Prof Rahman (centre) receiving the William Johnson International Gold Medal. He is flanked by Prof Frank Travies (left), past president of AMPT and Prof Sarwar Hashmee (right), current president of AMPT.

PROFESSOR Mustafizur Rahman was awarded the William Johnson International Gold Medal for his life time achievements in Materials Processing Research and Teaching during the AMPT 2009 Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (October 2009). He is the first in Asia to be conferred this prestigious honour.

Advances in Materials and Processing Technologies (AMPT) conference series was founded in 1990 at the Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland. The AMPT conference series provides a forum for academics, researchers, and practicing engineers to meet and exchange innovative ideas and information on all aspects of material processing technologies.

To recognise and appreciate distinguished academic achievements, AMPT Steering Committee has established an award of a Gold Medal after Professor W Johnson DSc, FRS, FEng formerly of University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, and Cambridge University. This International Gold Medal is awarded to a most distinguished academic in materials processing research and teaching.

Recipients of the W Johnson International Gold Medal to date are:

1993: Professor W Johnson DSc, FRS, UK
1997: Professor F W Travis PhD, DSc, UK
1998: Professor T Nakagawa PhD, Japan
1999: Professor J G Williams DSc, FRS, UK
2001: Professor J V Woods PhD, DSc, UK
2003: Professor L Dobrzanski PhD, DSc, Poland
2005: Professor S K Ghosh PhD, DSc, UK
2006: Professor M S J Hashmi PhD, DSc, UK
2007: Professor Y T Im PhD, UK
2008: Professor B S Yilbas PhD, DEng, S. Arabia

2009: Professor Mustafizur Rahman DEng, Singapore

The award of the William Johnson International Gold Medal is made through nomination to the Steering Committee by the members of each AMPT Conference Organising Committee, the International Technical Advisory Committee as well as the delegates attending and those who have attended AMPT conferences, based on:

� Publication record in journals.

� Number of PhD students supervised to completion.

� Record of securing funding for research from external and internal sources.

� International standing as an academic in relation to teaching.

� Extent of contributions to the profession of the materials processing fraternity/community and industry.