2026 Awards
We were pleased to be hosted by the Royal Agricultural University for our Awards Presentation Day on 29th April this year on a beautiful sunny, spring day. We gathered in the historic Tithe Barn to celebrate success in the agricultural engineering and land-based community, where our new President, Kit Franklin presented the Awards.
We were delighted that Dame Fiona Reynolds the Chair of the RAU's Governing Council was available to welcome us all and she emphasised the interconnectedness of all aspects of agriculture and engineering in the essential drive to produce food.
Kit gave a short speech outlining his hopes for his term as President, explaining that his Dyslexia allows him to think differently and, despite the setbacks of finding reading difficult, other strengths have emerged allowing him to be a successful engineer. He then introduced his guest speaker Beverley Gibbs whose talk “Making the Invisible Visible” explored how agriculture and engineering run on people who think differently. This keynote cut through the myths about neurodivergence and showed why recognising the minds already in our teams is one of the smartest moves our sectors can make.
Beverley is an engineering education leader and systems thinker who works on workforce futures and the conditions that help people and places thrive. She has led innovative engineering programmes at the Dyson Institute, NMITE, UCL and the University of Sheffield, and now works independently across research, advisory and thought leadership roles. She co designed a neuroinclusion framework for engineering education with the Engineering Professors’ Council, working alongside neurodivergent students, academic staff and professional services specialists, and served on the steering group for the IET’s Engineering Neurodivergent Futures programme.
We all enjoyed a great catch up over lunch and the afternoon began with an overview of the work at the Royal Agricultural University by Professor David Main, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and then a tour of the site and new laboratories lead by IAgrE member Dr Karen Rial Lovera, Co-Dean for Agricultural Science & Practice at the RAU.
The IAgrE Award of Merit - The Award of Merit is made to a person distinguished by their work in agricultural science or engineering or one that has rendered outstanding service to the Institution. The Baroness Batters DL - for her outstanding service to Agriculture and the Land-based sector |  |
IAgrE Award For Contribution to the Land-based Sector - This Award is made to those who have made sustained contributions to the land-based sector throughout their career. Nick August, Chair of the Douglas Bomford Trust since 2018. Nick is a passionate Regenerative Farmer who has embraced controlled traffic farming technology to ensure his land is productive and has a beneficial impact on the environment. He has been a trustee of the Douglas Bomford Trust for many years and is keen to support young people into the industry. |  |
The President's Award (formerly the Michael Dwyer Memorial Prize) - The prize is to a mid-career engineer who has made outstanding progress in the agricultural engineering industry. The Institution is delighted to make two awards in this category this year. Adrian Hackfort - for his internationally recognised expertise in precision farming technologies. Adrian had travelled over from his home in Germany to be with us. He thanked his British collegues for their support and collaboration and remarked that what he particularly values about this industry is the strong personal committment to supporting farmers and to keep improving what is offered to them. |  |
The second President's Award this year was made to Andrew Tingey EngTech MIAgrE, who transferred to Househam Sprayers from the Aerospace sector. Andrew brought his wife Jodie with him and said he felt humbled to be given this award. He remarked that he was astonished by the fast moving, quick to market innovation present in the Agricultural Engineering sector. |  |
The Environmental Engineer Award - a new award sponsored by the Douglas Bomford Trust for an individual who has made a substantial contribution to improving any aspect of the environment. Lauren Roberts MEng HAU - for her thesis An investigation into the feasibility of mechanising wildflower seed harvesting in the United Kingdom Lauren was delighted to attend the Awards day and was excited that her project was chosen for this award. She was very happy to share the day with her mother and family who were visiting from Zambia. She thanked the team at Harper Adams University for their help and support and is looking forward to furthering her career. |  |
The Environmental Engineer Team Award - a new award sponsored by the Douglas Bomford Trust for a team who have made a substantial contribution to improving any aspect of the environment. Diogenes Antille & his team at CSIRO - for their extensive work in Controlled Traffic Farming Research Dio had hoped to attend the Awards in person to collect his award but was sadly thwarted by the war in the Middle East. He sent a thank you video, which may be viewed by clicking the photo. |  |
