EBE
NEWS
FACULTY OF
ENGINEERING
AND BUILT
ENVIRONMENT
2013/14
1 | Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment
2
CONTENTS
Laureate Professor Wins Top International Medal
3
Bushfire Drones Could Save Lives
4
Generous Benefactor’s Gift to our Students
5
Design Medal Winner’s Iron Blow
6
City Evolutions Lights Up Newcastle
7
NSW Scientist of the Year
8
An Australian First
9
Newcastle’s Young Citizen of the Year
10
NEWcastle Products
12
Robocup Junior - Sparking Young Minds
13
Kumaran Nathan, Monash Scholar
14
Appointment to Chair of Construction Management
15
Tunra Bulk Solids Launches in South Africa
16
A Step Closer to Alzheimer’s Blood Test
INTRODUCTION
2013 has been a hugely successful year for the
Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment.
It seems barely a week has passed without
one of our students or staff being recognised
for their excellence. These accolades reflect
the diverse passions and talents of the Faculty
community, but they also recognise that our
work shares one fundamental intention; to
improve the world around us.
This intention can certainly be seen in the
work of Laureate Professor Graeme Jameson,
inventor of the Jameson Cell, a revolutionary
mineral processing technology that contributes
more than three billion dollars to the national
economy every year. We are extremely proud
to see Professor Jameson named the 2013
NSW Scientist of the Year and are delighted
that he has received more than $1.2 million in
ARC Discovery Project Funding to support his
ongoing research aiming to significantly reduce
the energy consumption of the mining industry.
Launched in June this year, City Evolutions
is a landmark contemporary art project that
features a series of light installations using
cutting edge interactive technology to tell
the tales of Newcastle’s oldest street. Chris
Tucker, from the School of Architecture and
Built Environment, lead this extraordinary
collaborative project, which is helping to
revitalise the Newcastle CBD and encourage
the local community to reflect on its history.
Motivated by a desire to encourage talented
local students to stay in Newcastle to study
engineering, Catherine and Peter Tay have shown
their generous support in 2013 by establishing
The Catherine and Peter Tay High Achiever
Engineering Undergraduate Scholarship. Worth
$32,000 over four years, the scholarship will
be awarded to the highest ranked commencing
student in the Faculty of Engineering and Built
Environment with an ATAR of more than 99.0.
No doubt this scholarship will help encourage an
even higher standard of excellence amongst our
engineering students.
In 2013 researchers such as Associate
Professor Tristan Perez and Professor Pablo
Moscato have made significant leaps in solving
world problems. Professor Moscato’s research
aims to use medical science and computer
analysis to unlock the mysteries of cancer and
other diseases. Associate Professor Perez is
working with the Australian Department of
Defence and leading companies like Boeing
to research and develop ground-breaking
strategies for a flock of next generation
Intelligent Autonomous Vehicles (IAV). Part of
this work could enable a wider use of robotic
systems and reduce the extreme risk posed to
our fire-fighters.
Our students have also been recognised for
their visions of a better world. We produced the
most outstanding 2013 architecture graduate
in NSW, Chris Mullaney, who won the NSW
Government Architects Registration Board’s
Architects Medallion for his design for the
redevelopment of a floating dock on Newcastle
Harbour. Whilst Declan Clausen, studying a
combined degree in environmental engineering
and science, was named Newcastle’s Young
Citizen of the Year for his outstanding
contribution to environmental sustainability.
I hope you will enjoy reading more about these
and other recent stories about the staff and
students of the Faculty of Engineering and Built
Environment. It certainly makes me proud to
see their efforts recognised by our academic,
professional and local communities.
Professor Brett Ninness
Acting Pro Vice-Chancellor
Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment
From innovative asthma inhalers to practical
lighting solutions, the improvement of every day
objects is the basis for the final year projects
of our Industrial Design students. Their 2013
NEWcastle Products exhibition attracted a
huge audience of community members and
industry professionals, who were impressed by
the creative and ingenious products presented
by the students.
COVER: Tristin Perez’s vision of firefighting drones, as conceptualised by UON Director of Creative Innovation, Jeff Julian.
1 | Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment
student news
Matthew Gibbs who completed his Surveying
degree at the University in 2012, won the
Australian Consulting Surveyors NSW
Excellence Award for his University Student
Project, titled “Comparison of Close-Range
Photogrammetry and Terrestrial Scanning
for Detail Surveys”.
