2015 Prime of Life Achievement Award

Professor Emeritus Richard Burton (PhD) has been a model teacher-scholar during his thirty-eight years of service. During this period, he taught over twenty undergraduate and graduate courses and supervised the research of over 70 graduate students. His scholarly focus has been on hydraulics, fluid power systems including control and design of fluid power valves.

He served as Assistant Dean of undergraduate programs for five years. He has served as Chair of Fluid Power and Systems Technology group of American Society of Mechanical Engineers and was one of the founding members of the Fluid Power Network International. Along with his colleagues and students, he introduced artificial intelligence concepts to the fluid power area.

Richard has served on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Centre of Compact and Efficient Fluid Power, an American network of five universities involved with fluid power. Prior to his retirement, Richard was honoured with Fellow of ASME (2004) and R.E.Koski Medal of ASME (2011). He continues to serve the Mechanical Engineering profession as a member of the Canadian Accreditation Board.

Since his retirement, Richard received such recognitions as: Joseph Bramah Medal (2013) of Institute of Mechanical Engineering England and Outstanding Achievement Award (2014) of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan. Richard maintains continuing professional involvement as student research supervisor, academic review committee member of APEGS as well as in the activities of ASME and CCEFP.