Recently, the Institute of Railway Research (IRR) led by Professor Simon Iwnicki at the University of Huddersfield, Distinguished Alumnus of Southwest Jiaotong University and Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, received the 2019 Queen's Anniversary Prize, one of the most coveted honors in British Higher Education, for its outstanding innovation in railway industry, after scrutiny by the Prime Minister and approval from Her Majesty The Queen.

In February 2020, receiving the award fromHRH The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall was the IRR's Director, Professor Simon Iwnicki, alongside the University of Huddersfield's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bob Cryan, at Buckingham Palace.

Awarding Ceremony

Simon Iwnicki was a joint-doctoral student of Academician Shen Zhiyun at Southwest Jiaotong University (SWJTU). He engaged in the study of nonlinear dynamics following professor Shen Zhiyun at SWJTU for more than four months starting in July 1986. From September 1987 to January 1988, professor Shen Zhiyun instructed Simon Iwnicki to write his doctoral thesis in the UK. After receiving the doctoral degree, Simon Iwnicki has long been concerned about and supported the development of SWJTU and its State Key Laboratory of Traction Power. He has conducted academic exchanges and given guidance several times in SWJTU, maintaining a good relationship with SWJTU.

Simon Iwnicki is now serving as Vice Chairman of International Association for Vehicle System Dynamics, editor-in-chief ofJournal of Rail and Rapid Transitand associate editor ofVehicle System Dynamics. In 2019, he was elected as Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering. Simon Iwnicki is also a key overseas academic member of Overseas Expertise Introduction Center for Discipline Innovation of Rail Transit Engineering Dynamics in the charge of Academician Zhai Wanming at SWJTU.

Professor Simon Iwnicki, Distinguished Alumnus of SWJTU and Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering

Simon Iwnicki received the certificate of Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering granted by Princess Anne in 2019.

Simon Iwnicki learned from Professor Shen Zhiyun at Emei Campus of SWJTU in 1986.

The Queen’s Anniversary Prizes are one of the most coveted honors for British Higher and Further Education. The Prizes are mainly awarded to universities and colleges that have carried out ground-breaking pioneering research in a wide range of disciplines, to recognize their contributions in economy and culture to the UK and international community. The Queen’s Anniversary Prizes launched in 1994 are awarded every two years.In 2019, a total of 22 academic institutions won this prize, including Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (MIB).