LAUREATE PROFESSOR WINS TOP
INTERNATIONAL MEDAL
University of Newcastle Laureate Professor
Graham Goodwin is the 2013 recipient of the
Rufus Oldenburger Medal by the American
Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), in
recognition of his fundamental contributions to
automatic control theory and practice.
He is only the second Australian recipient of the
Medal and the first whose research is based
in Australia (the Medal was previously won by
Australian-born American engineer Gordon
Brown in 1977).
The Rufus Oldenburger Medal was instituted
in 1968, and Professor Goodwin said he felt
“inspired” to join the prestigious list of previous
recipients from institutions such as Harvard
University, U.C. Berkeley, Stanford University
and MIT.
“I am honoured to receive this medal as a
culmination of a lifetime of work on dynamic
systems and automatic control,” said Professor
Goodwin.
2 | Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment
He received his award at the ASME 2013
Dynamic Systems and Control Conference in
Palo Alto California in October.
This is the latest in a string of prestigious
international awards recognising Professor
Goodwin’s highly distinguished career filled with
globally significant engineering contributions.
His current research includes developing an
artificial pancreas to assist people suffering
from Type 1 Diabetes; working on ambulance
scheduling to improve the effectiveness of
emergency services; and the control of systems
to improve the upload capacity and operation of
3G and 4G mobile telecommunications.
At the peak of his career, Professor Goodwin
said one of his greatest joys remained his
students at the University of Newcastle.
“I am excited to be able to work with young
people who continue to inspire and challenge
me,” he said.
BUSHFIRE DRONES COULD SAVE LIVES
A University of Newcastle mechatronics team is
developing technology that could enable a wider
use of robotic systems and reduce the extreme
risk posed to our firefighters.
Associate Professor Tristan Perez is working
with the Australian Department of Defence and
leading companies like Boeing Research and
Technology Australia to research and develop
ground-breaking strategies for guidance,
navigation, and motion control for a flock of next
generation Intelligent Autonomous Vehicles (IAV).
Associate Professor Perez said IAV technology
had the potential to minimise risk to firefighters
by removing, as much as possible, humans from
the dangerous frontline.
“Fleets of fully autonomous aircraft could be
used in the future to monitor bush areas for
rapid detection of fire spots to reduce the
firefighters’ response time. The same aircraft
could be used for personnel support by
incorporating various sensors, communication
capabilities and human interfaces for streaming
information to improve situational awareness.
3 | Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment
“Water-bombing helicopters could also be
unmanned. These vehicles operate in low
visibility, high winds, and with high chances of
getting the buckets entangled in power lines. By
removing the pilot we remove most of the risk.”
Associate Professor Perez said to integrate
IAVs in spaces shared with piloted vehicles,
progress was needed along four fronts:
technology, regulation and certification,
economics, and public acceptance.
“Although there have been great technological
developments in IAVs such as unmanned
aircraft, there are still areas that require
further development, including ‘sense and
avoid’ for obstacles and other vehicles,
human factors for better human-machine
communication, robust communication links,
and emergency-handling situations where the
vehicle health is compromised.
“When it comes to regulation and certification,
a key question is how do we assess the quality
of decision-making as the level of autonomy
in the vehicles increase? Today, unmanned
vehicle operations use only remotely piloted
vehicles. As the level of autonomy increases,
there is a need for new risk management
frameworks and regulation that could handle
higher levels of autonomy.”
Associate Professor Perez said the cost of
unmanned vehicles was still inhibiting.
“One way to reduce the cost is to use multiple
cheaper vehicles and share resources but this
brings significant challenges in terms of safety,
regulation, and certification.”
Associate Professor Perez and his team at
the University of Newcastle are working in
collaboration with Boeing Research and
Technology Australia and RMIT University
to create a new framework for assessments
of autonomy that could enable the future
certification of fully autonomous vehicle
operations.
“We are also working in collaboration with
Boeing and the University of Queensland in the
development of novel robust navigation systems
that could respond to GPS attacks.
