SpotLight 2026
On 29 April 2026, researchers from the Making Hydrogen Work in Zero Carbon Jet Engines Programme Grant took to the stage at Oxford's Old Fire Station as part of SpotLight – Illuminating Engineering, an annual public engagement event organised by the Department of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford.
Delivering a TED-style talk, Dr Ashley van Bruygom and Adelaida Jimenez-Villarejo Diaz introduced the ambitions, challenges, and opportunities of hydrogen-powered aviation to a diverse public audience. The event provided a platform to share the programme's vision for zero-carbon flight while making cutting-edge engineering research accessible and engaging.
Preparing for the event involved two dedicated training sessions designed to help researchers develop their presentation and performance skills. "It was a great opportunity with fantastic support along the way," shared Dr van Bruygom, "and was something I had never done before. But I enjoyed the process and working alongside Adelaida. It was also a great opportunity to connect with colleagues across the programme and bring together the images, stories, and research that show how we are tackling the challenge of hydrogen-powered flight."
For Adelaida Jimenez-Villarejo Diaz, presenting as a duo reflected an important lesson from the programme itself. "Working as a pair reminded us how much our work depends on collaboration. Zero-carbon flight isn't a challenge anyone can solve alone, whether that's in the research or in communicating it to the public. It takes shared expertise and a willingness to learn from each other."
The experience highlighted the collaborative nature of the Programme Grant, bringing together expertise from across disciplines to address the complex challenges of sustainable aviation. It also demonstrated the importance of public engagement in sharing not only the research itself, but the people, partnerships, and collective effort that will be needed to make hydrogen-powered flight a reality