers, is an annual celebration of the best engineering research and sees the brightest students showcase their work to industry professionals and academics.