“As we work hard in developing some of the
enabling factors of this technology, we can’t wait
for the future of fire fighting operations where
humans and machines co-operate to minimise
hazards. New technology is upon us but with it
comes new challenges, and we are onto them.”
student news
Pierre Gouhier, who is currently undertaking
the Master of Engineering Management at
the University of Newcastle was recently
named the 2013 Young Professional
Engineer of the Year Award. Pierre currently
works as a Composite Engineer for RPC
Technologies, and has extensive experience
in the transport, defence, manufacturing
and fibre reinforced plastics (FRP) piping
industries.
Anthony Parsons’ vision for an astronaut training centre
GENEROUS BENEFACTORS’ GIFT TO OUR STUDENTS
A donation from a generous graduate has
helped establish a new scholarship for highachieving undergraduate students to study
engineering at the University of Newcastle.
“Catherine and I are proud to help talented local
students stay in Newcastle for their engineering
studies, and gain their higher education at one
of the best engineering faculties in Australia.”
The Catherine and Peter Tay High Achiever
Engineering Undergraduate Scholarship
was launched in September 2013. Worth
$32,000 over four years, the scholarship will
be awarded to the highest ranked commencing
student in the Faculty of Engineering and Built
Environment with an ATAR of more than 99.0.
Mr Tay has been instrumental in bringing
about the creation of three scholarships at the
University, and the revitalisation of a fourth.
Through garnering the support of fellow
Singapore alumni, he has attracted more than
$500,000 in donations for these scholarships.
Mr Tay completed a double degree in industrial
engineering and economics at the University
in the 1970s through a Singapore Colombo
Plan Scholarship (CPS) from the Australian
Government.
“For many of us, the Colombo Plan Scholarship
represented our only opportunity to study
overseas and even to achieve a university
education,” Mr Tay said.
“The CPS was a stepping stone for me into a
successful career, and now it is time for me to
give something back to the Australian people
and the University.
4 | Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment
Based in Singapore, Mr Tay is a corporate
advisor engaged in business development and
coaching business leaders, and serves on the
boards of companies in the food and education
industries. Mrs Tay worked for more than 30
years as an executive assistant with the Law
Faculty and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor’s Office
at the National University of Singapore.
DESIGN MEDAL WINNER’S IRON BLOW
Three students from the University of
Newcastle’s School of Architecture and Design
won medals at the prestigious Australian
Institute of Architects’ 2013 NSW Graduate and
Student Awards.
Masters of Architecture Program Convenor,
Chris Tucker, said the medal results were a
reflection of the talent and high standards the
students have in the University of Newcastle’s
Architecture program.
University of Newcastle Masters of Philosophy
and PhD student, Anthony Parsons, won the
NSW Design Medal, the highest accolade for
a graduate in the state, for his design of an
astronaut training centre set in an abandoned
copper mine in Tasmania.
“We’re extremely proud of our students. Over
the past four years, University of Newcastle
students have won the Design Medal three
times and received three commendations.”
Bachelor of Design (Architecture) student,
Angus Vinden, won the Undergraduate Prize the first time a University of Newcastle student
has won this category - for his ‘bold’ vision for an
inner-city spa.
Masters of Architecture student, Chris Mullaney,
received a commendation for ‘Muloobinba’, a
floating dock design set in Newcastle’s harbour
that presents a framework for adaptive re-use
development.
Anthony Parsons, of Cooks Hill, said that his
work, titled “The Iron Blow”, was inspired by a
fascination with the space race.
“The Architecture program at the University of
Newcastle has great facilities - such as the 24
hour studio - offered in a friendly environment.
The program is really shining,” said Anthony.
“I was intrigued with the concept of machines
that people could live in – the space suit being
the first machine of this kind. This led me to
explore degraded landscapes such as former
mining sites and ways we could incorporate the
materials in these spaces into an environment
that will enable people to break the emotional
link with earth.”
The judges praised Parson’s work as having a
‘great response to the site’ and described it as
‘dark, extremely bold and strangely optimistic in
its raw beauty’.
Anthony’s work also received a commendation
in the AIA Digital Innovation Prize this year. Both
Chris and Anthony received commendations in
the national BlueScope Steel Glenn Murcutt
Prize in March this year.
staff news
Prof. Robert Melchers was the winner of the
2013 John Connell Gold Medal. Judged by
Engineers Australia, this award is presented
annually to a structural engineer who has
made a significant national and international
contribution to the profession.
