		2010 NZSEE Conference
	Awards

Paper and Poster Awards

Best Research Paper: Global Response of a Two Storey Pres-Lam Timber Building M. Newcombe, S. Pampanin and A.H. Buchanan [Paper 28] [Abstract]

Best Practice Paper: Seismic Retrofit of a Large Power Boiler with Base Isolation R. Sharpe, M. Lee and J. Reid [Paper 06] [Abstract]

Best Student Research Paper: The Seismic Performance of a Non-Tearing Floor Precast Concrete Structural System B.J. Leslie, D.K. Bull and S. Pampanin [Paper 30] [Abstract]

Best Poster: Experimental Investigation of the Seismic Behaviour of Slotted Reinforced Concrete Beam-Column Connections E.V. Au, D.K. Bull and S. Pampanin [Abstract]

Life Members

Professor Athol J. Carr graduated from the University of Canterbury with a BE (First Class Honours) (Civil) in May 1964. After working as a design engineer in New Zealand, he went to the University of California, Berkeley, and completed a Master of Science in Engineering (in Structural Engineering) in May 1966, and a Doctor of Philosophy (in Structural Engineering) in May 1967. Athol joined the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Canterbury in January 1968, and was promoted to Professor in 2007. He retires from the Department in April this year.

Athol has almost single-handedly promoted structural dynamics to over 40 years of undergraduate and graduate students. Graduates who have taken Athol's papers have always commented on how valuable they were, and have praised Athol's enthusiasm in enlightening them on the secrets of structural dynamics.

At least 29 PhD students and 47 Masters students have been privileged to have Athol as their supervisor.

Over a number of sabbaticals, Athol has developed a relationship with the Norwegian University of Technology and Science (NTNU) in Trondheim, and with the Earthquake Engineering Research Centre at the University of Iceland in Reykjavik where he was appointed adjunct professor in 2008. Athol was also a member of faculty of the Rose School in Pavia, Italy, in 2005.

Athol has developed the non-linear time-history analysis software Ruaumoko to be an internationally-respected research tool used by many universities around the world.

A long-time member and supporter of this Society, Athol has been a consistent and prodigious writer/presenter of high-quality papers to the Society's Bulletin and conferences. In 1985, Athol was the co-author of a paper which received the Society's Otto Glogau Award (P R Boardman, B J Wood and A J Carr, "Union House: a cross-braced structure with energy dissipators").

Athol retires from the University of Canterbury in April 2010, and the award of Life Membership of the Society is seen as a richly deserved tribute to a career of excellent work in the teaching of earthquake engineering.

Dr. David Hopkins has played a prominent role in Earthquake Engineering in New Zealand and internationally throughout his career. In particular, he has been actively involved in a wide range of NZSEE activities over an extended period of time.

David was the Society's President from July 1986 to March 1989, and was a member of the Management Committee for virtually the entire period from 1979 through to 1991. He was the Society's Representative on the International Association of Earthquake Engineering from 1992 to 2000, and was then a Director of IAAE from 2000 until 2008. He continues as a Director of the World Seismic Safety Initiative, an appointment he has held since 2005. David was also the Deputy Chair of the Organising Committee of the highly successful 12th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering held in Auckland in 2000.

In addition to these roles, David has been at the forefront of learning from earthquakes. He was a member of NZSEE reconnaissance teams following the 1985 Mexico, 1990 Philippines and 2007 Peru earthquakes, the latter two as leader. He was also a member of Lifelines study tours following the 1994 Northridge and 1995 Kobe earthquakes, and led the second phase team following the 2009 Padang, Indonesia earthquake.

David has also been involved for more than 25 years in the Society's technical work on assessing and improving the structural performance of earthquake risk buildings.

He was also a key player in the establishment of the Earthquake Engineering New Zealand business cluster, and has been a tireless promoter of the cluster, including spending extended periods of time overseas on key projects.

David's leadership across the wide range of initiatives, activities and events highlighted above has been of the highest quality. The Society is indeed indebted to David for his outstanding and continuing commitment.

David Middleton has played a pivotal role in supporting activities that have developed an understanding of earthquakes and their effect on New Zealand society. Over the 17 years as General Manager and then Chief Executive of EQC, David has been at the forefront of providing guidance to, and encouragement for, research that will make a difference to New Zealand's resilience, particularly in the areas of earthquake engineering and natural hazard mitigation.

David Middleton was born in London and came to New Zealand in 1972 after seven years in the Royal Navy. He embarked on a career in the insurance industry, commencing as a claims clerk with State Insurance and rising to become General Manager of BNZ Life insurance Company. As a consequence of his abilities, he was appointed General Manager of the Earthquake Commission (EQC) in 1993 to which he soon added an MBA with Distinction from Victoria University.

EQC is a Crown Agent that provides primary natural disaster insurance to homeowners in New Zealand, and manages a $5.6 billion fund. Under David Middleton's stewardship EQC has recognised the beneficial effect that greater understanding of natural hazards and countervailing measures can have on the potential demand for reeconstruction covered by insurance after a natural disaster.

David has developed a wide knowledge of the technical aspects of disaster mitigation. He commissionsed engineers and scientists to create disaster models for New Zealand. He also commissioned and sponsored earthquake and disaster research, including studies by NZ engineers and scientists of impacts and affected communities abroad, and public disaster education and awareness campaigns at home. He fully appreciates the benefits of preplanning and mitigation strategies that are supported by EQC.

He has served on organizations such as the NZ Society for Earthquake Engineering, the Earthquake Engineering Business Cluster, the Hazards Advisory Committee of the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, and has contributed to World Bank projects and international task forces on disaster insurance programs. He has been a past Vice Chairman of Amnesty International NZ and is currently Chair of the World Forum of National Disaster Schemes.

He is a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute and Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance.

David Middleton has made a significant contribution to the application of engineering technology and to community affairs within New Zealand over many years. It is most appropriate that he be recognised by the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering for the contribution he has made to the Society and to New Zealand.