Articles
Scottish Inventor of the ATM Is One of Four New Inductees to the Engineering Hall of Fame
08 October 2016
James Goodfellow, the original patentor of the automated teller that transformed the way we get cash from banks is one of four Scottish engineers to join the Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame. He will be joined by Sir Duncan Michael, the talented structural engineer who restructured Ove Arup and Partners into a global business; Robert Stevenson, bridge and lighthouse designer and founder of a family dynasty of lighthouse engineers; and Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone. Their induction follows the annual Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland (IESIS) James Watt dinner, held in Glasgow last night. (Friday 7 October, 2016)
Gordon Masterton, Chairman of Judges for the Hall of Fame, said: "We are delighted to welcome more recent engineers like Duncan and James into this pantheon of Scottish Engineering, as well as some of the notable older pioneering engineers. Scotland can rightly claim to have provided the educational base for many of the world's greatest engineers who have gone on to lead great companies and make world-changing inventions. Duncan Michael and James Goodfellow are living proof that this tradition is alive and well."
Collectively, the 27 members now in the Hall of Fame tell a story of 450 years of world-beating engineering innovation that has led to massive improvements in the quality of life and economy in Scotland, the United Kingdom and world-wide.
Welcoming the announcement of the new inductees, Sara Thiam, Director Scotland of the Institution of Civil Engineers, said: "It is wonderful to see great engineering getting recognition. Many don't realise the human impact that civil engineers, and engineers in general, make upon everyday life. But the induction of someone like James Goodfellow highlights an innovator of a piece of engineering most of us use every day in life without thinking. Civil Engineers, and other engineers, create the environment we live in, so they have a massive impact on all our lives. The Hall of Fame attempts to recognise that contribution."
The Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame was launched in 2011 by The Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland (IESIS), and is supported by engineering institutions, museums and trade bodies in Scotland. The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Scotland is calling for infrastructure improvements to be placed at the heart of Scotland's programme for government to significantly boost local growth, environmental sustainability and quality of life - all backed with the right investment, frameworks and skills needed to fully realise the benefits.
Four Scots Join the Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame
03 October 2015
Four Scottish engineers have been added to the IESIS Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame, including Sir Donald Miller, the engineer responsible for creating a highly respected efficient and reliable electricity supply system in Scotland.
Donald Miller was inducted at last night's James Watt dinner - held in Glasgow - alongside three other notable Scottish Engineers: John Logie Baird, the inventor of mechanical television and pioneer of televised images, Henry Dyer, the father of engineering education in Japan and Sir George Bruce, the pioneering genius who created a sophisticated 16th century mining complex in Culross that predated the Industrial Revolution.
Gordon Masterton, Chairman of Judges for the Hall of Fame, said;
"This new group of inductees extends the breadth and scope of the Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame from the 16th Century to the present day. Scotland can rightly claim to be one of the most important seed beds of great engineering accomplishments over that entire period. It has also been a great exporter of skills and expertise, as exemplified by Henry Dyer, the father of engineering education in Japan, an early example of the Scottish engineering diaspora."
Collectively, the twenty-three members in the Hall of Fame now tell a story of 450 years of world-beating engineering innovation that has led to massive improvements in our quality of life and benefits to the economy of Scotland and the United Kingdom.
Bryan Buchan, Chief Executive of Scottish Engineering, said:
"This is another great night of celebrating engineering in Scotland and a fitting tribute to the huge contribution made by Sir Donald Miller when Chief Engineer of the Hydro Board, the South of Scotland Electricity Board, later the first Chairman of Scottish Power plc. He made important strategic decisions between 1966 and 1992 that developed the reliable electricity supply we enjoy today. We hope his life example encourages young people into engineering to share the excitement of being part of securing a resilient and sustainable infrastructure."
The Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame was launched in 2011 by The Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland (IESIS), and is supported by engineering institutions, museums and trade bodies in Scotland, including Scottish Engineering.
Unsung Hero of Medical Ultrasound joins Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame.
04 October 2014
Four famous Scots have been added to the Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame, including Tom Brown, the engineering genius behind the development of Ultrasound for medical diagnosis.
Tom Brown was inducted at last night's James Watt dinner - held in Glasgow - alongside 3 other notable Scottish Engineers: John Rennie, a prolific civil engineer responsible for design of canals, aqueducts, bridges, harbours and dockyards; Reverend Dr Robert Stirling, engineer and inventor of the Stirling engine and Robert Napier, shipbuilder and engine designer also known as ""The Father of Clyde Shipbuilding".
Gordon Masterton, Chairman of Judges for the Hall of Fame, said;
"Ultrasound for improving the care of mothers and unborn children during pregnancy was pioneered in Scotland. The medical professionals involved became well known, quite rightly. But it wouldn't have happened without the genius of Tom Brown, then a young engineer with Kelvin & Hughes of Glasgow. He's an unsung engineering hero. Tom's election to the Hall of Fame gives him belated recognition of a great achievement."
These new inductees add to the phenomenal story of Scottish engineering's contribution to our civilisation and form part of the Hall of Fame, now nineteen members strong. Collectively, these members tell a story of 250 years of world-beating engineering innovation that has led to massive improvements in our quality of life and benefits to the economy of Scotland and the United Kingdom.
Sara Thiam, Director of ICE Scotland, said:
"John Rennie's prolific work on canals, aqueducts, bridges and dockyards across the UK including Waterloo, Southwark and London Bridges, Leith & London Docks and the amazing Bell Rock Lighthouse, mark him as one of the greatest engineers of his age and a worthy addition to this elite group. Recognising the outstanding engineers of the past helps us to inspire the engineers of today and encourage generations to come."
The Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame was launched in 2011 by The Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland (IESIS), and is supported by engineering institutions, museums and trade bodies in Scotland, including the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE).
2013 Inductees Announced
05 October 2013
Four famous Scots have been added to the Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame at the James Watt Dinner on Friday 4th October.
The Hall of Fame was launched in 2011 by IESIS, The Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland, and is endorsed by Scottish Engineering, the support group for the engineering industry in Scotland.
Gordon Masterton, Chairman of Judges for the Hall of Fame, said "These new inductees add to the phenomenal story of Scottish engineering's contribution to our civilisation. They demonstrate the special affinity that Scots have had for engineering and education, and they add diversity to the eleven already inducted. Hugh Gill's election demonstrates that this affinity is alive and well and engineers are continuing to apply their ingenuity to create wealth for Scotland and the UK."
The fifteen members of the Hall of Fame tell a story of 250 years of world-beating engineering innovation that has led to massive improvements in our quality of life and to the United Kingdom's economy.
Bryan Buchan, Chief Executive of Scottish Engineering, said, "We need engineers and engineering companies to continue their successful drive out of recession and to ensure that the Scottish and UK economies flourish. The Hall of Fame is an inspiration to young people who can study role models from the present and the past. I hope that it will encourage them to see engineering as a highly creative and rewarding career."
The four new inductees are:
William John MacQuorn Rankine (1820-1872), engineer, polymath, educator, and pioneer of thermodynamics:
Sir William Arrol (1839-1913), engineering entrepreneur, steel bridge builder, designer and manufacturer of cranes, heavy machinery and automobiles, innovator in construction methods:
Sir Robert Alexander Watson-Watt (1892-1973), engineer, inventor and pioneer of RADAR:
Hugh Gill (b. 1958) engineer who developed the multi-articulating bionic hand for Touch Bionics.