5 | Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment
CITY EVOLUTIONS LIGHTS UP NEWCASTLE
City Evolutions has given visitors to Newcastle
East the chance to play video games and
interact with movies projected onto Watt Street’s
heritage buildings using their smartphones,
thanks to cutting-edge technology developed by
the University of Newcastle.
The University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor
Caroline McMillen, said academics and
researchers working across architecture,
computer science, software engineering,
design and IT, and fine art spent more than
10,000 hours developing the breakthrough
contemporary art project, which launched in
June this year.
“This ground-breaking project demonstrates
the University of Newcastle’s cross-disciplinary
research is bringing world-class creativity to the
region,” Professor McMillen said.
6 | Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment
“On this project alone, more than 30 researchers
across five disciplines have worked together to
create interactive digital projections that tell the
story of Newcastle.”
Visitors interact with many of the digital
projections on Newcastle landmarks, such as
the Watt Street Commercial building, using their
smartphones and ‘near field communications’,
similar to pay wave technology.
People can also enjoy the nocturnal art gallery
and light display simply by walking down Watt
Street, where motion detection systems sense
movement and trigger historical scenes and
artworks on the buildings.
Professor McMillen said the project was an
exciting and innovative way to tell the history of
our city.
“Newcastle is an emerging creative, digital
and technological hub which hasn’t forgotten
its roots as one of Australia’s industrial
powerhouses. The University is delighted to
be working with the City Council to transform
Newcastle East into an interactive night-time
space, telling the story of the city’s journey,”
Professor McMillen said.
“City Evolutions will be a fixture in the city for at
least twelve months, and has changed as the
year has progressed – Newcastle is enjoying
some dazzling surprises on Watt Street.”
The University of Newcastle received a grant
from Newcastle City Council to undertake
City Evolutions, with funding support from the
Department of Energy, Resources and Tourism
and the NSW Office of Environment and
Heritage and Newcastle Now.
NSW SCIENTIST OF THE YEAR
In November 2013, University of Newcastle
Laureate Professor Graeme Jameson AO was
awarded the NSW Scientist of the Year at the
2013 NSW Science and Engineering Awards
held at Government House in Sydney.
It has been a big year for Laureate Professor
Graeme Jameson AO, he was also presented
with The Society for Mining, Metallurgy and
Exploration’s Antoine M Gaudin award for
outstanding contributions to both engineering
science and industrial technology at the Society’s
2013 Annual Meeting in Colorado, USA.
Professor Jameson is well known for his
invention of the Jameson Cell, a radically
different flotation device that changed the face
of mineral processing and now contributes in
the region of $4 billion a year in mineral exports
to the Australian economy.
“I was with some students at a mine in Mount Isa
and I looked at the equipment they were using
and thought, ‘I could build something better than
that’,” Professor Jameson recalls.
The result is a Cell with no motor, air compressor
or moving parts, that is energy efficient and
cheap to operate and maintain. A higher
percentage of mineral is recovered, and because
less mineral is left in the tailings, this reduces
the chance of heavy metal leaching into the soil
and posing a hazard.
7 | Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment
The Cell is now in use in more than 300
locations in 20 countries and has been hailed
the most financially successful Australian
invention in three decades.
The Jameson Cell is one of the great
achievement stories of modern industrial
research. Professor Jameson has made an
immense contribution to the science of mineral
processing and we are fortunate and proud
to have him at the University of Newcastle to
share his breadth of knowledge, expertise and
experience with his colleagues and our students.
Professor Jameson has now turned his mind to
the development of a Fluidised Bed Flotation
Cell to extend the upper size of particles that
can be recovered by flotation. This new process
is ideal for the recovery of copper, gold, silver,
nickel, lead and zinc. As part of the development
process, he has recognised that it is essential
that savings in greenhouse gas emissions must
be a part of any new technology, and he has
been able to achieve this by designing a cell that
significantly reduces the energy required for the
previously energy-intensive grinding process.
staff news
Professor Rick Middleton was awarded
a fellowship of IFAC (International
Federation of Automatic Control). An IFAC
Fellow Award is given to persons who
have made outstanding and extraordinary
contributions in the field of interest of
IFAC, in the role as an Engineer/Scientist,
Technical Leader, or Educator.
AN AUSTRALIAN FIRST
In 2013, University of Newcastle Emeritus
Professor Terry Wall became the first Australian
to win the esteemed Percy Nicholls Award for
Notable Scientific or Practical Contributions in
the Field of Solid Fuels.
