Engineering
April 2010
South Australia
Students Participating in the Northern Advanced Manufacturing Industry Group’s (NAMIG) Concept2Creation program which last year won an Engineering Excellence Award in the area of Leadership & Management and a South Australia Division Award for Special Achievement in Education. Entries for the 2010 South Australia Division Excellence Awards are now open, more details are available on page 6.
Contents A Message from the President . . . . . . . . . . 2 News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6 Membership Profile. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Your Professional Development †. . . . . . . . 8
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A message from the President Sponsors Division Partners
Division Supporters
Division Executive President Doug Gillott FIEAust CPEng Deputy President Jeff Walsh FIEAust CPEng Treasurer Gerry Doyle MIEAust CPEng Executive Director Caroline Argent Deputy Director Sarah Carey
Preferred Suppliers Sothertons Chartered Accountants Accounting Services
Produced By Engineers Australia South Australia Division Level 11, 108 King William Street Adelaide South Australia 5000 tel 08 8202 7100 fax 08 8211 7702 www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sa
Recently I was privileged to attend the National Presidents’ Forum as your representative. The Presidents’ Forum is hosted by the National President, currently Prof Doug Hargreaves FIEAust CPEng EngExec, and is held twice a year in the first weeks of March and September. The March meeting is always special since for most of the Division Presidents it is the first time they have met each other. Being a national organisation the Presidents’ Forum is one of the few occasions when all of the Divisions are around the one table and the meetings are always very informative. As well as hearing what the other Division Presidents are doing the Directors from National Office provide updates on the key items they are working on. One of the areas where we are gradually noticing change across Australia is in the area of regulation of the engineering team, in particular professional engineers. Regulation is the key to boosting the status of engineers as it is only under a regulatory regime that can we distinguish between properly qualified and competent engineers and any other person claiming that status. Under the Queensland ‘Professional Engineers Act 2002’ it is a requirement for engineers practicing in Queensland to be registered with the Board of Professional Engineers Queensland. This implementation has not been without its critics however overall it has been of great value to our profession. The requirement applies to contractors and all persons who provide engineering services to employers, unless the person is practicing under the supervision of a Registered Professional Engineer. Companies must ensure that all their engineering staff are either registered or are working directly under the supervision of a registered engineer. Chartered Professional Engineer Status is sufficient to achieve registration and Engineers Australia is an assessment entity under the Act. In Western Australia a similar discussion is also proceeding. Whilst not likely to be put in place before the next State election, the preferred model for the legislation is shaping up to be a co-regulatory effort involving a statutory body put in place by the Government and the professional associations in the engineering profession. This is the direction that Engineers Australia is promoting nationally.
in November 2009 our National Council approved a policy on the regulation of the profession which calls for a co-regulatory system that sees the professional associations setting competency standards, assessing applicants, disseminating codes of practice and conducting audits. That is, doing everything that we do now to support the Chartered Professional Engineer Status standard. Government, in the form of a statutory body, would maintain an open and up to date register, respond to complaints, undertake inquiries and prosecute non registered persons breaching the provisions of the legislation. You can see it in full by navigating to “Policies” on the Engineers Australia home page. So what’s happening here in South Australia? Just before Christmas National Director of Policy Leanne Hardwick, Executive Director Caroline Argent and I appeared before the Parliamentary Select Committee on Private Certifiers. We explained our desire to achieve consistent State legislation across Australia based on a co-regulatory model. We are quietly confident that in due course legislation will be introduced here for structural engineers at least and possibly much broader. Finally I would like to encourage everyone to continue their involvement with the Make it so campaign. Make it so has exceeded expectations at every stage. More than twice as many advocates have registered as initially expected and a lot of fun, recognition and ideas have evolved from the hundreds of ideas submitted. We are learning a lot about ourselves as a profession as well. For instance, the responses are showing that we as engineers tend to define ourselves in terms of what we do or build. This isn’t really surprising when you consider that’s what we do every working day. However, this suggests to me that when we are communicating with our community we should think more about how we describe in more personal terms how our work relates to the economy, environment and the lives of our audience. Something to think about...
