Award winners 2010

Prof Mike Sellars FIMMM, University of Sheffield

Bessemer Gold Medal

Sellars' expertise lies in microstructure changes and how hot working effects the properties of materials. This research, and by combining empirical equations and laboratory simulations, has led to several models of the rolling process which are remain in use today. Sellars has pushed forward educational courses in steel technology, including flat and section rolling, which are well supported by industry. His impressive career includes over 10 years as the Pohang Iron and Steel Company Professor of Iron and Steel Technology.

Dr Chris Corti FIMMM

Sir Andrew Bryan Medal

Chris joined the former Institution of Metallurgists back in 1963 as a student member. He has represented the Institute on the Engineering Council's Regional Organisation Committee for Thames Valley. He has been an active supporter of the Young Persons' Lecture Competition as a way of promoting materials science to students. Corti has served on Council, the membership committee, the Professional Policy Board and The Member's Benevolent Trust. 

Prof James Kirkpatrick

Chapman Medal

Professor Kirkpatrick heads up a clinical pathology department and is well known for his support of upcoming researchers. He sits on a number of editorial advisory boards for biomedical journals and is an external reviewer for funding agencies such as the Medical Research Council and the EPSRC.

Dr Christopher Fleming

Futers Gold Medal

Fleming already holds an award from the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum for advancing metallurgical understanding in Canada. After 16 years working in hydrometallurgical research and development for Mintek in South Africa, he moved to Lakefield Research in Canada, rising from General Manager to CEO. SGS bought out the company and Fleming became Vice-President – Global Metallurgy, with responsibility for the company's worldwide metallurgy business.

Dr Derek Allen

Gold Medal

Allen works for Alstom Power and is seconded to the Technology Strategy Board to advise on energy generation and supply. In this role he works to ensure new and sustainable energy materials receive industrial and governmental backing. His academic work focuses on high temperature and energy materials. He chairs the Materials UK Energy Working Group which was formed following a recommendation from the former Department of Trade and Industry's Materials Innovation and Growth Team. He also chairs the European Technology Platform on Advanced Materials and the UK Advanced Power Generation Technical Forum. He is involved with the EPSRC on its SUPERGEN 2 programme.

Prof Robin Grimes FIMMM, Imperial College London

Griffith Medal & Prize

Professor Grimes spent time abroad at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in the USA while holding a post as Reader in Atomistic Simulation at Imperial's Department of Materials Science. He balances his academic commitments of leading the EPSRC consortium on nuclear and Director of Imperial's Centre for Nuclear Engineering with media appearances in support of nuclear energy.

Andrew Watson FIMMM

Medal for Excellence

Watson secured the financial future of the Services by expanding its offerings into training and health and safety to mitigate the loss of revenue as UK mines closed. He has advocated an industry-recognised training scheme for the Service. The company offers health and safety training to the mining sector, as well as to wider industry and other search and rescue organisations.

Prof G Thompson OBE FIMMM, The University of Manchester

Platinum Medal

Silver Medal

Dr Christopher Gourlay ProfGrad, Imperial College London

Chris is part way through a Royal Academy of Engineering and EPSRC Research Fellowship and is co-inventor of an international patent on removing nickel from lead-free solders. His interest lies in light casting and soldering alloys. With regards to the former, he has concentrated on the deformation of partially-solid alloys. This led to collaboration with a Japanese group to use synchrotron X-ray video microscopy. By noticing shear band-formation in iceberg floes and rocks in magma, he was able to establish links with researchers into soil-mechanics.

Prof Ton Peijs ProfGrad, Queen Mary University of London

Swinburne Medal

His research has covered biobased materials, nano- and thermoplastic composites, and natural fibre-reinforced plastics. Much of his work has been commercialised, such as recyclable self-reinforced polypropylene and commingled PLA/flax textile yarns for biodegradable composites.