Professor Wall received the award, which
celebrates research into fuel utilisation and
recognises outstanding achievements in the
field of solid fuels, at the International Technical
Conference on Clean Coal and Fuel Systems in
Florida, USA.
“I am greatly honoured to be associated
with previous awardees, many of whom are
colleagues, including chemical engineering
Professors Adel Sarofim and Janos Beer of MIT,
who mentored me early in my career and also
many University of Newcastle PhD students
since,” said Professor Wall.
Professor Wall has been honoured with
distinguished awards before. On Australia Day
in 2001, he was granted Membership (AM) of
the Order of Australia honours list for service to
the coal industry and education. He is also an
Elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of
Technological Sciences and Engineering.
student news
PhD student Yufeng (Stone) Shi won the
Best Young Researcher Paper Award
at the 15th International Symposium on
Interaction of the Effects of Munitions
with Structures in Potsdam (Germany). The
paper was co-authored with his supervisor
Prof Mark Stewart, and titled “Spatially
Variable Reliability Analysis of Reinforced
Concrete Structures Subject to Explosive
Blast Loading”.
8 | Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment
He has also been awarded the 1997 ESSO
Award for excellence in Chemical Engineering,
the 2004 Bryers Award of the US Engineering
Foundation, the John Chipman Award of the
US Iron and Steel Society and the 2003 Pitt
Award for Innovation in Coal Conversion of the
University of Pittsburgh.
Professor Wall is a member of the editorial
board of the international journals, Combustion
Science and Technology, FUEL and the IFRF
ONLINE COMBUSTION JOURNAL. The June
2005 edition of the Elsevier journal FUEL was
dedicated to Professor Terry Wall.
Professor Wall has proudly accepted the award
and continues his work at the University of
Newcastle.
“My greatest pride would be in helping students
complete successful PhDs, I’ve supervised more
than fifty PhD students. I have also enjoyed
establishing and maintaining the University of
Newcastle as a centre of excellence in coal
usage, through two Cooperative Research
Centres and now in a National Research &
Development centre,” said Professor Wall.
Currently his research group activities are
all coal focussed including projects on
technologies for carbon capture and storage,
pulverised coal injection to blast furnaces,
coking coal evaluation and controlling emissions
from coal use.
NEWCASTLE’S YOUNG
CITIZEN OF THE YEAR
Meet Declan Clausen. He is studying a combined Environmental
Engineering and Science degree at the University of Newcastle and
has achieved more in the past decade than many of us would hope to
achieve in a lifetime.
While Declan is only in his early twenties, his list of awards and achievements
take up an entire page of his CV. On Australia Day this year he was able to add
the prestigious title of Newcastle’s Young Citizen of the Year to this list, which he
plans to use as a chance to be a voice for other youth in the region.
As well as being a student ambassador for Engineering and undertaking the Merit
Pathway program offered in Science, he is also on the University Committee for
Environmental Sustainability (UCES) which is chaired by the Vice Chancellor,
currently works with local high schools to assist with the development of their
environmental programs and attended the Science Meets Parliament conference
held in Canberra last year. He has also been awarded a scholarship with the
Hunter Water Corporation and sees University as an excellent opportunity to
learn more about the industry.
In October, Declan rounded out an amazing year by participating in “Dialogues
on Development,” a three-week study tour covering 5,500km through the
Murray Darling Basin from Brisbane to Melbourne via Adelaide.
“The mining boom has seen a dramatic increase in development projects in rural
areas, often on land of significant cultural heritage value to Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander communities.”
Declan travelled with eleven other engineering professionals from across Australia
on this expedition organised by not for profit group Engineers Without Borders
(EWB), which aims to embed positive cross cultural consultation.
“As an undergraduate engineer I’m incredibly lucky to be joining this convoy gaining
the unique opportunity to visit some beautiful and remote places to learn from Elders
and other stakeholders about Australia’s diverse cultural heritage and the challenges
and opportunities facing Aboriginal Australia.”
9 | Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment
10 | Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment
Created by Brent Fisher, Buffer is a reusable Asthma puffer designed to make the process of inhaling medication more effective, convenient and hygienic.
NEW
PRODUCTS
In 2013 the NEWcastle Products Exhibition
brought industry and graduates together to
showcase innovative projects by final-year
University of Newcastle Industrial Design
students.
