§02§Robert David Adams, born 1940 is Emeritus Professor of Applied Mechanics, Department of Mechanical Engineering at University of Bristol. 1967 Professor Adams became Lecturer, Reader 1975, Professor 1986. From 1994 to 1998 he headed the Department. 1998 he became Graduate Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, University of Bristol and kept this position until 2004.§He is active member in the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Institute of Materials §Institute of Physics, British Standards Institute and the Engineering Science Data Unit.§§Professor Adams is Joint Editor-in-Chief of the "International Journal of Adhesion and Adhesives" and member of the Editorial board of: Journal of Adhesion, Nondestructive Testing and Evaluation International, Series A : Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers International Journal. Journal of Materials: Design 〓§Degrees and awards: §State Scholarship, 1958 Clothworkers' Scholarship (awarded to the student who stan §02§ds highest in the Imperial College Entrance Scholarship Examination), 1959 §BSc (Eng), First Class Honours, Imperial College, University of London, 1962 §PhD, University of Cambridge, St John's College, 1967 §DSc (Eng), University of London, 1986 §Visiting Foreign Francqui Chair and Medal at the Free University of Brussels (VUB), 1991 §Honorary Professorship of the Huazhong (Wuhan) University of Science & Technology (PRC), 1995.