e n g i n e e r sCANBERRA

News and information from the Canberra Division of Engineers Australia

Canberra Division, Engineers Australia

11 National Circuit, Barton ACT 2600

PO Box 6038, Kingston ACT 2604

Phone (02) 6273 1314

Fax (02) 6273 2051

Email: blowe@engineersaustralia.org.au

Web site: www.engineersaustralia.org.au/canberra

October 2007

In this issue ...From the President .............2

Technical program ..............3

2007 Engineering Excellence Awards winners ...................4

Tree planting celebrations ...6

Canberra Women in Engineering Group ............... 8

Notice of 2007 Annual General MeetingThe Annual General Meeting of Engineers Australia Canberra Division will be held in the

Auditorium, Engineering House, 11 National Cir, Barton on Tuesday 11 December 2007 at 5.30pm. Following the AGM refreshments will be served. All members welcome.

Call for Office Bearers for 2008

Young Professional Engineer of the YearCallum Heinrich was named Young

Professional Engineer of the Year at the 2007 Engineering Excellence Awards Dinner on 20 September 2007.

Callum Heinrich is a young electrical/electronics engineer employed with Northrop Consulting Engineers.

In the few short years since graduating, Callum has taken on many engineering challenges in his career including working on the design and construction of major government projects and large commercial developments plus a range of residential and aged care facilities and public works projects.

Callum is currently the Design Engineer leading the electrical engineering team at Northrop on a range of projects.

He also promotes his company to University graduates and contributes to engineering journals as a representative of the young engineering fraternity.

Not content with these achievements he has taken an enthusiastic leadership role in supporting his engineering peers through Engineers Australia representing Young Engineers on a range of committees.

He has assisted in running engineering promotional activities such as Engquest, speaking to High School students and attending professional career days as well as assisting the organisation of the 2005 and 2007 Young Engineers National Summits.

Callum is a committed young engineer who aims to make a career long contribution to our community through achieving better outcomes in ‘green’ building design and innovative building management systems.

In May 2007, Council adopted new Division Regulations (2007) which supersede the old Division Rules (2001) which provided the regulatory framework for the workings of a Division including the formation of the current Executive and Division Committees.

The new regulations define the roles and responsibilities of division committees, division groups and other parties within the divisions of Engineers Australia. The regulations have incorporated recent Council decisions and contemporary governance principles.

It is intended to transition towards the Division Regulations commencing with the Annual General Meeting in December 2007. A major change will be the renaming of our governing body - with the current Executive Committee becoming the “Division Committee” and the current Division Committee becoming an “Advisory Committee to the Division Committee”. All other Branch, Group, Panel, and Society chapters will continue to operate under the status quos and will also have the opportunity to continue/have representation on the new “Advisory Committee to the Division

Committee”. Copies of the new Division Regulations are available on the Engineers Australia website www.engineersaustralia.org.au

Division CommitteeNominations are called for elected positions on

the Canberra Division Committee for the calendar year 2008. The new committee will be announced at the Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 11 December 2007. Nominations must be on the prescribed form, available from the Division Office, signed by the nominee and two other Members of the Division, and accompanied by a recent photograph and a brief CV. Nominations close with the Returning Officer, the Canberra Division Director, on 9 November 2007.

Congress RepresentativeNominations are invited from Corporate Members

of the Canberra Division to hold office as a Congress Representative, elected by the Division, from January 2008 for a period of two years. Nominations must be on the prescribed form, available from the Division Office. Nominations close with the Returning Officer, the Canberra Division Director, on 9 November 2007.

2 | October 2007 | Engineers Canberra

The recent Canberra Engineering Excellence Awards night was a great success with our local firms, Universities and authorities showing some wonderful innovations and works of considerable skill and interest. The Chief Minister was the keynote speaker and he presented the winners with their trophies and certificates (photos and details of all winners are on pages 4-5). Congratulations to our Young Engineer of the Year – Callum Heinrich, and also to the Women in Engineering Group who were publicly recognised at the dinner and presented with special certificates in acknowledgement of their work this year, in particular with the Girl Talk project. Grateful thanks go to Vesna and Barbara for their untiring work in making the evening so worthwhile and to all the entrants and sponsors for making it so inspiring and for giving it such life and interest.

We are now nearing the time when we will be calling for nominations for the Division Committee and its Advisory Committee so please give thought to how you can help the Division by serving on these Committees, as well as serving your various Branch

and Group Committees. It is proposed that, in order to comply with new national guidelines, we should change the name of the current Executive Committee to be the “Division Committee” and the current Division Committee to be changed to the “Advisory Committee”.

Having had the opportunity in the last few months to visit Engineers Australia offices in several States, I have been reinforced in my belief that we have an enthusiastic and energetic team in Canberra and

Queanbeyan who are doing a great job in furthering the cause of our organisation. We have had some really interesting and unusual presentations, including those by the Chief Minister (August 2006) and the Federal Minister for the Environment and Water (June 2007), and this has maintained high attendances at our technical meetings.

