(Mon 23 Nov 09)

Zoe Burton, who is in her final year of studying mechanical engineering at Durham University, has become the seventh winner of Ford's WISE (Women Into Science and Engineering) prize, and has been presented with the award and £1000 by Princess Anne.

Burton described her success as "such a wonderful surprise. I am passionate about engineering, and to have my enthusiasm recognised in the form of such a prestigious award was a huge honour for me.

"I've loved motorsport for as long as I can remember, and to embark on a degree in engineering seemed the logic step to combine my hobby and a potential career. After several years of work experience and a gap year in Formula One, I can't imagine committing my life to anything else. The academic and research staff at my university have been hugely supportive."

This year's other finalists were Loughborough University students Elaine Cornell and Katherine Bexfield. Along with Burton, they will shortly be taken on a tour of Ford's Dunton technical centre in Essex.

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