The President's Medal is awarded to a Fellow of the Academy who has contributed significantly to the Academy's aims and work through their initiative in promoting excellence in engineering.
2023 winner
Professor John Clarkson FREng
Professor John Clarkson receives the 2023 President's Medal in recognition of his enormous contribution to the Academy’s work, particularly in healthcare systems policy.
John is an international leader in systems thinking, especially in healthcare. His work is a core element of the Academy’s flagship Policy Fellowship programme and placed the Academy at the centre of systems thinking in government. No one has done more to embed systems thinking into UK policy and practice.
Most recently, at the request of No10 and the DHSC John has been supporting one of the UK’s biggest challenges - hospital discharge. Using Kettering and Cornwall Trusts as testbeds he has enabled the Academy to develop maps of the discharge systems identifying areas for improvement.
Recent winners
2022: Professor Dame Helen Atkinson DBE FREng - Pro Vice-Chancellor, Cranfield University
The award recognises Dame Helen Atkinson DBE FREng's enormous contribution to the Academy’s work, particularly in education and careers outreach. Since being elected a Fellow in 2007, Dame Helen has served as Vice President, Trustee and as Chair of the Education and Skills Committee.
A leading role model and advocate for women in STEM, she was the first woman President of the UK Engineering Professors’ Council in its 50-year history and has been listed as a Woman of Outstanding Achievement in Science, Engineering and Technology, as one of the “Top 50 Influential Women in Engineering” and as a Women into Science and Engineering campaign Ambassador. She was made a Dame in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2021 for services to engineering and education.
She has also overseen the Academy’s This is Engineering campaign to inspire more young people from all backgrounds to become engineers.
2021: David Thomlinson FREng
David Thomlinson FREng is a leading industrial engineer. He started his career at Arup and spent nearly 30 years at Accenture where his responsibilities included geographical strategy and operations across 54 countries. He was chair of the International Committee from 2015 to 2021. His committed leadership has been essential to the success of the Academy’s portfolio of international activities that support the UK’s relationships with engineering communities around the world, from the most advanced economies to developing and emerging nations.
During his tenure as International Chair he presided over the rapid growth of the Academy’s capacity-building work in developing countries and made a major contribution to some of its most high profile, challenging and successful projects, including the 2019 Global Grand Challenges Summit, which saw more than 800 international attendees gathered in London to discuss how engineering can provide solutions to today’s most pressing issues.
2020: Dervilla Mitchell FREng
Recognised for her significant contribution to the Academy's aims and work through her initiative in promoting excellence in engineering.
2019: Professor Richard Williams OBE FREng FRSE
Former Senior Vice President of the Royal Academy of Engineering Professor Richard Williams OBE FREng FRSE received the President’s Medal in recognition of his significant contribution to the Academy’s aims and work.
2018: Professor Sir William Wakeham FREng
Professor Sir William Wakeham FREng was recognised for his extraordinary service to the Academy over two decades. During his tenure at the academy he used his international connections to reform and expand the Academy’s reach and influence overseas.