May Phyu Sin, Team Manager of Kanaung Racing, one of the 91 international teams competing at the Aramco STEM Racing World Finals 2026 celebrated receiving a UCL Mechanical Engineering bursary, with full tuition fee support to study Mechanical Engineering at University College London with entry in September 2027. Her achievement was recognised at the event’s Award Ceremony.
Representing Thailand on the world stage at the Aramco STEM Racing World Finals 2026 — one of the most prestigious student STEM competitions in the world, May led her team to an Award win as well as securing the UCL Mechanical Engineering bursary.
This prestigious bursary is designed to support talented young people who demonstrate a passion for engineering, innovation, and STEM subjects, helping to remove financial barriers to studying at one of the world's leading universities. May stood above all the applicants to win this life-changing opportunity.
May said of securing the valuable bursary: “Winning this award means so much to me. As a senior from a developing country, it has not only recognised my hard work but also lifted a huge financial burden from my family and supported my academic journey. I believe my resilience, integrity and experience as both Project Manager and Lead Engineer helped me stand out. This competition has taught me to think like a real engineer, from using CAD and ANSYS to applying CFD and making decisions based on engineering analysis rather than instinct.”
Rupy Matharu, Engineering Design Lecturer, UCL said of May’s success, “May stood out to us through the breadth of her STEM Racing experience, combining leadership as Team Manager and Lead Engineer with hands-on experience in CAD, CFD, 3D printing and CNC machining. We were also impressed by her extracurricular achievements, her initiative in developing her engineering knowledge independently, and her enthusiasm for inspiring younger students to explore STEM.”
Competing against other elite STEM Racing teams over four high-pressure days, Kanaung Racing made a powerful impression, securing the Chair of Judges Recognition of Achievement Award supported by Oracle Red Bull Racing. Although competing under the Thailand flag, the team students are from Myanmar. Judges recognized the team for the quality of their work produced despite enormous challenges. They said, “It is very clear they have a strong commitment to their culture and developing STEM Racing in Myanmar which is a huge task.”