The exhibition was endorsed by global creative
visionary Jeff Julian, Director of Creative
Innovation at the University of Newcastle. He
also delivered a talk on the industry night, which
was open to the public.
Culminating several years of challenging study,
the event celebrated student achievement and
profiled some of the knowledge and innovation
available in the region.
“An impressive array of talent exists in the Hunter.
Industry events such as these provide our final
year students a highly targeted environment in
which to profile their skills and expertise.
Industrial design students were inspired to design
products to help solve real-world problems and
improve productivity, which were put on display at
the Watt Space Gallery in Newcastle.
“As a driver of innovation and
entrepreneurialism, our focus at the University
of Newcastle is to continue the exponential
growth of the creative industries in the Hunter
and beyond,” said Mr Julian.
During the exhibition, there was an industry
night held in partnership with HunterNet, which
provided valuable networking opportunities for
graduating students.
11 | Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment
This year Sharon Claydon, the Federal member
for Newcastle, also attended the NEWcastle
Products exhibition on opening night and
showed her support for our graduates.
ROBOCUP JUNIOR - SPARKING YOUNG MINDS
In 2013 the University of Newcastle hosted the
Hunter Regional RoboCup Junior Competition
for the second year in a row. RoboCup Junior
is a contest pitting school against school in a
challenge to build and program automated robots.
The day consists of students from both primary
and secondary schools competing in a series
of robotic challenges ranging from programing
their robots to dance, play an action-packed
game of robotic soccer or save an object in an
obstacle-based scenario known as ‘rescue’.
RoboCup junior is a feeder strand for the
international RoboCup tournament, which
is hosted by a different country each year
and comprises of Universities and research
institutions from all around the world aiming to
harness the abilities of artificial intelligence.
The purpose of RoboCup Junior is to educate
and nurture the student’s ability to program,
learn a logical sequence and to solve complex
problems, whilst discovering the potential of
artificial intelligence.
The tournament is a collaborative initiative
organised by school teachers, parents,
University of Newcastle staff, and students
from the University’s NUbots robotics team.
In 2013, children from 16 schools across the
Hunter were involved with the event with 64
participating teams and around 177 participants.
Coordinator, Aaron Wong, believes getting kids
involved drives future innovation and encourages
a culture of curiosity and collaborative creativity.
“RoboCup Junior is all about getting kids
involved to spark their minds to think about
robotics. It teaches them the logical framework
and patience needed to solve these engineering
problems. Getting these kids passionate will
mean faster evolution of technology.”
Wong, formally of NUbots, is undertaking a
PhD at the University of Newcastle, in computer
science and machine learning.
The 2013 event was such a success that the
Faculty is developing a Robotics mentoring
program, to be launched in 2014.
The mentoring program will involve pre-service
technology teachers, who will develop their own
skills in robotics and then move into mentoring
teachers from local schools in low SES areas.
The aim is to support schools where there is
interest in RoboCup Junior, but not enough
resources and expertise to take part. We look
forward to seeing these schools compete in
RoboCup Junior 2014.
12 | Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment
KUMARAN NATHAN, MONASH SCHOLAR
University of Newcastle Electrical Engineering
graduate Kumaran Nathan’s potential to
become a leader in his field has been
recognised with the awarding of a prestigious
scholarship from The General Sir John Monash
Foundation to support his postgraduate study
at Oxford University.
Mr Nathan, who believes Australia has
the capability to become a world leader in
renewable technologies and smart grids, is
one of 15 students who received a Monash
scholarship at the Sydney Opera House, in
November 2013.
Launched in 2003, The General Sir John
Monash Scholarships are designed to foster
leadership, expertise, and international
networks, and build Australia’s capabilities
for the future. Scholars are selected on the
basis of academic excellence, demonstrated
leadership capability, with the desire and a
credible plan to contribute to Australia.
13 | Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment
As the first University of Newcastle graduate to
receive a Monash scholarship, 23-year-old Mr
Nathan said he was extremely grateful for the
opportunity it would create, which he expects
will lead to a life-changing experience.
“The research I intend to undertake at the
University of Oxford is a natural progression
of the experience I gained during my final
year engineering project at the University
of Newcastle, into the development of a
STATCOM (static synchronous compensator) to
increase power quality in electrical networks,”
Mr Nathan said.
