16-year-old Kande Sill wins UK’s Arkwright Scholarship
At just 16-year-old, Kande Sill is already harnessing the power of engineering to transform how essential healthcare services reach underserved communities worldwide.
Sill, who goes by the pseudonym Kande S. Summers is a student at a University Technical College in the United Kingdom. Her work on an innovative prototype project, “Enhancing Medical Delivery,” which focuses on medical drone deliveries, has earned her one of the highest honours available to young British engineers, the Arkwright Engineering Scholarship.
Sill found her calling in STEM after following her parents’ advice to attend a school focused on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Before then, engineering had not been on her radar.
“I never really had much of a directed interest in engineering before this,” she said during an appearance on The Perfect Balance Trod Class podcast. “But when my parents said maybe I should try going to a STEM-focused school. That’s when I got into it. I realized I quite enjoy learning about engineering.”
Her curiosity soon transformed into action. As part of a school project, Sill designed the innovative prototype that according to her will streamline the delivery of medical supplies to remote or underserved areas using drones, but with a unique focus on what happens once those supplies leave the drone.
Instead of building a drone itself, Sill concentrated on the delivery mechanism, a custom-designed, insulated packaging unit that can be lowered to the ground and retrieved safely. The design includes multiple layers of security and temperature control, addressing real-world challenges often encountered during last-mile delivery in disaster zones or rural regions.
“I did my project on delivery systems, specifically in medical drone deliveries,” she said. “I looked into some case studies and decided to focus on the packaging, how it would be lowered from the drone and safely brought back. I also worked on the security of the system to make sure it’s reliable.”
Her project earned widespread praise from educators and peers alike, ultimately securing her the prestigious Arkwright Engineering Scholarship, The award regarded as the nation’s most esteemed engineering scholarship for 16-year-olds, supports standout students pursuing careers in the field.
According to the Arkwright Trust, the scholarship aims to “identify, inspire and nurture future leaders in engineering,” providing recipients with mentorship, networking opportunities and financial support throughout their studies.
“Kande brings a rare mix of creativity, technical knowledge and compassion,” said Vern Brown, her mentor, in comments shared with Black News. “She’s not just an engineer in the making; she’s already leading by example.”
As she advances in her studies, Sill aims to expand her engineering expertise and build a career at the intersection of design and impact. Her journey began with a single decision: to attend a school that fuelled her curiosity and encouraged her to think beyond convention.
“I think being in the right environment made all the difference,” she said. “It opened my eyes to what engineering can really do, not just in theory, but in changing lives.”
Written by Kweku Sampson
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