The 2018 SAIT Annual Awards Dinner was held in the Gala Room at the Wanderers Club in Illovo, Johannesburg on Friday evening 18th May 2018 at 19:00 for 19:30.

The large, airy room was set with tables elegantly draped in white damask cloths, gleaming silverware and sparkling glassware, with artfully displayed pink and blue hydrangeas as centrepiece. Following tradition, the menus were combined with the evening’s programme, held the SAIT Logo on their cover as a subtle reminder of the Institute’s standing in the field of Tribology.

The Awards Table was impressively decked with the Louw Alberts Award trophy, the Best Technical Presentation Award shield, Best Technical Achievement Award shield, and a couple of beribboned scrolls containing certificates.

To the left of the Awards Table was another table, bearing photograph albums filled with fascinating SAIT History.

As the room filled, members of the Outgoing 2017/18 Committee and the Incoming 2018/19 Committee mingled with SAIT Members, Award-Winners, their colleagues, family and friends.

President of the SAIT, Dave Gamble, welcomed the guests, and the evening’s proceedings began. Dave Gamble proposed a Toast to The SAIT, helping to lubricate the throats of those present with fine wine.

The Louw Alberts Award of a floating trophy and a certificate was awarded, in absentia, to DR Herschell for his significant contribution to tribology and the SAIT over the years. This has been through driving the fundamentals of tribology, and understanding the application, operating condition and the base fluid and chemistry required to solve issues.

The Award for Best Technical Presentation – a floating shield and certificate – was received by Noel J Pipkin for his talk on ”High Pressure Systems for Diamond Synthesis” given at the SAIT Technical Meeting, on 5 September 2017.

Dave Gamble presenting the Award for the Best Technical Presentation to Dr Noel J Pipkin

Dave Gamble presentingthe SAIT Student Award to Dominic M Smit of the University of the Witwatersrand

Dominic M Smit, studying at the University of the Witwatersrand under Associate Professor Natasha Sacks, received the Best Student Award for his project “The effect of polishing method on the surface finish of a turning insert’s coating under continuous cutting”

Gill Fuller, SAIT Secretary since 1988, and recipient of the Louw Alberts Award in 2017, gave a humorous talk, illustrated with photographs, remembering some of the people who played a part in forming the South African Institute of Tribology.

SAIT President, Dave Gamble, with SAIT Secretary, Gill Fuller, after her talk about the movers and shakers in the early days of the South African Institute of Tribology.

Students from the University of the Witwatersrand

More Photographs of the Event

Thomas Surmon and David Beard, both Past-Presidents of the SAIT

Prof Philip de Vaal of Pretoria University and his wife, Corné

Kathy and Thomas Surmon

The evening ended on a delicious note with desserts, coffee and good company.