 Robert Silman's exemplary endeavors in historic preservation engineering have given new life to hundreds of significant buildings. But even more than his work, his humanistic approach has helped the public better appreciate the importance of technology in preserving our heritage. Mr. Silman's career, starting with the founding of his structural engineering firm in 1966, mirrors the rise of the historic preservation movement in the United States. At that time, there was little to no formal academic training in the art and science of preservation. Until only a few years ago, in fact, engineers still had to follow the route taken by Mr. Silman, learn preservation engineering on the job. Mr. Silman has worked on more than 450 registered individual landmarks and scores of others in landmark districts or on eligibility lists. Among these is Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water, where Mr. Silman employed an ingenious modern technology, post-tensioning, to reverse dangerously high stresses in the concrete cantilevers. Mr. Silman has also worked on historic museums, historic state capital buildings, nationally significant homes and sites, public buildings, performing art spaces, historic religious buildings. No place is too small or humble for him to rehabilitate and reuse. The U.S. Secretary of the Interior appointed Mr. Silman to the advisory board for the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training, for which he has passed chairman, representing the fields of engineering and preservation education. In the meantime, many local, national and international organizations have recognized Mr. Silman's achievements. Of note, in 2013, Mr. Silman received the Association for Preservation Technology International's Harley J. McKee Award for his outstanding contributions to the field, helping to fill the educational gap he once faced. Mr. Silman is taught as an adjunct professor or lecturer in schools of architecture at Yale, Columbia, the City College of New York, Cornell, and Harvard. The National Trust for Historic Preservation's relationship with Mr. Silman is a deep and productive one. Under his leadership, his firm has worked on numerous national trust properties, including a current project to mitigate damage at the Farnsworth House. Moreover, Mr. Silman has participated and partnered with the trust on a number of initiatives to further the study and practice of historic preservation in engineering. In particular, Robert Silman Associates has partnered with the National Trust since 1997 to sponsor a fellowship that gives a recent engineering graduate the opportunity to work on restoration, rehabilitation, and preservation projects at the National Trust's 27 sites nationwide. Fellows are then offered a full-time position at the firm, where they can put their valuable lessons to full use. Mr. Silman is the first technologist to receive the Crown and Shield Award, a milestone that recognizes the vital role of engineering in preserving the built environment. He represents more than just numbers, however, his passion is infectious as well. Mr. Silman's expertise, influence, and devotion to the cause exemplify the tenets of the Crown and Shield Award, and we are thrilled to honor him today.