“One issue that is preventing a clean,
sustainable and renewable energy revolution is
that technologies are in their infancy compared
to large coal-fired and nuclear power stations.
“Networks have been designed the same
way for over 100 years and use unidirectional
power flow from large generators to
consumers. My research aims to solve the
problems caused by high levels of distributed
generation and assist the world in progressing
to a clean energy future.”
Mr Nathan said the large scale uptake of a
clean, sustainable and renewable electricity
generation could produce clean drinking water
by powering desalination plants; address food
shortages by growing crops under UV sources;
and increase use of electric vehicles, thereby
reducing global reliance on oil.
Mr Nathan, who graduated from the University
of Newcastle this year with first class honours
and the University Medal, will undertake a PhD
in Engineering Science at Oxford University in
2014, studying distributed energy generation
and storage systems to support renewable
energy for Australia.
The General Sir John Monash Scholarships
are now Australia’s most prestigious
postgraduate scholarship program, celebrating
Australia’s finest military leader: the man
increasingly acknowledged as one of our
greatest civic leaders.
Appointment to Chair of
Construction Management
In late 2013, the University of Newcastle
announced Professor Peter Davis, a respected
academic and industry professional with
more than 30 years’ experience, as the newly
established Chair of Construction Management.
student news
Electrical Engineering student Jess Foyster
won the Richard Duke Memorial Prize at The
Australian Universities Power Engineering
Conference in September for her paper
titled “Design And Construction Of A Power
Electronics Based Current Injection Unit To
Improve The Accuracy Of Earthing System
Tests”.
Jointly funded by two of Australia’s leading
construction companies - Lend Lease and John
Holland – together with the University, the Chair
will drive the research and teaching of over
1000 students.
Professor Davis will mentor staff and students,
and build on the opportunities provided by the
ever-growing research within the discipline in the
areas of construction education, sustainability,
procurement, organisational culture and supply
chain management.
“Through this newly established role, we
look forward to seeing Professor Davis
enhance the established 25 year reputation
of the University’s Bachelor of Construction
Management (Building) program; increase
the growing bank of national and international
knowledge about construction management;
and improve industry productivity and the
Australian economy by developing valuable
relationships with international research teams.”
Acting Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Brett
Ninness said.
14 | Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment
Lend Lease’s Chief Executive Officer,
Construction and Infrastructure, David Saxelby,
said graduates of Construction Management
were valued employees in the company’s
building and civil engineering operations
and Lend Lease was pleased to support the
appointment of Professor Davis.
John Holland’s Executive General Manager
for Infrastructure, Chris Evans, said that John
Holland was proud to be able to assist in the
provision of Australia’s only online Construction
Management degree program.
“As an industry leader, we consider it to be
extremely important to assist in the development
of the construction leaders of tomorrow.
The appointment of Professor Davis will
help to ensure the ongoing examination and
improvement of construction management
standards in Australia, to ensure our industry
goes from strength to strength,” Mr Evans said.
Professor Davis commenced teaching and
research at Curtin University in 1994, prior to
this working almost two decades in the private
construction sector. He was most recently
Professor and Head of the School of Built
Environment at Curtin University. He holds a
PhD in Economics and Finance from Royal
Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) and a
Masters degree in project management.
TUNRA Bulk Solids Launches in South Africa
Under an agreement between the University
of Newcastle (UoN) and the University of
Witswatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg,
the expertise of TUNRA Bulk Solids (TBS)
cemented its international reach with the
launch earlier this year of TUNRA Bulk Solids
Africa (TBSA) – the only extensive bulk solids
testing facility of its kind in Africa.
Established at the UoN in 1975, TBS is
a world-leader in bulk solids, conveying
and storing technologies. It is also part of
NIER, the Newcastle Institute for Energy
and Resources, which addresses national
priorities in sustainability and energy. The new
partnership provides clients in southern and
Central Africa the opportunity to tap into this
unique and comprehensive expertise.
“Africa, as one of the world’s primary minerals
supply regions, is an obvious first choice for
TBS’s international expansion,” TBS Director
Professor Mark Jones said.
“We have offered our services in southern
Africa for many years and this market has
grown to such an extent that it warranted the
establishment of a company in South Africa to
take full advantage of these opportunities.”
