Welcome to BEEES!
The University of Bristol's Electrical and Electronic Engineering Society
We are Bristol's official academic society for EEE and MechElec students, however our society events and talks are open to all students! (and our membership is free 👀) We are most well-known for our biannual Robot Wars tournaments, BrisHack; our annual 24-hour collaborative hackathon, and our annual formal, MVBall!
We also have a plethora of other initiatives throughout the year, such as Project Soteria, which is focused on developing sustainable technologies, and many talks brought to you by big industry names like Imagination, Dyson, and Babcock.
Our society is community-focused and we hope to create an inclusive, safe environment for all students with an interest in engineering, so come along to one of our many socials for a chance to meet like-minded individuals, as well as our committee!
Want to stay updated on what we have planned?
Follow us on Instagram, and join our society; its free!
🤖 Robot Wars - November & March
Design and build a lightweight robot and battle for glory (💵and that bag💵) in our Robot Wars tournaments that take place every semester! Our Robot Wars tournaments generally happen in early November early March, and we have weekly design and build workshops leading up to the event. The event itself is always stacked with plenty of free pizza, snacks, and robot destruction!
New to bot building? Worry not, our experienced committee are here to help with:
- Design and build workshops held every Wednesday leading up to the events from 2pm-4pm. These workshops act as Q&As and supervised workshop times for less experienced bot builders.
- A Give it A Go in September and February for you to test-drive (surviving) robots from previous contestants
- A team-finding session
- Assistance with parts/build-kit purchasing
Technical Skills you can Develop
- 3D Modelling: Most of our bots are 3D modelled and 3D printed! However don't let that stop you from getting creative, we have seen bots made from aluminium, wood, and unfortunately food like bread and custard creams...
- 3D Printer Usage
- Laser Cutter Usage
- Soldering
- Battery Safety Knowledge
FAQ
What prerequisite knowledge/skills do I need?
None! Our committee members will be present at workshops to help you with any queries or uncertainties you might have, as well as guide you through learning new skills you may need.
How much does it cost to build a bot?
This depends on a number of factors, including your bot type and material used. Most beginner bots cost about £X. This cost is usually split between some number of members in a group unless you would like to take on the competition solo. BristolSU has an Activity Hardship Fund of up £100 per student to support students who wouldn't otherwise be able to participate given the cost.
How can I use the workshop facilities as a non-engineering student?
Message us on our Instagram or come to one of our workshops and a committee member will be able to walk you through the process!
Are there heavier weight classes?
Apart from our biannual ant-weight tournament, we also take part in Bristol Bot Builder's beetleweight tournament happening outside of the university every February. We have a Give it A Go towards the end of the first semester to walk you through the application process as well as how to get parts for your robot.
💻 BrisHack - February
BrisHack is our biggest yearly event; a collaborative 24-hour hackathon, sponsored by big industry names, with a huge cash prize for just a few of the best teams. Form a group and spend up to 24 hours creating a piece of tech that fits the theme revealed a few days prior to the event. All projects developed will be reviewed by a panel of judges from the sponsor companies. Participants will be provided with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and some late night snacks for the duration of the event.
FAQ
What prerequisite knowledge/skills do I need?
This greatly varies depending on the technology you decide to work with. You should play to your group's strength's but skills that could prove beneficial include coding, app development, website development, experience with electronics, and using Hackspace equipment.
Am I required to stay the full 24-hours?
No, you can always drop out, or head home for the night and come back the next morning.
⚡ Project Soteria
Project Soceria offers a practical chance to make the most of the University's workshop resources. Our main goal is to create innovative technology to help disadvantaged groups in society, whilst providing an opportunity to sharpen (or pick up!) your CAD, CNC, and simulation software skills!
What do we do?
We brainstorm, design, and build innovative engineering projects, such as a solar-powered phone charging station, and a wall-climbing disaster relief robot. Future projects have yet to be decided so come to our sessions and bring your ideas to the table!
