3D printing expert Ian Gibson is the first Australian to win the International Freeform and Additive Manufacturing Excellence (FAME) Award.

Each year, at the Annual International Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium in Austin, Texas, one esteemed 3D printing expert is selected and celebrated for their career achievements. Deakin University Professor Ian Gibson is the latest recipient of the International Freeform and Additive Manufacturing Excellence (FAME) Award.

The FAME Award is a prestigious accolade that acknowledges the pioneers of 3D printing technology. Professor Gibson is the first-ever Australian academic to receive the international award. The 3D printing academic conference took place last week, which is where the additive manufacturing expert from the Land Down Under was honored.

Gibson’s impressive career includes a vast range of contributions and accomplishments within the 3D printing industry. The FAME Award recognized three specific achievements from Professor Gibson’s large span of work.

Professor Ian Gibson: Career Achievements of a “3D Printing Dinosaur”

For starters, he is the co-author of Additive Manufacturing Technologies, a 3D printing textbook that has sold over 250,000 copies. The Deakin University Professor also established the widely respected Rapid Prototyping Journal, which has been in circulation for 25 years. Lastly, Gibson is driving community engagement for professionals, starting initiatives such as the Global Alliance of Rapid Prototyping Associations.

As someone who has worked alongside additive manufacturing since its early origins, the professor accepts his label as a “3D printing dinosaur.” Since becoming a professor at Deakin University in 2013, Gibson has transformed the school into a 3D printing epicenter. The Centre for Advanced Design in Engineering Training (CADET) is currently one of the largest 3D printing labs in the entire Southern Hemisphere.

As the winner of the 2017 FAME Award, the Aussie expert joins the ranks of other honorees, including Brent Stucker of 3DSIM and also Richard Hague of Nottingham University, among others. Gibson remains excited about the future of 3D printing, noticing a more diverse and therefore capable industry coming to fruition.

“It’s nice to feel like you were part of paving the way. I sometimes refer to myself as someone who was looking into 3D printing before it was considered cool,” Gibson says. “We were really developing our own knowledge and expertise in that space as we went along. There were no textbooks to guide us.”

With new 3D printing advancements constantly revolving in and out of today’s spotlight, it’s important to recognize the pioneers who also helped break technological boundaries. Thanks to the FAME Award, this deserving 3D printing veteran is gaining praise for both his past and present work.

Congrats Professor Gibson!

Source: Deakin University