Doug Gillott FIEAust CPEng President Engineers Australia South Australia Division
Engineers Australia has recognised that national legislation is not achievable in the current or foreseeable future. National legislation would require all of the States to refer their powers to the Federal Government, which is only remotely likely. Furthermore the Federal Government is not currently inclined towards national regulation. So
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As many of our members are likely aware the Make it so campaign (a National campaign underway by Engineers Australia to shift Australians’ perceptions and increase understanding of the engineering profession, whilst inspiring more Australians to consider careers in engineering) was launched in February 2010. The website has seen a lot of activity since then with over 1000 ideas submitted to the website and our competition to win a Eee PC each week is almost up, with only 4 weeks to go. If you are an advocate head over to www.makeitso.org.au to view and rate the ideas submitted so far, or maybe submit your own. If you are not an advocate head over and sign up now to join in. At the end of the competition, one winning idea will be ‘Made so’ by a team of engineers. The website is also a great place to read a little about what drew some engineers to engineering, what their proudest moments are and what they think of the future of engineering. It is also an opportunity to read some of the untold stories of engineering submitted that have made, or are likely to make, a contribution to their community. We invite you to the Make it so website at www.makeitso.org.au to read these.
www.makeitso.org.au
GHD Build Smarter Infrastructure Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) is the integration of information and communications technology that enhances the transport of people and goods by sharing vital information with users. GHD’s Global Leader in ITS, Graham Ackers said from Adelaide, “The field of ITS is rapidly advancing in Australia. “While still in relative infancy compared to places like the UK, ITS is one of the best and most cost-effective strategies of improving transport safety and efficiency. “ITS has the capability to increase the capacity of existing road infrastructure at a fraction of the cost of conventional roadwidening. This is clearly demonstrated in projects such as the M42 in the UK where the hard shoulder is used by vehicular traffic during peak periods, increasing capacity of the motorway by 33%. “More efficient systems make roads safer and keep end users informed of incidents, hazards and conditions that affect their journey. “In South Australia, there are a number of good examples where ITS provides genuine value to the South Australian community. Sophisticated ITS technology continues to monitor the South Eastern Freeway. These systems detect hazards on the road ahead and inform drivers well before hazards are visible, using variable message signs. If required, signs change the speed limit to make the road safer. Locally, GHD manages a range of projects for Adelaide City Council and the South Australian Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure (DTEI). Globally, GHD effectively utilises the specific capabilities of its 100 offices. As such, GHD Adelaide, recognised as a global leader in ITS, collaborates and has contributed to a number of successful projects around the world. GHD is responsible for the design and construction of the $800 million Darra to Springfield Transport Corridor in Queensland, the first major integrated road and rail project for South-East Queensland. The Australian Custom Service Waterfront CCTV system, designed and managed by GHD, is used as a tool to support Australian Customs and their agencies in a variety of roles including the
detection and collection of evidence of illegal activities threatening the Australian border. Currently, GHD’s South Australian ITS team is involved in the upgrade of the Pacific Highway in Queensland. “Executed correctly, ITS technology shouldn’t be noticed,” Mr Ackers said. “This means the monitoring and responses are working seamlessly to maintain the flow of the transport system. It results in a better road and transport environment, and more efficient systems mean less emissions and a greener environment.” One of the world’s largest engineering, architectural and environmental firms, GHD has an 18-strong team of Adelaide-based staff working with ITS technology to make better use of existing transport infrastructure.
www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sa
Make it so Update
Led by Mr Graham Ackers, the team manages a large range of ITS projects both in Australia and globally, supported by more than 50 people in Perth, Sydney, New Zealand and Beijing. Mr Ackers has more than 19 years experience in transport systems, traffic control systems and intelligent transport systems both in Australia and overseas. As GHD’s Global Service Line Leader in ITS he is responsible for the development of GHD’s capabilities in ITS internationally. For more information contact: Graham Ackers, Global Service Line Leader – ITS on 61 8 8111 6600. GHD Pty Ltd 3
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Industry Opportunity Available Commercialisation Australia Commercialisation Australia is an Australian Government initiative that assists researchers, entrepreneurs and innovative companies to convert ideas into successful commercial ventures. It achieves this through offering a range of tailored assistance measures and guiding successful applicants through the commercialisation process. Commercialisation Australia offers: •
Skills and Knowledge support to help build the skills, knowledge and connections required to commercialise new ideas. This includes: ◊
Up to $50,000 to pay for specialist advice and services
◊
Up to $200,000 over two years to assist with the recruitment of experienced executives;
•
Proof of Concept grants of $50,000 to $250,000 to test the commercial viability of a product, process or service; and
•
Early Stage Commercialisation repayable grants of $250,000 to $2 million to undertake activities that develop a new product, process or service to the stage where it can be taken to market.