Technical Skills you can Develop
Mechanical
- 3D Modelling (CAD)
- 3D Printer Usage
- Laser Cutter Usage
- Soldering
- General Workshop Equipment Usage
Electrical & Electronic
- PCB Building
- Soldering
- Component Selection
- Modelling & Simulation (MATLAB)
- Testing & Validation
FAQ
Who can join?
All UoB students can join, no experience with any of the equipment used is needed!
When and Where do these sessions happen?
Weekly sessions occur in lab spaces such as the Hackspace and the Electrical lab (details in the Project Soteria group chat for specific venues, dates, times, and weekly agendas)
How much does it cost?
£0 - All parts and tools are provided by us! The only investment is your time and enthusiasm!
How do I get involved?
Message us via the BEEES channels, the Project Soteria Instagram page, LinkedIn, our Whatsapp group, or chat to us at a BEEES society meeting!
🪩 MVBall - March
MVBall is our annual formal usually held in collaboration with the Computer Science Society. Get dressed up and join your fellow engineers for a fancy multi-course meal. The location and menu at MVBall changes every year, so more information will only be available at a later date (keep an eye on our instagram). Vegan, gluten-free, and non-alcoholic options are always available.
Our Past Socials
The Touch Grass Social
Arcade Bar Social with CSS
Mario Kart Tournament
🗣️ Industry Talks
Becoming a good engineer means bringing the academic learning into the real-world and expanding on that knowledge. We are bridging that gap with our Industry Talks series bringing professionals from our industrial partners, leading companies in their fields, Imagination Technologies, Babcock, Dyson, directly to our student community.
From technical deep-dives to discussions on hiring practices and workplace culture, we've got everything coverted. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to network with professionals, ask meaningful questions, and gain a clearer understanding of what employers look for in students seeking placement and graduate roles.
🧸 Our Committee
PRESIDENT
Jamie (he/him)
3rd Year MechElec
Hobbies
Strategy Games, Muai Thai, Beer
VICE-PRESIDENT
Marionne (she/her)
3rd Year MechElec
Hobbies
Video Games, Weightlifting, Manga!
TREASURER
Shazel (he/him)
2nd Year Aerospace
Hobbies
Gym, Video Games
SECRETARY & WEBMASTER
Ammar (he/him)
3rd Year CompSci
Hobbies
Bouldering, 3D-Modelling, Lactose Intolerance
GENERAL EVENTS
Damjan (he/him)
4th Year EEE
Hobbies
Running, Swimming
ROBOT WARS ORGANISATIONAL
Yu Syuan (she/they)
2nd Year MechElec
Hobbies
Volleyball, Hiking, DnD
ROBOT WARS HARDWARE
Alex(he/him)
3nd Year MechElec
Hobbies
Robot Wars, Super Smash Bros. Melee
SOTERIA LEAD
Varun (he/him)
4th Year MechElec
Hobbies
Cricket, Volleyball, Hanging around
SOCIAL SECRETARY
Ezen (he/him)
3rd Year CompSci
Hobbies
Football, Doomscrolling, Gambling
SOCIAL MEDIA
Anni (she/her)
3rd Year CompSci
Hobbies
Crochet, Playing Studio Ghibli tracks on piano
☎️ Contact Us
Follow @univeristyofbeees on Instagram here to keep updated on what we have planned! You can also access our link-tree to find out more, and access our Freshers WhatsApp group!
Our Email: - committee@beees.co.uk
Supported by:
👣 Socials
Our socials offer a great way of blowing off steam when you feel like smashing your computer to bits (or bytes). We host plenty of sober and non-sober socials every year, as well as collaborative socials with other societies such as AeroSoc, MechSoc, and CSS, so break the engineering stigma and leave your house for once. We have plenty of exciting new and returning socials planned this year! Have a look at some of our socials from last year to give you an idea of what we do.
TechnicalInterpersonal Skills you can DevelopUpcoming Socials