Prestige Awards

James N Kirby Award
The James N Kirby Award was established in 1956 to mark the contribution of Sir James Kirby, CBE to manufacturing in Australia by the Institution of Production Engineers (latterly the Institution of Manufacturing Engineers).
The first award was presented in 1956 in Sydney. Following the merger of the Institution of Manufacturing Engineers with the Institution of Electrical Engineers (now the Institution of Engineering and Technology), responsibility for the Award now rests with IET Australia.

The Award comprises an engraved medal and certificate and is awarded to “a person who has achieved outstanding eminence, distinction and public recognition in any sphere of activity, not necessarily engineering”. Previous recipients of the Award include Sir Mark Oliphant, Sir Arvi Parbo, Senator John Button and E C “George” Fox.

The winner in 2008, Philip W Dulhunty OAM, has made a major contribution to Australian manufacturing in the high voltage electrical engineering field over some 50 years. The companies that he has established in the time have been very successful and represent major forces in the electrical manufacturing industry in Australia. He has also been involved in the international bodies that cover electrical infrastructure, particularly CIGRE, and was awarded the OAM in 2004 for his services both to manufacturing and international trade.