Applications for Commercialisation Australia assistance are now being accepted. More information on the program can be found at www.commercialisationaustralia.gov.au or by calling the hotline 13 22 56. Alternatively you can contact Steve Peters in the Adelaide AusIndustry office on 08 8406 4705 or email casant@innovation.gov.au
Chemeca 2010 will be held in Adelaide from 26th - 29th September 2010. Chemeca 2010 will bring together industrial chemists, chemical technologists, chemical & process engineers, energy technologists and materials engineers from across the world to present, discuss and debate key challenges facing humanity, including how we may best address the big environmental challenges of this century whilst continuing to maintain economic growth. Chemeca 2010 will not only be a showcase for new knowledge but also a forum to discuss current issues. It is an excellent opportunity to listen to and share our vision with leaders of the profession from industry and academia. For more information about Chemeca 2010 visit http://www.chemeca2010.com or email chemeca2010@icms.com.au
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www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sa
Update from Mps People Solutions
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Important Dates for 2010 Registration to enter due Friday 30th April 2010
Entry submissions due Friday 11th June 2010
Jury Presentation Day Week beginning Monday 28th June 2010
Awards Presentation Dinner Friday 10th September 2010
Excellence Awards Entries Open for 2010 Engineers Australia South Australia Division is delighted to invite entries for the 2010 South Australian Engineering Excellence Awards. The annual Excellence Awards is central to our purpose to provide leadership, endorse excellence, support innovation and sustainability, and promote community confidence in South Australian engineering. Entering the awards allows the engineering profession to showcase its achievements and highlight the significant importance of the engineering profession. We therefore strongly encourage all South Australian engineering organisations to consider putting forward a nomination for this year's Engineering Excellence Awards. Take your place as one of South Australia’s engineering highachievers and be acknowledged as a leader in your field!
The 2010 information pack contains all of the information necessary to organise your entry, including the award categories, judging criteria, entry fees and submission requirements. You can access the information on our website at www.engineersaustralia.org.au/divisions/south-australiadivision/awards or by contacting me, Catherine Chamberlain via cchamberlain@engineersaustralia.org.au or on 08 8202 7140. I look forward to receiving your entry. Catherine Chamberlain Events Manager Engineers Australia South Australia Division
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Membership Profile Why did you decide to become an engineer? I grew up and schooled at Woomera back when it was a busy rocket range, before following my brother into Mechanical Engineering. Woomera was a great place to live and I was always interested in my Father’s career (Electronics Engineer) launching rockets. With a huge desert as our back yard most of us kids either had dirt bikes or dune buggies to play and tinker with so I guess I had a feel for engineering at a young age. What project are you working on now? As the State Emergency Management Engineer I‘m tasked with improving the State’s engineering capacity to deal with disasters under the State’s Emergency Management (EM) arrangements. My team is the Engineering Functional Service and at a high level, we support any requests from the other response and/or recovery agencies for additional engineering assistance, should their own resources get overwhelmed (I must stress that we give high level support only if requested, because the likelihood of this happening would be an exception rather than the norm because the majority of agencies in South Australia are well prepared for what they do in an emergency). A large percentage of our work is co-ordination and done in the recovery stage of a disaster as this is by far the longest and usually the most expensive period, after the Emergency Response Services have done their job. We have a 3 year works plan that will build engineering capacity and cooperation across the State. Much of it involves mitigation works and building relationships between us and the EM community, both Government & Non-government Organisations (NGO’s), so we are better prepared for an emergency. The ‘end result’ is to strengthen the community’s ability to recover from a disaster. What do you like the most about the engineering profession? It is global and therefore gives the opportunity of travel by working around the world. It has allowed me to work and travel in over 50 countries.
I have made throughout my career (and life). Isambard Kingdom Brunel for his engineering achievements. Bernard Kouchner French politician, diplomat, and doctor. He is co-founder of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) whom I have worked for in Sierra Leone during their civil war. Ms Vanessa Redgrave (UNICEF Ambassador) for her humanitarian work and intellect, whom I have worked with in Kosovo. The greatest achievement is?
engineering
Overseeing the construction Mark Brooking MIEAust of a UN emergency camp that housed 45,000 Kosovo refugees within 3 weeks in the mountains of Eastern Europe during 1999. I was asked to be the Infrastructure Manager by CARE Australia without any previous experience, other than being an engineer and having a can-do attitude. A massive but very rewarding achievement involving many good people ‘making it happen’! My first shift lasted 53 hours What are your hobbies? Travel, Sailing, SCUBA Diving, Golf & Baseball What do you think you will be doing five years from now? Maybe doing Emergency Humanitarian work for the UN or an NGO somewhere in the world. If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be? On a yacht sailing the 7 seas, working on undoing some of the damage humans have done to planet earth.
