Geldart-Underwood Medal

Recognising excellence in particle technology and separation processes

The Geldart-Underwood award is named after two pioneers in the fields of particle technology and separation processes. Derek Geldart, Emeritus Professor of Powder Technology at Bradford University in the UK, was renowned for his diagram classifying powders according to their fluidisation behaviour and is remembered as "one of the most prominent professors in the field of fluidisation and powder technology". Dr AJV Underwood, OBE, researcher, consultant, teacher, and member of IChemE’s Council, now best known for his distillation design equation.

The medal is awarded to one or more individuals from academia or industry who have made a significant recent contribution to research in the areas of particle technology or separation processes. Contributions may include, but are not limited to, scientific, theoretical or engineering advances that underpin one or more processes or technologies. Awarded work should be widely acknowledged within the relevant communities and demonstrate high impact beyond the specialist field, addressing global engineering challenges and/or the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Nominations will be considered by a panel of experts, who will recommend a winner to IChemE’s Medals and Prizes Committee.

Judging criteria

Criteria the Geldart-Underwood Medal will be judged against are:

1. scientific advances – the research should significantly move the state of the art on specific topic
2. scope and significance – demonstrate huge potential in terms of application of methods and tools to solve challenging global problems
3. significance of impact – it should be evident the work is already used or adopted within and beyond the particle technology or separations communities
4. originality – sustained, original contribution to the field, as evidenced by patents, publications and/or citations.

How to submit a nomination

To make a nomination for the Geldart-Underwood Medal, open the online nomination form and complete the information requested, paying attention to the criteria the medal will be judged against.

Please note the following:

• additional documents submitted outside the information provided in the nomination form will not be considered by the judges (unless specified otherwise)
• we do not accept self-nominations
• we do not accept nominations for sitting members of the Board of Trustees
• unless indicated otherwise, medals/prizes are generally awarded to individuals — a single medal shall be presented in all cases.

Contact medals@icheme.org for more information.