Membership voice, July - August 2006
A colourful array of award winners received honours at this year's Annual General Meeting. Held at Great Abington on 20 June 2006 it was the thirty-ninth in the history of The Welding Institute.
Dr Gongqi Shi, better known as Steve, joined TWI in 2001 and has made a name for himself and TWI for his involvement in laser and laser-arc hybrid welding, in-process monitoring and adaptive control of laser welding. He is the author of over 60 scientific papers and this year's joint winner of the Richard Weck award for his paper on 'Techniques for improving the resistance spot weldability of 1.6-2.0mm ultra-high strength steels for automotive applications'.
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- Steve Westgate co-authored the same paper and is joint winner of this year's Richard Weck award. He is currently a Consultant in Resistance Welding in the Laser and Sheet Processes Group. He graduated from Birmingham University in the early seventies and has spent much of his TWI career heading its resistance welding interests.
- Dr Leif Karlsson, a leading authority on high alloyed and high strength welding consumables was awarded the Brooker Medal for his 'personal contribution to the science, technology and industrial exploitation of metal joining'.
- Richard Pargeter was awarded the Sir William J Larke Medal 'in recognition of the best contribution over the past two years to the advancement of knowledge or practice in respect of welding or joining'. A lengthy and glowing citation on Richard's work commended 'his rigorous analytical approach, combined with excellent understanding of the need for leading edge experimental and laboratory skills which have led him to become one of the most experienced and perceptive investigators of weld failures in the world'.
- Paul Brown's contribution to TWI's software development since he joined the company in 1990 was recognised by this year's TWI Commendation Award. To his name, software products such as CRACKWISE and ENGFit are closely associated. His citation described Paul as a 'can do' person capable of carrying out his duties with a minimum of fuss and, however busy, always having time for others. His ideas and solutions are well thought through and invariably delivered before their deadline.
- Dr Chris Farrar, TWI's former chairman of Council was awarded Honorary Fellowship of the Welding Institute. The Honour is conferred in recognition of the recipient's contributions to, and standing in, the welding engineering community at an international level. The citation read; 'He has demonstrated a lifetime commitment to welding and fabrication, throughout his research career, in welding manufacture, his contribution to the development of welding consumables, his reputation as an international consultant and his wholehearted support for, and guidance to, TWI over a wide range of issues.'
- Two distinguished service awards were made at this year's awards ceremony 'in recognition of outstanding contributions to The Welding Institute on a national basis, as a result of which the position of the Institute has been significantly advanced.' The awards were made to Alan Rodgers and Dr David Shackleton.
- The winner of the Lincoln Electric prize from the May 2006 examinations was Stephen Magowan from Sheffield Hallam University. The purpose of the Certificate Course in Welding and Joining Technology for Students in Materials and Engineering is to introduce the basic principles of welding and joining technology and to provide a sound foundation in welding engineering.
This year's award winners (left to right): Dr Leif Karlsson, Dr Gongqi Shi, Steve Westgate, Stephen Magowan, Dr David Shackleton, Richard Pargeter, Alan Rodgers, Paul Brown and Professor Michael Burdekin, President ofThe Welding Institute.
Fred Delany
Head of Industrial Member Services
