Cambridge, England, September 14, 2005 -- John F. Waterhouse and Derek H. Page have been awarded the 2005 Van den Akker Prize for Paper Physics. Their paper, "The Contribution of Transverse Shear to Wet Fiber Deformation Behavior", Nordic Pulp and Paper Research Journal, Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 89-92 , 1/2004, has been selected by an international panel of judges as the greatest contribution to the field of paper physics this year.  The award will be presented at the Progress in Paper Physics Seminar, in Cambridge, England,  September 14, 2005. 

The paper reassessed prior formulas on bending strength of paper fibers.  The paper examined the contribution of transverse shear to fiber deformation behavior and found that the deformation is almost entirely attributed to shear.  The conclusion of the paper is that none of the existing methods of measuring wet fiber flexibility can have any application to the problem of fiber deformation and the consolidation of the sheet during its manufacture. 

John Waterhouse and Derek Page are both highly respected professors in the area of paper physics and are both well published in their field.  John and Derek are both retired professors from the Institute of Paper Science and Technology but continue to be involved in student, member funded, and directed research. 

The Johannes A. Van den Akker Prize for Advances in Paper Physics was established in 1999 by IPST, with an endowment made possible through the generous donations of the family, friends, and students of Dr. Van den Akker, a former senior research associate and Chairman of the Department of Physics and Mathematics at the Institute of Paper Chemistry (IPC). The Van den Akker Prize is awarded annually through the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI) Paper Physics Committee, of which Dr. Van den Akker was a member for many years.

The Van den Akker Prize for Paper Physics is awarded annually to the author[s] of the best paper published in the area of fiber and paper physics during the preceding calendar year. It is intended to recognize publications that make a significant contribution to the field of paper physics. Dr. Van den Akker was known for his brilliant mind, demand for excellence, and leadership in the field of paper physics for over 40 years. The award this year consisted of a $500 honorarium and award medal(s).  Nominations of outstanding papers for award consideration were solicited from members of the TAPPI Paper Physics Committee, journal editors, conference proceedings editors, and other paper scientists active in the area of paper physics.