The Dr. Kenneth S. M. Davidson Medal

Outstanding Scientific Accomplishment in Ship Research

The 2016 Dr.  Kenneth S.M. Davidson Medalist


Professor Torgeir Moan Department of Marine Technology Norwegian University of Science and Technology Professor Torgeir Moan is an internationally renowned expert in the structural mechanics of marine structures, in the development of Finite Element Methods, in the stochastic dynamic analysis and the risk/safety assessment of ships and offshore structures. He has been professor at the Norwegian University of Technology (NTNU) since 1972. He was appointed Director of the Centre for Ships and Ocean Structures (CESOS) of NTNU for the period 2002-2012. CESOS is the most significant and renowned maritime research center of Norway and has attracted and hosted over the years numerous young and senior researchers and students from all over the world. He has guided more than 100 main RTD projects over the last 4½ decades in strong collaboration with the Norwegian and international maritime/offshore industry. He was also involved in a series of international projects funded by the European Commission. As the large majority of the above projects were Joint Industry Projects, the implementation of the outcome of conducted research into the practice of the maritime technology and offshore industry was trivially achieved, namely in the development of rational procedures, rules and regulations, for the design and assessment of ships and offshore structures. The record of activities of Professor Moan in terms of coordinated RTD projects, publications, number of supervised PhD and Master course students is rarely matched, even at highest international level. In short, he is a Grand Master of the international scientific maritime community, with outstanding research contributions to the marine structural design and the risk/safety assessment of maritime assets, who fully deserves the recognition by the 2016 SNAME’s Davidson medal.

Established by the Executive Committee in 1959

The award will be for "Outstanding Scientific Accomplishment in Ship Research." The title will be "The Davidson Medal." The medal will be made of gold-plated bronze, approximately 2 1/2 inches (6.25 cm) in diameter, the obverse side showing a profile of Dr. Davidson and the reverse side carrying an inscription of the award. Eligibility for the medal need not be limited to membership in the Society. The proposal for this award may be made by a member of the Society in good standing. The selection of the nominee for the award shall be made by the Awards Committee of the Society. The nomination by the Committee and the final award by the Council will require a two-thirds vote of the Committee and of the Council. Notification of the award will be made prior to the Annual Meeting and the medal will be presented with suitable ceremonies at the Annual Meeting or at such time as the President of the Society may arrange. The medal may be awarded biennially but not more often.

Medals and Awards Nomination Form

Davidson Medalists

2016 Professor Torgeir Moan 

2014 Professor Jorgen J. Jensen

2012 Arthur M. Reed

2010 Aposotolos D. Papanikolaou

2008 Stuart D. Jessup

2006 Preben T. Pedersen

2004 Ronald W. Yeung

2002 Nils Salvesen

2000 Robert F. Beck

1998 Alaa E. Mansour

1996 Daniel Savitsky

1994 Michael K. Ochi

1992 William C. Webster

1990 John F. Dalzell*

1988 J. Nicholas Newman

1986 William B. Morgan

1984 John V. Wehausen*

1982 John P. Breslin

1980 Manley St. Denis*

1978 Louis Landweber*

1976 J. Harvey Evans*

1974 William E. Cummins*

1972 Georg P. Weinblum*

1970 B.V. Korvin-Kroukovsky*

1967 Frederick H. Todd*

1965 Edward V. Lewis*

1963 Karl E. Schoenherr*

1961 Frank M. Lewis*

1959 Kenneth S.M. Davidson*