Past Events and Seminars

Past Events

International Workshop on Steel and Composite Structures
The International Workshop on Steel and Composite Structures was held on 9 August 2011 at the Centre for Civionics - Infrastructure Engineering. Professor Lin-Hai Han from Tsinghua University, China presented a keynote paper on “Analysis on CFST Column to RC Beam Joints under Fire”. There were seven presentations, including two keynote speakers which attracted more than 20 members and PhD students.

Electronics News Future Awards
Prof Jonathan Tapson attended the Electronics News Future Awards, which recognises excellence in Australian and New Zealand electronics and was a keynote speaker at the breakfast. He gave a presentation on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, in which he discussed the strengths and weaknesses of the Australian electronics industry from an entrepreneurial perspective. The Future Awards are intended to help raise the profile of electronics innovation and give designers and system integrators across the country a stage on which to promote their electronics design and ingenuity. The winners were announced at an Awards Breakfast, which included a networking breakfast and panel discussion on the future of the Australian electronics industry. A full report on the event and the panel discussion will be carried in the October or November issue of Electronics News.

UWS Open Day
This annual event was held on Sunday 28 August at the UWS Parramatta campus. More than 310 people attended the School of Engineering presentation sessions; Engineering, Constructing and Designing the Future. Feedback received from visitors was that this was the best open day they had attended and that our friendly and helpful staff made the day interesting.

Mid Year Forum
School staff attended a mid year forum on 29 July at the Pullman Hotel in Homebush. Topics presented were the management change proposal, upcoming Engineers Australia accreditation and School research initiatives. Heads of Program presented course level learning outcomes using Engineers Australia’s stage one competency and ALTC threshold learning outcomes.

Mid Year Orientation
Orientation sessions for the mid year intake of Engineering and Industrial Design students was held on 28 July 2011.

College of Health and Science - Awards Presentation Night
This annual event was held on the Parramatta Campus on July 13 and School prizes were announced by Dr Swapan Saha and presented by prize donors.

Dean’s Medals were awarded to two School of Engineering postgraduate students:
Ali Kattoub (M Eng) and Susan Scott (M Fire Safety Eng).
The Australian Steel Institute Undergraduate prize was awarded to Jude Rodricks (B Eng Civil).
Susan Scott of Eagle Consulting Group received this year’s Eagle Award for the first place graduate in Master of Fire Safety Engineering course. Mr Geoff Davis, Director of Eagle Consulting presented the award.
The Electrical Energy Society Australia (NSW Chapter) Award in Energy Systems was won by Rue Li (B Eng Telecoms).
Melanie Taylor (B Eng Civil) was presented the Engineers Australia Civil and Structural Engineering Award.
The Charles and Alison Scott Memorial Award was won by Mohamed El-Kawagoe (B Eng Civil).
Christopher Whale (B Eng Civil) was presented the Steel Re-enforcement Institute of Australia Award in Concrete Structures.

Prizes were also awarded to the prize winners from the Research Futures Forum held on June 10. 
First Prize Winners:
School of Engineering - Sumudu Wijetunge – Performance analysing of IEEE 802.15.4 medium access protocol for wireless sensor networks
Civionics Research Centre - Brendan Kirkland – Ultimate strength of composite beams subjected to combined actions: an experimental study
Runners up:
School of Engineering - equal second: Dona Shashika Biyanwilage – Cooperative Communication for OFDM Networks; equal second: Prasana Herath – Performance Analysis of Cooperative Communication Networks
Civionics Research Centre - Ravinthera Nishanthan – Engineering strategies for the protection of existing foundations from ground movements due to urban construction.

Science and Engineering Challenge
Another successful Science and Engineering Challenge was held on June 30. Two hundred and twenty five students from seven local schools participated in this year’s challenge. Schools competed in a number of fun and interesting activities including “Back to the Future”, “Confounding Communications”, “Eco-Habitech”, “Future Power”, “Escape from the Lost World”, “The Dish”, “Gold Fever” and “Mission to Mars”.
All activities were designed to show students the practical side of careers in science and engineering. The Challenge got underway around 9:30am and concluded at about 2:45pm with the spectacular testing of the bridges. This year’s event was won by Patrician Brothers College, Fairfield. Dr Sasha Alexander, Associate Head of School, was the guest of honour who highlighted the importance of team work in Science and Engineering during his speech.

Engineers Australia Western Sydney Regional Group
Engineers Australia Western Sydney Regional Group presented ‘Modern Rail Innovation in Japan’ – April 28, 2011.

Victoria Bridge Design Competition - Nepean River, Penrith
Entries for the Victoria Bridge competition closed on April 29.  All entries were sent to the Penrith Star office, 311 High Street, Penrith.  The winner was to receive $500, courtesy of the Star.

April Graduation Ceremony

A centuria of graduates of the School of Engineering celebrated their special achievement with their families, friends and staff on the evening of Monday 18 April, 2011 in the Ian and Nancy Turbott Auditorium of the Parramatta Campus.  The School graduated one PhD student, eight Masters students, seven Graduate Diploma & Certificate students and eighty four Bachelor Degree students in the areas of Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Electrical Engineering, Design, Design and Technology, Housing, Industrial Design and Robotics & Mechatronics.  Dr Ee Loon Tan a Lecturer in Concrete Structures received his PhD at the ceremony for a thesis titled “ The Effects of Partial Shear Connection on Composite Steel-Concrete Beams Subjected to Combined Flexure and Torsion”.  Five students were also awarded Honours Class 1 for their outstanding undergraduate performance including Benjamin Basso and Jeremy Michael Harrington (Civil Engineering);  William Alfred Croft (Robotics and Mechatronics); and Manuel Demertijs and Steve Krezo (Construction Management).

In addition, Dr Sasha Alexander (pictured above), Associate Head of School (Engagement and Industrial Design) also graduated with a PhD on the evening of April 16, 2011 with a thesis titled “Competition and Collaboration in the Australian Wood Furniture Industry: A Value Chain Approach”.

Congratulations to all students, their families and our staff for all their support over the years to our new cohort of Alumni. 

Engineering and IT Careers Expo

The annual Engineering and IT Careers Expo was held on April 12 2011. Thirty two exhibitors from the Engineering and Information Technology industry across Australia attended including the RTA, IMB, Queensland Rail, Rio Tinto and Leighton Contractors. In addition to meeting exhibitors, students also took part in a variety of workshops and seminars such as resume writing and interview skills. Comments on the day from exhibitors were positive and complimentary -
“Enthusiastic students.Very well run and organised” ( Paige Defries, Consult Australia) and “Overall students were very friendly and well mannered, interested and patient” (James Canavan, APESMA).

Earth Hour