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WR (Roy) Ahern, F.AIRAH

​William Roy Ahern, F.AIRAH, is a towering figure in AIRAH’s history. 

Based in Queensland and most active in the 1950s, 60s and 70s, Ahern was an engineer’s engineer. 

He was respected for the breadth of his technical knowhow, exactitude, and willingness to share his accumulated wisdom. 

He was also renowned for his strong personality and forthright views. 

“To many of those who knew him well, Roy Ahern is thought of as the best engineer that the refrigeration and air conditioning industry has produced in Australia,” said AIRAH’s high brass when it nominated Ahern for admittance to the ARBS Hall of Fame in 2012. 

“Roy has made possibly the greatest individual AIRAH member contribution to gaining general industry, government department and academic group recognition of AIRAH as a legitimate technical body representing the refrigeration and air conditioning industry in Australia.”
​
Ahern was a prolific writer of technical papers. In recognition of his tremendous output, AIRAH named an AIRAH Award his honour.  

The WR Ahern Award is presented each year to the best technical paper published by an AIRAH member in Ecolibrium, the Institute’s official journal. ​

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