This event also saw the launch of the Napier Award in recognition of the enormous contribution over many decades of Prof John Napier, an extraordinary professor in UP’s Department of Mining Engineering. Although South African by birth, Prof Napier’s English ancestry goes back centuries, and he has many illustrious forebears, the most notable of which is John Napier (1550–1617), a Scottish mathematician and philosopher who invented logarithms. Prof Napier holds the title of 14^th Baronet of Merchiston (also known as Sir Napier). The baronetcy is a hereditary title passed to the eldest son. The Napiers’ ancestral home was Merchiston Castle in Edinburgh, which today forms part of Napier University.

Prof Napier has special expertise in rock engineering and numerical modelling. His recent research activity has concentrated on the development of a computer program to analyse tabular mines for countless layout designs. This program has been used extensively in South African gold and platinum mines. Prof Napier is world-renowned for the development of a displacement discontinuity computational method to simulate three-dimensional fracture growth with application to hydraulic fracturing, mixed mode fracture propagation and dynamic rock fracture processes near mine excavations.

As supervisor and advisor of many PhD students, his guidance has led to the incredible achievement of four candidates being awarded the prestigious Rocha Medal of the International Society for Rock Mechanics for the best PhD thesis in the world. This record is unmatched in any country. He is also a member of the American National Academy of Engineering. This is one of the highest professional distinctions that can be accorded to an engineer. It is awarded to those who have made outstanding contributions to engineering research, practice or education, including significant contributions to engineering literature, pioneering new fields of technology, advancements in engineering practice and innovative approaches to engineering education.

His lifelong interest in rock mechanics is noteworthy and his legacy is honoured with the institution of this award. In further recognition of his achievements, Prof Napier was also the first recipient of this award.

The Napier Award is SANIRE’s most prestigious award and will typically be awarded every four years in recognition of distinguished contributions to the field of rock engineering. The criteria
for the award include conducting world-class research in rock mechanics over many years.
This will typically be a candidate who has devoted his entire career to rock mechanics research. The research should have contributed significantly to the development of aspects such as new design criteria, analysis methods, design methodologies or new technology. The candidate should also have published extensively in local and international journals, and these publications should typically have received local awards such as the SANIRE Salamon Award or a medal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM).

The Department of Mining Engineering is proud to be associated with Prof Napier and congratulates him on this remarkable achievement.

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