A RESEARCHER who played a key role in helping a Steeton company develop a new product to be marketed worldwide has won a coveted prize.

Sean Howson scooped the accolade in the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Best of the Best Awards.

A presentation ceremony took place at the Royal Society of Chemistry headquarters in London.

Mr Howson was assigned to Mainstream Measurements Ltd, which develops and manufactures ultrasonic open-channel flow meters, after graduating from Huddersfield University in electrical and electronic engineering.

He helped the Elmsley Street firm produce software and hardware to enable meters to be read remotely – a major boon in remote and difficult terrains.

The project formed part of a £120,000, two-year KTP link-up with the university, backed by Government agency Innovate UK.

Mr Howson was based at the company and the initiative proved a huge success, with a new product about to enter the market.

And he has been appointed to a full-time post at Mainstream Measurements, as software and research lead engineer.

Now the firm is following-up on the success of the venture by planning further collaboration with the university.

Dr Simon Parkinson – reader in the university's department of computer science – will be the academic supervisor, Mr Howson will act as company supervisor and a new associate will be appointed.

Tribute is paid to Mr Howson for his work.

"In addition to his research Sean brought expertise and the ability to make changes to core software components – and to design and develop software and hardware for new markets," said Dr Parkinson.

"Now we are looking forward to another highly-productive project with Mainstream Measurements."

Mr Howson won his accolade in the Best Future Innovator category of the awards, which were organised by the Knowledge Transfer Network.