Dr Gao has made a significant and sustained contribution to promoting awareness of corrosion across industry, academia, professional institutions and the wider engineering community. With more than 30 years of experience in materials, corrosion and asset integrity, he has consistently advocated for corrosion prevention and management as essential elements of engineering safety, sustainability, infrastructure resilience and industrial performance.
Since becoming President of ICorr in November 2024, Dr Gao has placed communication, education and engagement at the centre of his activities. His outreach has addressed audiences ranging from experienced corrosion professionals to students and young engineers. In 2025 alone, he delivered 12 corrosion awareness presentations in China, complemented by further engagements in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, the UAE and the United States.
A particular focus of Dr Gao's work has been strengthening cooperation across national and organisational boundaries. Under his presidency, ICorr has strengthened its collaboration with international organisations including WCO, the European Federation of Corrosion (EFC), the Chinese Society for Corrosion and Protection (CSCP) and AMPP.
Among the most visible examples is the UK–China Corrosion Summit initiative. The inaugural summit was held in Manchester in 2025, followed by the second China–UK Corrosion Summit in Beijing in 2026, bringing together corrosion specialists, researchers, industry representatives and engineering leaders and creating a platform for international knowledge exchange and cooperation.
His international engagement is also reflected in collaborations extending from China and Europe to the Middle East and the United States. The supporting documentation for the Honour illustrates this extensive network of activities, including cooperation with EFC/WCO, AMPP and corrosion organisations in China, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Education and professional development have been another important part of Dr Gao's contribution. He has actively supported initiatives including the ICorr Young Engineer Programme (YEP) and has encouraged young engineers to participate in conferences, develop international networks and become actively involved in the corrosion profession.
His outreach to universities has included presentations and engagement with students and early-career engineers at institutions including the University of Manchester, University of Leeds, Cranfield University, Loughborough University, University of Aberdeen and Robert Gordon University.
Dr Gao has consistently emphasized that corrosion is more than a technical issue: effective corrosion management contributes directly to public safety, environmental performance, infrastructure reliability and economic efficiency.
This message was also reflected in activities surrounding World Corrosion Awareness Day 2026, when ICorr, EFC and CSCP issued a joint statement highlighting the role of corrosion management in sustainable infrastructure, engineering excellence and international collaboration.
Dr Gao combines this commitment with extensive professional expertise. He holds a PhD in Materials from Loughborough University and is an AMPP Certified Corrosion Specialist, Chartered Engineer, Chartered Scientist, Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, and Fellow of the Institute of Corrosion.
The World Corrosion Organization warmly congratulates Dr Yunnan Gao on receiving the WCO Corrosion Awareness Honour 2026 and recognizes his outstanding commitment to increasing awareness of corrosion, strengthening international cooperation and inspiring the next generation of corrosion professionals.
