The Ragnar Wighus Award to promote young Talents

Since 2016 the International Water Mist Association (IWMA) has presented an award to promote young talents.

The specific terms, conditions and regulations for 2027 can be found HERE!

Please note: In 2023, the award was renamed. It is no longer called "IWMA Young Talent Award" but "Ragnar Wighus Award".

In 2027, the award will again go to the author of the best Ph.D. thesis. The deadline to hand in applications is 31st March 2027.

The Award Winners:

2026: Mohsen Morshedi for his master thesis entitled: Numerical Simulations of dense Water Mist Sprays in cold Conditions with an Emphasis on multi-droplet aerodynamic Interactions
2025: Azad Hamzehpour for his Ph.D. thesis entitled: Experimental and Simulation Analysis of Water Mist Systems for shielded Fire Applications (sorry, not available)
2024: Cédric van de Vondel for his master thesis entitled: Numerical Modelling of Water Spray Impingement Cooling
2023: Martin Thielens for his Ph.D. thesis entitled: Advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics Modelling of Water Sprays in Fire-Driven Flows
2022: Haydn Lewis for his master thesis entitled: Factors influencing the Generation of Carbon Monoxide in Fires partially suppressed through Water Mist Application
2021: No bestowal
2020: The conference had to be postponed, hence no bestowal
2019: Topi Matti Sikanen for his Ph.D. thesis entitled: Simulation of Transport, Evaporation and Combustion of Liquids in large-scale Fire Incidents
2018: No bestowal
2017: James Patrick White for his Ph.D. thesis entitled: Measurement and Simulation of Suppression Effects in a Buoyant Turbulent Fire Line
2016: Daniel A. Martin for his master thesis entitled: The Use of a Water Mist Curtain as a Radiation Shield

Please click on the title of the theses to open the presentations held at the conferences!

Kemal Sarp Arsava (chairman of the IWMA Scientific Council, left) and IWMA President Max Lakkonen (right) hand over the 2026 Ragnar Wighus Award to Mohsen Morshedi

Are Brandt (IWMA Scientific Council, left) and IWMA President Max Lakkonen (right) hand over the Ragnar Wighus Award to Azad Hamzehpour for his Ph.D. thesis

IWMA President Max Lakkonen and Bogdan Raciega (Chairman of the IWMA Scientific Council) hand over the 2024 Ragnar Wighus Award to Cédric van de Vondel

IWMA President Are Wendelborg Brandt and Max Lakkonen, Chairman of the IWMA Scientific Council hand over the Ragnar Wighus Award to Martin Thielens

IWMA President Are Wendelborg Brandt and Bert Yu, Chairman of the IWMA Scientific Council hand over the IWMA Young Talent Award to Topi Sikanen

James Patrick White in Rome in 2017 together with the late IWMA President Ragnar Wighus and Bert Yu, Chairman of the IWMA Scientific Council

Daniel A. Martin in Vienna in 2016 together with the late IWMA President Ragnar Wighus