Also, the fact that engineers build (or maintain) tangible assets for their communities.
What is your motto?
What do you see as one of the biggest issues facing the engineering profession?
Who would you most like to meet?
Developing clean energy sources so as to save us from destroying the planet.
www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sa
Mark Brooking MIEAust
‘Stay focused on the end result’
My Soulmate.
Who has provided you with the greatest amount of inspiration in your career? My father, Kenneth for his undivided support in whatever choices
It’s your
CPD:
understand it... do it... record it...
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Your Professional Development April 2010 - May 2010. Unless published otherwise all presentations are scheduled for the Engineers Australia South Australia Division Office. Event details are subject to change. Please check our website prior to event for current information and office location updates. Please Note the South Australia Division has relocated premises. Our new address is now Level 11, 108 King William Street, ADELAIDE SA 5000
April 2010 Date
Time
Monday 19th
5.00pm
Tuesday 20th
5.30pm
Thursday 22th
6.00pm
Tuesday 27th
5.30pm
Thursday 29th
5.30pm
Friday 30th
8.30am
Host Australian Geomechanics Society (AGS)
Event
Contact
Technical Presentation
Paul Godden
pgodden@engineersaustralia.org.au
Paul Godden
pgodden@engineersaustralia.org.au
Paul Godden
pgodden@engineersaustralia.org.au
JTP Electrical and
Technical Presentation: Defence Systems Innovation Centre
Electronic
(DSIC)
Women in Engineering
Women in Engineering Networking Event
(WIE)
Venue: Hackney Hotel, 95 Hackney Road HACKNEY
Engineers Australia
Eminent Speaker: Prof Abbink
Nina Lenz
nlenz@engineersaustralia.org.au
Technical Presentation
Paul Godden
pgodden@engineersaustralia.org.au
Vicki Fowler
info@eeaust.com.au
Society for Building Services Engineering Engineering Education
Technical Presentation: Slide Rule Internet Thinking in the
Australia
Internet Age
Host
Event
The Systems Engineering
Systems Engineering and Test & Evaluation Conference
Society of Australia
Venue: Stamford Grand, Moseley Square GLENELG
Engineering Education
Workshop: Project Management Practice - Module 2 -
Australia
Implementing Projects
May 2010 Date
Time
Monday 3rd - Thursday 6th
7.15am
Tuesday 4th - Wednesday 5th
8.30am
Wednesday 5th
5.30pm
Thursday 6th
5.30pm
Joint Chemical Engineering Committee Railway Technical Society of Australasia
Contact
Sectretariat: SAPMEA
sete2010@sapmea.asn.au
Vicki Fowler
info@eeaust.com.au
Technical Presentation
Paul Godden
pgodden@engineersaustralia.org.au
Technical Presentation
Paul Godden
pgodden@engineersaustralia.org.au
Chartered Status Workshops A FREE Chartered Status Workshop will be held for Members and Non Members interested in submitting an application for Chartered Status on Tuesday 4th May 2010. The next workshop will be held Tuesday 23rd June 2010. Our National Assessor Ewan Hazeldine will conduct the Chartered Workshop, which will feature invaluable information regarding Engineers Australia, Chartered Status accreditation and tips on writing Career Episode Reports (CERs) and putting together your Chartered Status application. Further dates for workshops can be obtained via the Engineers Australia South Australia Division website at www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sa or by contacting Membership Officer Nathan Jones on the details below. Registration is essential. Please contact Nathan Jones on 08 8202 7170 or njones@engineersaustralia.org.au to register your attendance.
Feedback and articles can be submitted to Nathan Jones Membership Officer via njones@engineersaustralia.org.au or by phoning 08 8202 7170
Interviewers Needed Professional Interviewers are required to assess the applications of Chartered Applicants. In particular engineers who have Chartered Status and experience in Computer Systems, Software Engineering or Submarines would be particularly welcome. To register as an interviewer please contact Membership Officer Nathan Jones via: E: njones@engineersaustralia.org.au
Articles Welcome Do you have feedback about the Engineering South Australia newsletter or an article you would like included? We would love to hear from you!
Ph: 08 8202 7170
• Preferred rate for members • Free telephone accounting advice • Free first tax return for student and newly graduated members • Free first interview for members Contact Jim McKenzie or Alex Reade Ph 8223 7311
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