Peter Nicol Russell Career Achievement Memorial Medal 

(PNR Medal)

About the PNR Medal

The Peter Nicol Russell Career Achievement Memorial Medal is the most prestigious award conferred by Engineers Australia. It is presented annually to an Honorary Fellow of Engineers Australia who has made a notable contribution to the science and/or practice of engineering in Australia.

The award perpetuates the memory of Sir Peter Nicol Russell, a Sydney industrialist during the latter half of the 19th century, who made major donations to the cause of engineering in Australia.

Nominations are now closed.

PNR Medal
The PNR Medal is awarded to individuals who represent
  • The highest technical, professional and community service standards of the profession of engineering
  • Outstanding examples of leadership and management within the engineering industry
  • The broad nature and impacts of the engineering profession through their significant contributions
Who can nominate

Nominations for this award may be made by:

  • National President and Board Chair
  • Engineers Australia Board
  • A Division Committee, College Board or Society Board
  • Engineers Australia Staff (on behalf of any of the representatives listed above)

Learn more about the nomination process for the PNR Medal from the Submission Guidelines and Terms & Conditions featured below.

Nomination now closed

The recipient of the PNR Medal 2022 will be announced and presented at the Excellence Awards Event in Sydney Wednesday 5 October 2022
Nomination criteria 

Only Honorary Fellows of Engineers Australia will be eligible for nomination.

The criteria for this award includes:

  • Contribution to community welfare
  • Contribution to the profession
  • Technical and/or business expertise

As further expressed by contribution to:

  • the community’s welfare through engineering works
  • the knowledge-base of the profession through research and development activities
  • education through teaching and/or education support
  • the community outside of engineering practice
  • the profession through professional society activities
  • the profession through leadership and management

NOTE: Nominees do not need to meet every area of the above criteria, however these are provided as a guide for nominators, who will be asked to address the sub-set areas where relevant to the nominee and their career.

Submission Guidelines
Terms and Conditions

Submission Guidelines

View and download the Submission Guidelines.

 If you have any further questions about the submission process, don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected]

 

Terms and Conditions

  • The PNR is awarded annually.
  • Only Honorary Fellows of Engineers Australia will be eligible for nomination.
  • Any nomination for the PNR must be accompanied by a statement (200 word citation) of the nominee’s notable contributions and achievements.
  • At 31 July of each year, the H&A Committee will consider new nominations, add those suitable to the Register and review the nominations already recorded on the Register, in order to recommend three names to the Board for consideration at the next scheduled Board meeting.
  • Cognisant of any advice from the H&A Committee, the Board will select an annual PNR recipient.

Who can nominate:

Nominations for this award may be made by any three members of National Congress:

– A National Congress Board
– A Division Committee, College Board or Society Board
– The National President

  • The Chief Executive shall ensure that the Register of nominees for the award is maintained for a period of three years and kept confidential, accessed only by the National H&A Committee, Chief Executive and Secretary to the H&A Committee.
  • At the conclusion of three years, names will be removed from the Register if not selected as the PNR recipient.
  • Contact details of the nominator will be kept on file for the three year period. Nominators will be notified of a nominee’s expiry from the Register and invited to renominate.
  • No feedback will be given to nominators as to whether the nominee was added to the Register.
  • The National President or representative will contact the Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal winner to advise of their selection and inform them that a formal invitation will be extended to receive the award. The presentation, by the National President, might be on the occasion of the Annual General Meeting of Engineers Australia, or on another occasion deemed suitable by the Honours and Awards Committee or the National President.
  • The award consists of a framed certificate and medal prescribed by the Board.

Click here to download a copy of the terms and conditions

2021 Peter Nicol Russell Career Achievement Memorial Medal Recipient

Em/Prof Elizabeth Taylor AO

HonFIEAust CPEng EngExec NER APEC Engineer IntPE(Aus)

Professor Elizabeth Taylor AO, HonFIEAust, FTSE continues to dazzle as an Engineering Leader. She is Chair of the Washington Accord and Deputy Chair of the Governing Group of the International Engineering Alliance.

As Chair of RedR Australia and RedR International she led the inspiring contribution to the survival of the Rohingya refugees.

Under her determined guidance RedR was selected by AusAid as the No.1 Disaster Relief and Training Organisation. She was selected by The Foreign Minister to Chair “Australia Assists”.
Elizabeth’s work has directly contributed to creating greater diversity in the engineering education sector and enhancing the positive contribution of engineering within communities. Her UNSW Doctor of Engineering honoris causa (2014) notes that she “has been instrumental in changing the culture of engineering.”

Elizabeth’s awards include: Distinguished Member of the Australasian Association for Engineering Education (2014), UNSW Alumnus of the Year (2018) and inaugural inductee into the Hall of Fame as Distinguished Member, the Ada Lovelace Medal for an outstanding Woman Engineer (2019), and the President of Pakistan’s Gold Medal for Engineering Excellence (2019).

Past medal recipients

View Past PNR Medal Recipients