Conrad's Premium
Prestigious award in the name of one of the KIVI founders
About the Conrad's Premium
Since 1876, the Royal Institute of Engineers has awarded the prestigious Conrad's Premium to an individual, group of individuals or institution that has published an excellent engineering-level publication on the technical sciences for five years, has made an outstanding invention or has contributed to making engineering and science understandable and accessible.
Established by ir F.W. Conrad Jr, co-founder of KIVI, after his death and awarded once every five years if possible, the Conrad's Premium consists of a certificate, a gold-plated medal and a cash sum of (currently) about two thousand euros. This amount comes from a bequest Conrad left upon his death. The prize is awarded by the KIVI Main Board on the recommendation of the Science, Technology & Society Council.
Image: DWC/KNAW
The origins
At the KIVI board meeting on 12 April 1870, the secretary read a letter from F.W. Conrad who had died shortly before. Conrad was one of the founders of KIVI and president of the institute from its inception (1847) until 1870 (with an interruption in the 1960s). Conrad wrote a will on 16 October 1869 that included the following text:
"Wishing to leave the undersigned a proof of his fondness for the Royal Institute of Engineers, established in The Hague, and wishing to keep his memory as founder of that institution, his surviving relations have requested that a gift of five hundred guilders be paid to said Institute, under the following conditions:
- That for this purpose a national security shall be purchased.
- That this security shall be and remain an inalienable property of the said Institute.
- That the annual interest of this security shall be the amount of twenty guilders, being my contribution as a permanent member, to be added together every five years to an amount of one hundred guilders, in order to distribute these sometimes as a premium to be paid to the ordinary or associate member of the Institute, who during that period of five years shall have delivered the best Treatise, Memorandum or other writing in the works of the Institute, or shall have communicated the most useful invention in the field of engineering.
- That this premium shall bear the name of Conrad's premium.
- The approval of the Guardian will be sought on this."
Approval was sought and obtained from the Royal Protector, King William III.
A century and a half later
Now almost a century and a half later, the amounts mentioned sound almost humorously low, but they had great value at the time. The symbolic value of this highly prestigious and historically significant bounty was then and still is high today.
Recent years have seen an evolution from awards for actual 'inventions' to science communication about technology. Publication of 'the best' engineering-level work in a particular field, in book form, in 'The Engineer' or another scientific journal, is essentially a publication appreciation. Extended with effect from 1998 to include a person or group of persons or institution that has made outstanding contributions by word, writing, image or system to the understanding and/or dissemination of the engineering sciences and their derivatives.
Recipients Conrad's Premium from 1876 onwards
| 2020 | -- | |
| 2015 | -- | |
| 2010 | -- | |
| 2005 | Dr Rakhorst | Development of new pumping techniques that allow organs to be transplanted to be stored longer and better, increasing the number of donor organs available. |
| 2000 | The Clockhouse | Making technology and science accessible to a young and large audience. |
| 1998 | newMetropolis | Representativeness of exhibited technology. |
| 1990 | Prof. J. in 't Veld | Analysis of organisational problems; an application of thinking in systems and processes. Organisational structure and workplace. Manager and information. |
| 1985 | Prof. G.Chr. Meeuse | |
| 1980 | -- | |
| 1975 | -- | |
| 1970 | Dr W.J. Beek | Work to promote study in the field of chemical engineering. |
| 1965 | Dr J.J. Dronkers | Tidal computations in rivers and coastal waters. |
| 1960 | F.J. Fontein | |
| 1955 | F.Q. den Hollander | Some reflections on the modernisation of the Dutch Railways. |
| 1950 | J.P. Josephus Jitta | The design of the lock at Tiel. The design of the locks of the Frisian Canal Plan. The destruction and repair of the Noordersluis at Ijmuiden. The repair of the Belfeld lock. Printing directions for lock gates or weir locks, which are loaded by large horizontal pressure. |
| 1941 | Ch.H.J. Driessen | New insights in the calculation of railway superstructure. |
| 1936 | Prof. G. Holst | Sodium lamps. |
| 1931 | Prof. Dr. F.K.Th. van Iterson | The heat transition of solids on turbulent flowing fluids. The theory of the steam boiler. Permeability coefficient of sand. Bearing capacity of building soil, theory of foundations on steel. The modulus of elasticity of building soil. Coulomb's soil pressure theory for retaining walls. Theory of drilling into the ground with heavy flushing and of shaft mining by Honigmann's method. Wind pressure on cylinders in general, on gas holders in particular. |
| 1926 | Dr J.A. Ringers | Preparation for the construction of the new lock at IJmuiden. The new lock at IJmuiden. |
| 1921 | J. van Oldenborgh | Announcement on the results of geo-hydraulic research in various dune areas by the national office for the supply of drinking water. This concerning the task and working method of the national office for drinking water supply. |
| 1916 | J.J. Canter Cremers | Some reflections on lower rivers. |
| 1911 | Jhr. Ir. R.R.L. de Muralt | A sea slope of reinforced concrete. A dune defence of reinforced concrete. A new method for carrying out zinc work on foreshores of sea dykes. New gauging tools for surveying the foreshores of sea dykes. The execution of marine zinc work in reinforced concrete. Nailing grooves for embankment defence. |
| 1906 | Ir. J.M.K. Pennink | De Prise déau der Amsterdamse Duinwaterleiding. On the movement of Groundwater. |
| 1901 | A.P. Melchior | Application of Lauterburg's formula for determining the greatest discharge of the rivers in Java. |
| 1896 | H.J.E. Wenckebach | On the rusting of iron bridges and the means of combating it. |
| 1891 | H.E. de Bruyn | Reflections on the theory of ebb and flow. |
| 1886 | Ir. J.M. Telders | Treatise on the repair of the bridge over den Yssel at Kampen. |
| 1881 | D.A. Wittop Koning | Report on the erection and placement of pillar IV of the Willemsbrug over the Nieuwe Maas at Rotterdam. |
| 1876 | M. van Ruth | Report on the manufacture of rails for the State Railways. |
Who is your favourite technology ambassador?
Who knows how to convey the passion for engineering and engineering in a catchy way to the general public? Which YouTuber, writer, influencer, journalist or podcast creator best conveys the love for engineering? Or which magazine, museum or TV programme makes the social importance of technology clear in the most engaging and enthusiastic way?
Let us know by sending your nomination to conrad@kivi.nl. The person or organisation that excels most in stirring up love and appreciation for the engineering profession will have a chance to win KIVI's honourable Conrad's Premium in 2025.
