Hungarian Academy of Engineering Award

The Hungarian Academy of Engineering, as a social organization working towards the development of technologies and the utilization of the positive impacts of engineering sciences and engineering on economic development, decided in 1998 to establish the “Hungarian Academy of Engineering Award” to publicly acknowledge the work of engineers assisting in achieving these goals and to recognize creative activities.

The Award can be granted in recognition of engineering creative activity in line with the objectives of the Hungarian Academy of Engineering, for the development of domestic scientific achievements, significant technological developments, and their successful industrial application.

The Award can be given to one individual annually.

The awardee receives a certificate of award and a cash prize of 1 million forints.

The certificate’s basic print features an image of the Chain Bridge and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (Figure 14), symbolizing the connection between engineering and science, and the bridge role of engineering creations between scientific research and daily practical application.

The first issuance of the Award – which received about 20 nominations – took place during the MMA’s III. General Assembly held on November 26–27, 1999.

According to the decision of the Presidency, the 1999 Hungarian Academy of Engineering Award was given to Dr. Sándor Domanovszky, a welding engineer, European welding engineer, and the quality and welding director of Ganz Steel Structure Manufacturing Inc.

From the beginning, Sándor Domanovszky’s work has been closely intertwined with the manufacturing and assembly of welded structures.

He was one of the pioneers in Hungary for the industrial introduction of gas-shielded metal arc welding. His name is associated with the development and introduction of the gas-shielded welding of railway carriage bogies, as well as the shielded metal arc welding technology for pressure vessel gas storage spheres and various bridge structures. Introducing welding in bridge construction was a particularly outstanding task that represented a breakthrough. The world faced the phenomenon of brittle fracture associated with welding in the 1930s; consequently, this new technology, which allowed for approximately 20% material savings, revolutionized engineering work from concept development through design to all phases of execution.

For this task – nearly 40 years ago and as the first in the country – Sándor Domanovszky was given responsible assignment and unlimited authority.

He successfully accomplished the task, as evidenced by the numerous Danube, Tisza, and other bridges, as well as other welded steel structures in Hungary and abroad under his leadership.

Significant arguments in the award decision were the results that – besides other high-construction steel structures and material handling equipment – gained international recognition for him and, through him, for Hungarian engineering.

We believe that, in addition to moral recognition, the significant amount of the award can have a motivating effect on engineers committed to the engineering profession.