Awards & Scholarships

Anders Richard Akerman was born on April 18th, 1837, in Stockholm, where his father, Joachim Akerman, was a professor at the Technical University, but the greater part of his childhood was spent in Falun.

Akerman writes himself about these early years: "My father's occupation and the intimate association, in which it brought me to mining students as well as to experienced mining men, created in me an instinctive bent for the mining career and it appeared obvious to me that I should become a mining student myself. After a few terms of mining studies I had occasional doubts, whether I should not have chosen the medical profession, but fortunately I continued my studies for the mining degree.”

On May 18, 1863 Akerman was accepted as a student in the metallurgical section of “Jernkontoret” (The ''Iron Institute") and on October 22, l864, he was made an assistant in the same section. Thus begun the cooperation between the Iron institute and Akerman , which was to continue for so many years and to bear such rich fruit.

On October 19th, 1865 Akerman was requested by “Jernkontoret" to give the lectures in the metallurgy of iron at the mining academy 0f Falun in the place of Professor, V. Eggertz for the year 1866, to assist in the practical exercises, and to take part in excursions following them. On the same day he was also requested by “Jernkontoret" to take a trip to the United States, together with Professor C.A. Angstrom, in order to study the iron industry in that country. The former request was renewed on October 15t h, 1867, to cover the year 1868, and on April 17th, 1869, he was made Instructor in Metallurgy and Mining at the Technical University, to which institution the higher education in mining engineering was transferred at that time. Akerman thus entered his career as a teacher, which lasted until the end of 1891. Akerman's own words deserve to be quoted in this connection: “During the time I have had charge of the instruction of the Metallurgy of Iron, I have tried to help to change metallurgy from being an art into more of a science.”

In 1889 he was made a director of the Swedish Life Insurance Co., Oden; 1895 its Vice Chairman, and 1904 its Chairman , until his death. He was vice chairman of the Board of Directors in Stockholm - Vasteras - Bergslagens Railroad 1897 - 1898, and Chairman in 1899 - 1917. He was a Director of Skandinaviska Kreditaktiebolaget 1901- 1921. He was one of the trustees of the Nobel Institute from 1902 and its Vice Chairman from 1908 until his death. In the Letterstedt Society he was Chairman from 1908 until 1921. During the years 1894 - 1897, Akerman was Vice Chairman of the Board of the Technical University in Stockholm. On September 24th, 1904 he was made Chairman of the Board o f Directors o f Abraham Rydbergs foundation for the training of expert sailors, and resigned in 1918.

He received the following decorations and distinctions: Chevalier Order of Dannebrog, Aug. 20th, 1872, Chevalier Order of Vasa Dec. 1st, 1873, Chevalier Order of Franz Joseph- April 20th,1875, Officer Legion of Honor, Oct. 19th, 1878, Chevalier Order 0 f the North Star Dec. 1st, 1882, Commander Grand Cross of the North Star Nov. 30th, 1901, Commander Order of St. Olav of 1st Class, Grand Officer Legion of Honor, Chevalier of the Russian Order of St. Stanislaus 1st class, Honorary Member of the Iron & Steel Insitute of Great Britain May 31st, 1875, Member of the Royal Swedish Acadmey of Science, Nov. 10th, 1875, Honorary Member of the New York Academy of Sciences, May 1st, 1876, Member of the American Philosophical Society, July 21at, 1876, Honorary Member of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, Nov. 1st, 1876, Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture, April 15th, 1878, Honorary Member of the United States Association of Charcoal Iron Workers, Oct. 19,1880, Member of the Society of Science, Kristiania, 1892, Honorary Doctor of the University of Uppsala, Sept. 6, 1893, Honorary Member of the Leading Russian Mining Society, 1897, Honorary Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture, 1909, Honorary Member of the Russian Metallurgical Society, June 18th, 1911, Honorary Member of the Academy of Engineering Sciences, 1920, The Iron & Steel Institute Gold medal, 1885, The Great gold medal of the "Jernkontor”, 1894.

On September 6th, 1867, Akerman married Maria Gustafva Clason Daughter of I.G. Clason, and his wife Maria Charlota Lorichs. They had one child, the former Counsellor of state, at present City Counsellor in Stockholm, Major General Gustaf Richard Joachim Akerman.