Institution Meritorious Service Award - A person who has rendered outstanding service to the Institution through work for a Branch or Group, through their teaching or as a volunteer. David Clare AMIAgrE - Wrekin Branch Secretary - for his committment and support of the Wrekin Branch over many years. Dave was delighted to receive this award for the second time. He is passionate about the Agricultural Engineering community and is committed to encouraging the student population to continue in the sector. |  |
Institution Meritorious Service Award - A person who has rendered outstanding service to the Institution through work for a Branch or Group, through their teaching or as a volunteer. William Waddilove IEng CEnv FIAgrE - West Midlands Branch and Pioneering Technology Special Interest Group - for his committment and support of the Branch and Group William attended with his wife Gillian, and was thrilled to be recognised for his dedication to organising and supporting Branch and Pioneering Technology activities. |  |
Institution Meritorious Service Award - A person who has rendered outstanding service to the Institution through work for a Branch or Group, through their teaching or as a volunteer. Mike Whiting CEng MIAgrE - Western Branch - for his service and enthusiam for Western Branch activities and his support to the Institution through his former work with Council & Executive Mike was pleased to attend the Awards and happy for his support of the Branch to be recognised |  |
Douglas Bomford Paper Award - The Award is offered to the author or authors of a paper which, in the previous calendar year, was published in full in the Institution journals “Landwards” and/or “Biosystems Engineering”. At least one of the authors must be a member of the Institution. The winner of the Award this year, for their contribution to the paper “Development of a direct measuring method for determining airflow rates in naturally ventilated dairy barns with ventilation screens.” Kobe Coorevits, Arnout Declerck, Philippe Van Overbeke, David Janke, Chari Vandenbussche, Tomas Norton, Peter Demeyer, Eva Brusselman, Biosystems Engineering, Volume 257, 2025, 104240, ISSN 1537-5110, the link to the paper may be found here. Dr Peter Demeyer FIAgrE and Dr Tomas Norton FIAgrE - Sadly neither Peter nor Tomas were able to attend this year but sent a video message of thanks which may be viewed by clicking the photograph. |  |
IVEL Award - This award is made at the LAMMA Show to the overall best product or environmetal innovation at the show The 2026 Award was presented to Agro-Vital at the LAMMA show in January by CEO Charlie Nicklin for their product “Triplex” providing tailor-made liquid and foliar fertilisers to reduce inputs. |  |
| Student Awards | |
IAgrE CNH Industrial Award - Made on the basis of a dissertation or thesis undertaken by an undergraduate or postgraduate student as part of their studies demonstrating innovation and practical application in the land-based industry. Postgraduate Award Barnabas Pickford, MEng, University of Nottingham - An Appraisal of Candidate Powertrains for Today's Dynamic Agricutural Vehicles Barnabas thanked the Douglas Bomford Trust for their sponsorship of his student journey and was pleased to accept the award and was delighted that his father was in the audience. Tom Kindred from CNHi was pleased to present the Award to Barnabas. |  |
IAgrE CNH Industrial Award - Made on the basis of a dissertation or thesis undertaken by an undergraduate or postgraduate student as part of their studies demonstrating innovation and practical application in the land-based industry. Undergraduate Award Bedwyr Davies BEng, HAU – Investigation of the effect of separate hydraulic reservoir on oil contamination on tractors Bedwyr was very happy to collect his award, he was proud of his achievment and looks forward to a career in agricultural engineering. |  |
Student Project Award - This award is given to the best final year project submitted as part of a course leading to ND, NVQ Level 3, or similar qualification in land based engineering. Winner: Kien Evans, Coleg Sirgar for his project - Side shift headstock Kien was very pleased to receive this award and was delighted that his mother and sister were there to support him. |  |
Student Project Award - Highly Commended Emelia was thrilled to attend the day and delighted with her award, she was proud that her parents could attend to watch her receive her award. |  |
IAgrE Safety Award - This award has been established to encourage and recognise innovation in safe design or operation of equipment or processes by students studying agricultural engineering or subjects related to the application of engineering and technology to the land-based sector. Sadly there were no suitable entries for this Award this year, however we are delighted to have teamed up with the Farm Safety Partnership to promote the category and hope to have lots of entries in 2027. |  |
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