28 Feb 2024
The Fulton-Downer Gold and Silver Medals and the MacLean Citation award are awarded by the President of Engineering New Zealand for commitment to Engineering New Zealand and the engineering profession. They can be awarded to an individual or a group. The Gold Medal is awarded to one or more senior engineers and the Silver Medal to an emerging professional. The MacLean Citation is presented to a member who has contributed exceptional and distinguished service to the profession.
Fulton-Downer Gold Medal – Heavy Vehicle Training Design and Development Project
Almost 200,000 heavy vehicles transport more than 90% of New Zealand’s goods across the country and rely on an understaffed industry of heavy vehicle engineers to ensure that critical vehicle components meet required standards.
This industry was aging, had a fractious relationship with their regulator, and had no guidelines for recommended practice.
In partnership with the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Engineering New Zealand and the Heavy Vehicle Engineers Group, a small and committed group of engineers has developed highly specialised knowledge assets and training content – including first principles design – and analysis to support compliant certification.
The result is 18 comprehensive training modules across three programmes – a significant body of work, and a legacy that will be referenced for years to come both in New Zealand and overseas.
The project team is made up of the following dedicated members:
Tony Lawson, Che Robertson, Chris Ward, Elliot Wilkinson, Harry Clark, Hayden Ringrose, James Bignell, Kelvin Barclay, Malcolm Allan, Marin Vujcich, Neil Rogers, Paul White, Peter Mathers, Robbie Stephen, Rory O'Sullivan, Sam Graham, Thomas Breinhorst, Tim Stone and Wayne Cooper.
Fulton-Downer Silver Medal – Michelle Meaclem
Michelle, a Civil Engineer at Tonkin + Taylor in New Zealand, boasts six years of expertise in three waters infrastructure advisory, climate resilience and water infrastructure design. A University of Canterbury Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) graduate, she earned the Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia to undertake an exchange at the University of Hong Kong and recently served as the Engineering New Zealand Young Engineers Wellington Committee co-Chair. Michelle now co-leads the World Federation of Engineering Organisations’ Young Engineers Working Group on Climate Action and contributes as a Steering Committee member of the Commonwealth Youth for Sustainable Urbanisation Network. Noteworthy achievements include receiving the U35 best presentation award at the Āpōpō conference and participating in the COP28 UAE International Youth Climate Delegate program. As a finalist for the “Young Engineer of the Year” at the 2023 ENVI awards, Michelle embodies a young engineer's passion for community impact, excelling in leadership and dedicating herself to enhancing the quality of life in New Zealand.
MacLean Citation – Michelle Grant
Michelle is the Immediate Past President of the Structural Engineering Society of New Zealand. She is a structural engineer and director of LGE Consulting in Masterton. Michelle, a CPEng and Fellow of Engineering New Zealand, studied civil engineering at the University of Technology in Sydney. She is well known within New Zealand for her leadership on matters pertaining to structural engineering, small practice management and promoting high quality professional standards. She is a regular guest on RNZ. Together with Gordon Hughes, Michelle developed the “Ten tips for better design of low-rise structures”. This instructional seminar helps upskill engineers working in this area. Michelle was instrumental in developing Engineering New Zealand’s recent publication of the report Quality issues in the building system – overcoming inadequate structural engineering design.
The MacLean Citation is an award established to acknowledge Francis William MacLean, President of the Institution in 1922, who displayed exceptional devotion to the profession of engineering and to his fellow engineers. The Citation is presented from time to time to a member who has contributed exceptional and distinguished service to the profession.