This joint venture is a not-for-profit company
run on a commercial basis under license
from TBS, which is a division of Newcastle
Innovation, the commercial arm of the UoN.
15 | Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment
“As both companies are embedded within
universities, the training of post-graduate
students in the field of bulk solids handling is
of great importance, as these students are the
industry’s future experts,” Professor Jones,
who is also Head of the School of Engineering
at the UoN, said.
The TBSA Laboratory, launched in October
2012, operates out of the Centre for
Mechanised Mining Systems (CMMS) at
Wits and offers independent comprehensive
laboratory test facilities and conceptual design
capabilities to aid research and consulting
activities.
“TBSA is the leader in providing conceptual
solutions to any bulk materials related task or
problem that may occur in mines or plants,”
Professor Jones said.
“Through its technical expertise, TBSA plays
a major role in assisting industries to operate
efficiently and thereby maintain and advance
their competitive edge.”
Clients who will derive crucial value from
TBSA include the mining, mineral processing,
metallurgical and power-generating industries:
bulk handling equipment design companies;
consultancy firms operating in these fields;
shipping and transportation companies; and
any companies where bulk solids handling
forms part of their manufacturing processes.
staff news
Professor Reza Moheimani was awarded
the 2013 IFAC Technical Committee on
Mechatronic Systems award. IFAC awards
this to a researcher who has demonstrated
sustained outstanding research contributions
in mechatronic systems, either of a
fundamental or applied nature, and who has
a significant history of participation in and
contributions to IFAC mechatronic systems
activities. Prof. Moheimani was also awarded
the IFAC Nathaniel B. Nichols Medal. The
Nichols Medal recognizes outstanding
contributions of an individual to design
methods, software tools and instrumentation,
or to significant projects resulting in major
applications and advancement of control
education.
A Step Closer to Alzheimer’s Blood Test
An interdisciplinary team of scientists at the
University of Newcastle has shown the potential
of a simple blood-based test to identify people
in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease,
before any symptoms appear.
The team of four* spent a year studying data
from the international Alzheimer's Disease
Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database, the
most comprehensive collection of Alzheimer's
data in the world.
The Newcastle team assessed the levels of
190 proteins in blood from 566 people with
either Alzheimer's Disease, mild cognitive
impairment or normal cognition and showed
that measuring a panel of 11 proteins in blood
can provide a predictive test with more than
85 per cent accuracy. Monitoring the change
in blood protein levels over time could increase
accuracy above 90 per cent.
16 | Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment
The study was funded by the University of
Newcastle and the Hunter Medical Research
Institute, and its findings were published in 2013
in the prestigious PLoS ONE journal.
Senior author Professor Pablo Moscato said the
results were likely to be significant for the way
Alzheimer's was diagnosed.
"Currently, Alzheimer's disease diagnosis is
based on clinical observations and testing of
cognitive capacity and memory loss," he said.
"The only reliable and accurate biological
markers so far identified for early diagnosis
require measurement by either expensive
procedures such as brain imaging, or invasive
procedures, for example spinal punctures.
"Our study makes a considerable step towards
cheap, non-invasive testing by identifying a
blood protein panel to predict Alzheimer's
disease in its early stages."
Early detection of Alzheimer's disease is
considered vital for effective intervention as there
is no cure. The only available treatments are
drugs that improve the functioning of neurons but
do not stop the disease progressing.
Alzheimer's disease attacks the brain resulting
in impaired memory, thinking and behaviour. It is
the most common form of dementia, affecting
one in 25 Australians aged 60 years and over.
*Research team; Senior author - Professor Pablo
Moscato, Co-Director, University of Newcastle
Priority Research Centre for Bioinformatics,
Biomarker Discovery and Information-Based
Medicine; Lead author - Dr Dan Johnstone; Dr
Regina Berretta; Dr Liz Milward.
The researchers work in collaboration with
HMRI's Information Based Medicine Program.
HMRI is a partnership between the University of
Newcastle, Hunter New England Local Health
District and the community.
Contact
General Faculty Enquiries:
Pro Vice-Chancellor’s Unit
Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment
EF Building - EF105
University of Newcastle
University Drive
Callaghan NSW 2308 Australia
Telephone: +61 2 4921 6025
Facsimile: +61 2 4921 7062
Email: FEBE-PVC_Unit@newcastle.edu.au
CRICOS Provider 00109J
18 | Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment