Engineering Sydney™ Newsletter
Engineering Sydney
Engineering Sydney™
Newsletter
Newsletter
Issue 5, December 2006
Conversazione 2006
Engineering Sydney™ hosted the annual Research
Conversazione on Friday 27 October 2006.
The Conversazione brings industry and the Faculty of
Engineering together, giving fourth year and postgraduate
students the opportunity to showcase their research and
explore employment opportunities. Students are invited to
display posters outlining their research activities. Industry
guests are invited to quiz students about their research and
judge the posters, the best posters are then awarded prizes.
The 2006 event attracted a record number of registrations
from industry representatives eager to see the work of
potential graduates. Guests met for networking, drinks and
lunch at the Terrace Bistro in the Wentworth Building. Guest
speaker, Dr Isaac Shariv, new Director of the University’s
Business Liaison Office, spoke on the importance of exploring
opportunities for university/industry collaboration. After the
lunch, guests made their way to the school displays.
The combined School of Information Technologies/Electrical
Engineering display was held in the new Information
Technologies Building, giving guests the opportunity to view
the university’s newest building. Visitors to the School of
Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering in the
Bennett Lab were able to view working models of biomedical
and aeronautical engineering projects.
Engineering Sydney™ will host a follow-up event to the
Conversazione on 13 February 2007. The Research Showcase
will give academics in the faculty the opportunity to provide
information on their research and explore collaborative
opportunities with industry representatives.
On April 3 2007, Engineering Sydney™ will stage the annual
Engineering Sydney™ Careers Fair. This is the chance for
industry to show the students what they have to offer in the
form of recruitment and vacation employment opportunities.
Continued page 8u
Engineering Sydney™ Newsletter
Dean’s Report
The Faculty has continued its success in Australian
Research Council Funding for Discovery Research in
2007. The new funding has increased from $1.651m in
2005, $1.801m in 2006 to $2.014m for 2007. The total
funding over 5 years for these new grant applications
is $6.318m making us one of the leading Engineering
Research Faculties in the country and by far the best
on a per capita basis. The whole university has been
very successful with new funding of $49m for 120
new projects starting in 2007. The Faculty was also
successful in receiving 2 ARC Linkage Infrastructure
Equipment and Facilities Grants as the lead institution
and 2 as a collaborating institution. The two as a lead
institution are “Development of 4G cellular and wireless
network systems” led by Professor Branka Vucetic of
Electrical and Information Engineering, and “A multiscale system for characterizing surface properties of
advanced materials” led by Professor Liangchi Zhang of
the School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic
Engineering.
of the Engineering and Architecture cluster of faculties.
What this means is that the two faculties will retain
their academic independence but have a single executive
management structure. I hope to appoint Associate
Deans in areas such as Research, IT and International in
2007 to serve both faculties and achieve synergies across
the two faculties.
Gregory Hancock, Dean, Faculty of Engineering
Executive Dean, Engineering and Architecture
The University has allocated funds under its Sustainable
Energy Research Grants Scheme and two of the
projects submitted by our Faculty to this scheme
were supported. They are to Dr Andrew Harris, of
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, for “Precommercial demonstration of sustainable hydrogen
technology”, and to Dr Dong Jeng, of Civil Engineering,
for Innovative approaches for wind, waves, off-shore
wind farm and sea bed interaction: a coupled model”.
These projects were funded under the University’s
Green Power Strategy endorsed by the University
Senate. It is exciting to see projects in the Green Power
area being performed in the Faculty to help the wider
environmental cause at a time when global warming
appears to be a reality.
At the Faculty Board meeting on 31st October, the
Faculty unanimously agreed to be renamed as the
Faculty of Engineering and Information
Technologies with the inclusion of the School of
Information Technologies. This is the first name change
in 123 years. Further, the university restructure has
continued and I have been appointed as Executive Dean
Index
1
2006 Conversazione
2
Dean’s Report
3
Malaysian Celebrations
4
School of Civil Engineering
5
Alumni in Profile
6
2006 Research Conversazione
7
Research Conversazione cont...
8
Research Conversazione cont...
9
Research Conversazione cont...
10
Awards and Honours
11
Calendar of Events
12
Dean’s Advisory Committee
Engineering Sydney™ Newsletter
Malaysian Celebrations
The University conducted its first graduation ceremony
in Malaysia in September. It was a particularly pleasing
occasion with 3 graduates, Muhamma Zaid Kamardin,
Abdul Rahman Md Din and Muhammad Ezmeer
Abdul Rahman, all Petronas scholars, receiving first
class honours with Mr Muhammad Zaid Kamardin
also receiving the University Medal. The Masters of
Engineering Research was conferred on Jang Yeh Loh
and the Master of Engineering Studies with Honours was
conferred on Nurhidayah A Razak.
An alumni reception was held in the Emerald Room of the
Mandarin Oriental Hotel and was attended by many of
our Engineering Alumni in Malaysia and six of the Deans
as well as the Deputy Vice Chancellor International,
Professor John Hearn and the Deputy Chancellor Ann
Sefton AO. I was pleased to meet several of our Alumni
including Dr Ooi Lean Hock, Mr Kok Sun Koh, Ir. Cheng
Yi, Eason Tan Soon Hoe and Ir. Paul Padman.
Professor Ann Sefton, Deputy Chancellor; Mr Muhammad Zaid Kamardin,
Honours 1st Class and University Medallist and Professor Gregory Hancock,
Dean, Faculty of Engineering
A University of Sydney Dinner was also held in the
hotel, and the Malaysian Minister for Higher Education,
YB Dato’ Mustapa Mohamed, the Australian High
Commissioner, His Excellency Mr James Wise and the
Vice-Chancellor University of Malaya, Datuk Rafiah Salim
also attended.
Gregory Hancock
Professor Gregory Hancock and His Excellency Mr James Wise,
Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia
Nurhidayah A Razak, Master of Engineering Studies (Honours) Graduate with
Professor Gregory Hancock
Engineering Sydney™ Newsletter
School of Civil Engineering
Dr Itai Einav, Senior Lecturer
Dr Itai Einav joined the School of Civil Engineering as a
Senior Lecturer in October 2005. Dr Einav’s general research
interests are in modelling the constitutive behaviour of
materials such as foams and biomaterials, although his
research currently focuses on characterising the physical
properties of granular matter. His position at the University of
Sydney has given him the opportunity to further his work in
this area and to broaden his network of colleagues.
Dr Einav has recently developed a new field of mechanics
for brittle granular materials, which is about to appear in
the prestigious Journal of Mechanics and Physics of Solids.
The paper proposes a breakthrough theory, called Breakage
Mechanics, based on several revolutionary physical postulates
and concepts that are linked to the notion of breakage and
the evolving grading of the grain sizes. The mechanics of
particle crushing is regarded as one of the most intractable
problems in geosciences, but with Breakage Mechanics it is
now possible to answer many of the unsolved dilemmas that
intrigued scientists from a wide range of fields. The topic is of
extraordinary practical relevance to countless industries, such
as chemical, pharmaceutics, agriculture, minerals and mining
engineering, geology, geophysics and geomechanics.
In a collaborative project with Ross Barker from the School
of Civil Engineering Soil Lab and Dr Allan Jones and Greg
Cohen from the University’s Electron Microscopy Unit, Dr
Einav has developed a novel Micro-CT Couette Flow device for
the dynamic imaging of breakable granular materials under
shear. This development enables to detect and measure the
three-dimensional microscopic kinematics of sliding-rotatingfracturing particles. It is hoped that analysing the results
from this miniature gadget using Breakage Mechanics will
facilitate in establishing practical engineering design tools for
geotechnical piles and in-situ penetrometers.
Dr Itai Einav, Senior Lecturer, School of Civil Engineering
Dr Einav looks forward to continuing his research in these
areas and exploring new ways to work on collaborative
projects within the university.
3D Image construction of subtracted cross section images
Engineering Sydney™ Newsletter
Alumni In Focus
Dr Greg Roger, Master of Engineering (Mechanical) 1990
“Innovative” is an overused term in modern English, but in the case of Dr Greg Roger it is an appropriate and
well deserved accolade.
Dr Roger originally trained as a medical doctor. It was while working as an intern in orthopaedic surgery that he
realized surgeons needed better tools. For example, hip replacements were frustratingly slow processes because
surgeons needed to manually remove glue used to hold the old prothesis in place. Being a lateral thinker, Dr
Roger paid a visit to the School of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Sydney to search for solutions.
He became so absorbed in his research that staff suggested he enroll in an engineering course. He enrolled in the
Masters of Engineering (Mechanical) and managed to solve the hip replacement problem, but he could see the
potential for further improvements. Surgeons that he worked with continued to suggest devices that would make
their operations easier and realising he had a talent for invention, Dr Roger turned his attention to this area
of work. In partnership with knee surgeon, Dr Mervyn Cross, he designed an improved artificial knee that has
revolutionised knee replacement surgery.
Realising the potential of his training in the two disciplines, Dr Roger opened his own machine shop in a tin shed
in Wollongong in 1994. This grew to become Australian Surgical Design and Manufacture, the St Leonards based
company that now employs 40 staff and produces everything from bone screws to titanium skulls.
Dr Roger’s inventions were rewarded with a Clunies Ross medal for Scientific Innovation in 2004 and a Warren
Centre Innovation Heroes Award in 2005.
When asked if he considers himself
a doctor, an engineer or both, he
replied: “ I see myself as trying to best
serve the needs and opportunities
with both medical and engineering
knowledge and skills.”
Dr Roger sees many possibilities
for synergies between medicine
and engineering: “I see a bright and
visionary future for engineering in
medicine, a combination of the many
parameters of the biological scene
and the rigour and intelligence of
engineers.”
Dr Roger was guest speaker at the
2006 Faculty of Engineering end of
year graduation ceremony.
Dr Greg Roger, (2nd from right) Receives a 2005 Warren Centre Innovation Heroes
Engineering Sydney™ Newsletter
2006 Research Conversazione
Prize Winners in the School or
Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic
Engineering 2006 Conversazione Poster
Competition
Prize Winners in the School of Civil
Engineering 2006 Conversazione
Poster Competition
Annie B Wilson Prizes for Postgraduate Research in
Civil Engineering 2006
Jiangzi Lin
Sophie Wong
1st Prize Julie Louise Edwards
2nd Prize Tom Arthur & Kye Taylor
3rd Prize Adrian Barbagallo & David Keast
Amrita Singh
Chris Brunner
Daniel Bunker
John Main Prize for Undergraduate Research in Civil
Engineering 2006
1st Prize Matthew Mason
2nd Prize Helen Chow
3rd Prize Niphan Yaiaroon
Prize winners in the School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic
Engineering Poster Competition at the 2006 Research Conversazione
Professor Kim Rasmussen with Julie Edwards, Wiinner of the Annie B
Wilson Prize in the School of Civil Engineering Conversazione Poster
Compettition
Biomedical Engineering Display
Engineering Sydney™ Newsletter
2006 Research Conversazione
Prize Winners in the School of Chemical and
Biomolecular Engineering 2006 Research
Conversazione Poster Competition
Alstom Power Prize – undergraduate only Yi-Hsia Koh Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Foundation Prize for
People’s Choice Award – all posters Monica Hanus
Business Liaison Office Prize for best poster of Business Merit – all
posters Guarin Alexander Owen
Guarin Owen Accepts the Business Liaison Office Prize for best
poster of business merit
Yi-Hsia Koh receives the Alstom Power Prize
Hay’s Resource Efficiency Prize – all posters Eu Wei Seng Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Foundation Innovative
Research Award – postgraduates only Gregory Abramowitz Gregory Abramowitz receives the Innovative Research Award
Monica Hanus accepts the People’s Choice Award
Eu Wei Seng Accepts the Hays Resource Efficiency Prize
Engineering Sydney™ Newsletter
2006 Research Conversazione
Continued from page 1
The Engineering Sydney™ Careers Fair is an engineering
specific event that will target students across all
disciplines taught by the faculty.
For further information about the Research Showcase on
February 13 or the Careers Fair on April 3, please contact:
Keiran Passmore, Director of Engineering Sydney on
02 9351 5768 k.passmore@eng.usyd.edu.au
or Susanna Smith, Project Administrator
02 9036 6571 susanna@eng.usyd.edu.au
Prizes presented at the Combined
School of Information Technologies/
School of Electrical and Information
Engineering Research Exhibition at the
2006 Research Conversazione, in order
of presentation.
Med Prize for Fourth Year Project Work (Biomedical
Engineering) John Chow
Alcatel Australia Prize for Fourth Year Project Work (Computer
Engineering)Thanh-Mai Diep
Sun Microsystems Prize for Fourth Year Project Work
(Computer Science) Darren Kwok
Tyree Holdings Prize for Fourth Year Project Work (Digital
Systems and Electronics) Jason Hill
miBiznez.com Prize for Fourth Year Project Work (Electronic
Commerce) Ryan Shelley
Microsoft Research Asia Prize for Fourth Year Project Work
(Multimedia and Visualisation) Kelly Lam
Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority Prize for Fourth Year
Project Work (Networks and Systems) Liviu Constantinescu
Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority Prize for Fourth Year
Project Work (NLP and Information Systems)
Saritha Manikam
EnergyAustralia Prize for Fourth Year Project Work (Power
Engineering) David Day
ABB Australia Prize for Fourth Year Project Work (Power
System Stability and Control) Edward Hancock
NICTA Prize for Fourth Year Project Work (Software
Development) Martin Mikulicin
Engineering Sydney™ Newsletter
2006 Research Conversazione
Siemens Prize for Solving an Industry Problem in Research
Project Work Mohsin Iftikhar &Joseph Lizier
Intel Australia Prize for Next Generation Applications
(Computing) in Research Project Work Tara Hamilton
Cochlear Prize for Next Generation Applications (IT) in
Research Project Work Florian Verhein
NICTA Prize for Next Generation Applications (Telecoms) in
Research Project Work Ehssan Sakhaee
Integral Energy Prize for Next Generation Applications (Other)
in Research Project Work Mark Gordon
Dulhunty Industries Prize for Potential for Commercialisation
(Computing) in Research Project Work Jie Cai
Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority Prize for Potential for
Commercialisation (IT) in Research Project Work
Tara McIntosh
Microsoft Research Asia Prize for Fourth Year Project Work
(Software Engineering) Daniel Rolley
SingTel Optus Prize for Fourth Year Project Work (Telecoms
Engineering) Wai Hou Ku
Telstra Prize for Fourth Year Project Work (Telecoms: Next
Generation Applications)Yue Yu
Leighton Holdings Prize for Potential for Commercialisation
(Telecoms) in Research Project Work Anushiya Kannan, Kun
Zhou, Kun Pang, Michael Short
Snowy Hydro Prize for Potential for Commercialisation (Other)
in Research Project Work Qinzhi Zhang
Masters of Information Technology Research Project Prize
(Third Prize) Leo Chen and Duc Nhan Phung
Masters of Information Technology Research Project Prize
(Second Prize) Nilu Cooray
Masters of Information Technology Research Project Prize
(First Prize) Ho Lun Ho
RailCorp Prize for Addressing Society’s Needs in Research
Project Work Stephen Hanham
Country Energy Prize for Advancing Scientific Knowledge in
Research Project Work Michael Bui
NHP Electrical Engineering Products Prize for Productive
Industry Collaboration in Research Project Work Alex Wang
Engineering Sydney™ Newsletter
Awards and Honours
Young Tall Poppies Award Winners
Dr Andrew Harris, Lecturer in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Dr James Curran, ARC
Postdoctoral Fellow in the School of Information Technologies, have been awarded Young Tall Poppy Awards.
Established by the Australian Institute of Policy & Science to promote awareness of Australia’s intellectual
achievement, the awards recognize the achievements of outstanding young researchers in the sciences.
Association for Computing Machinery Distinguished Engineer, Scientist or Member
Professor Albert Zomaya, Head of the School of Information Technologies, has been named a Distinguished Engineer
and Associate Professor Alan Fekete of the School of Information Technologies has been named a Distinguished
Scientist by the ACM. The titles recognize ACM members with at least 15 years experience and 5 years of
professional membership who have achieved significant accomplishments or have made a significant impact on the
computing field.
Sustainable Energy Research Grants Scheme
Dr Dong Jeng from the School of Civil Engineering has received a grant for “Innovative approaches for wind, waves,
off shore wind farm and sea bed interaction” and Dr Andrew Harris from the School of Chemical and Biomolecular
Engineering has received a grant for “Precommercial demonstration of sustainable hydrogen technology”
These projects were funded under the University’s Green Power Strategy endorsed by the University Senate.
9OURALUMNIEMAILFORWARDINGSERVICENOWALLOWSYOUTOLINKYOUR
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Yourname@alumni.sydney.edu.au
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Engineering Sydney™ Newsletter
Calendar of Events 2007
February
13
Engineering Sydney Research Showcase
Faculty of Engineering, University of Sydney
Contact Keiran Passmore k.passmore@eng.usyd.edu.au or 02 9351 5768
April
3
Engineering Sydney Careers Fair
Engineering Precinct, Univeristy of Sydney
Contact Keiran Passmore k.passmore@eng.usyd.edu.au telephone 02 9351 5768
or Susanna Smith susanna@eng.usyd.edu.au telephon 02 9036 6571
May
24
Faculty of Engineering Graduation Ceremonies
Great Hall, University of Sydney
Postgraduate Study Opportunities in the Faculty of Engineering
The Faculty of Engineering offers postgraduate degrees to enable engineers to upgrade their skills.
The Doctor of Engineering Practice a professional doctorate (3 years) degree consists of 48 credits, 8 units (1
year) of coursework followed by 96 credits (2 years) of a doctoral seminar program and thesis. The degree can be
completed either full time or part time and credit for previous coursework masters studies is possible.
The following postgraduate coursework programs (1 year, 8 units) are available. The degrees can be completed
either full time or part time and exit points are at Graduate Diploma and Graduate Certificate
Master of Engineering Studies (in Chemical, Civil, Mechanical and Electrical and Information Engineering)
MES (Aerospace)
MES (Automation and Manufacturing Systems)
MES (New Materials Technology)
MES (Biophysical Processes)
MES (Environmental Fluids)
MES (Fluid and Wind Engineering)
MES (Geotechnical)
MES (Structural and Foundation Engineering)
MES (Structures)
MES (Network Engineering)
MES (Wireless Engineering)
For further information contact the Graduate School of Engineering http://www.eng.usyd.edu.au/gse/index.shtml.
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Engineering Sydney™ Newsletter
Deans Advisory Committee
Professor Gregory Hancock AM Professor John Small Professor Brian Haynes Professor Liangchi Zhang Professor Liyong Tong
Dr Doug Auld Dr Marjorie Valix Dr Tim Wilkinson John Currie Professor Lin Ye Associate Professor David Levy Professor Albert Zomaya Professor Kim Rasmussen Associate Professor Geoff Barton Professor Hugh Durrant Whyte Professor Ron Johnston
Keiran Passmore
Eric van Wijk Michael Whitley Dean
Pro Dean
Associate Dean Research
Associate Dean Postgraduate
Director of the Graduate School of Engineering
Associate Dean International
Associate Dean Undergraduate
Associate Dean First Year T&L
Associate Dean ICT T&L
Associate Dean Teaching and Learning
Head of School Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering
Head of School Electrical and Information Engineering
Head of School of Information Technologies
Head of School of Civil Engineering
Head of School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Director Australian Centre for Field Robotics
Director Australian Centre for Innovation and International
Competitiveness Limited
Executive Director Engineering Sydney™
Faculty Executive Officer
Secretary to the Faculty and Faculty Finance Manager
Presidents and Executive Officers of Foundations and The Warren Centre
Adjunct Professor Michael Dureau Stuart Glanfield Ian Frew Irene Scott John Young Peter North AM President Electrical and Information Engineering Foundation
Executive Director Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering
Executive Officer Electrical and Information Engineering Foundation
President Chemical Engineering Foundation
President Civil Engineering Foundation
President of the Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering Foundation
Chairman, Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering
Student Organization
Rachel Hollis SUEUA President
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