This continued voluntary effort and our membership’s participation in the Division activities, as well as the continued growth in applications for Chartered Status, supports our future sustainability which is also dependant on expanding the Professional Development Program and our relationships with local engineering enterprises and government organisations.

Bob Nairn

From the President

Risk Engineering SocietyTuesday 13 November

5.30pm for 6.00pm Engineering House, 11 National Cir, Barton

ACT GOVERNMENT ENTERPRISE WIDE RISK MANAGEMENT

Speaker: Peter Heal, Senior Risk Manager ACT Government Insurance Authority

The ACT Government has established an enterprise wide approach for managing risk. The presentation will describe this approach, how it is being implemented and how it is going. It will also cover how within the overall risk framework, insurance is employed and the requirements set in the building and engineering works delivery area.

RSVP: blowe@engineersaustralia.org.au or phone 6273 1314

Engineering Heritage Canberra Presentation

Wednesday 24 October 2007 – 5.30 for 6.00pm Engineering House, 11 National Circuit, Barton

ENGINEERING HISTORY IN COOMA ROCK HERITAGE OF HARD-ROCK ROCK BOLTING AND ROCK MECHANICS

Speaker: Walter B Mills. BE (Elec.), MIEAust, CPEng, NPER

Fifty years ago Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Authority experimented and developed a better method of tunnelling for utility projects. It was a safer, less costly and a quicker method utilising rock bolts. The change of practice at the time presented challenges to convince the various stakeholders. Studies by talented engineers and scientists revealed that rock bolts could arrest ultimate further weakening of disturbed rock, so replacing alternative means of support. Rock bolts revolutionised hard-rock tunnelling and quickly became a world-wide practice. The development of the engineering science of rock mechanics was greatly advanced also. It has been said that the development and use of rock bolting “was probably the most significant engineering development on the Snowy Scheme. “

A few years ago the initial experimental site in Cooma’s Lambie Gorge was re-discovered along with remnants of rock bolts and drill holes where testing was carried out. It is a significant site in the history of engineering. Consequently a nomination has been prepared for its placement on the State Heritage Register, and another is in preparation for its recognition as a National Engineering Landmark.

Walter Mills has made his career in hydro-electric engineering, commencing work on the Snowy Mountains Scheme that allows management of the Snowy Mountains water. He saw first-hand the underground working for tunnels and caverns. He was part of the engineering design team; two huge power stations completely underground, and overall 130km of large tunnels. Involvement was continued with some of the same people with SMEC, consultants in water projects world-wide.

RSVP essential to blowe@engineersaustralia.org.au or phone 6273 1314

Engineers Canberra | October 2007 | 3

ENGINEERS AUSTRALIA CANBERRA DIVISION

TECHNICAL PROGRAMAll presentations will be held at “Engineering House”, 11 National Circuit, Barton unless otherwise specified.

For catering purposes please RSVP for all meetings to blowe@engineersaustralia.org.au or phone 6273 1314.Full details of each meeting can be found at www.engineersaustralia.org.au/canberra under Technical Program.

OCTOBER 2007DATE BRANCH/GROUP TOPIC SPEAKER/NOTES

Wed 245.30 for 6.00pmCPD 1 hour

Heritage Panel Engineering History in Cooma Rock – Heritage of Hard-Rock Rock Bolting and Rock Mechanics (See page 2)

Walter B Mills BE (Elec.), MIEAust CPEng NPER

Thurs 2512.00 for 12.30pmCPD 1 hour

Society for Sustainability & Environmental Engineering

Quantifying biodiversity debits for the Hume Highway duplication and introduction to Biobanking (See below)

Dr Jason Cummings Natural Resources Manager, GHD Canberra

Mon 2912.00 for 12.30pmCPD 1 hour

CELM LEADERSHIP PRESENTATION“Leadership in Construction Contracting”(See page 6)

Ross Barrett Managing Director, Woden Construction

NOVEMBER 2007DATE BRANCH/GROUP TOPIC SPEAKER/NOTES

Thurs 87.15 for 7.30am1 CPD hour

Women in Engineering BreakfastSee advertisement on page 8

Thurs 812.00 for 12.30pmCPD 1 hour

Transport Branch Road DietsSee advertisement on page 7

Jennifer Rosales Senior Professional Associate, PB

Tues 135.30 for 6.00pmCPD 1 hour

Risk Engineering Society ACT Government Enterprise Wide Risk ManagementSee advertisement on page 2

Peter Heal Senior Risk Manager ACT Government Insurance Authority

Tues 205.30 for 6.00pmCPD 1 hour

ITE&E Branch, IEEE & IET Engineering Aspects of Jindalee OTH Radar Network (JORN)A brief ITE&E Branch AGM will precede the presentation

Dr Dan Meehan DSTO

Thur 225.30 for 6.00pmCPD 1 hour

Civil/Structural Branch New Cotter DamA brief Civil/Structural Branch AGM will precede the presentation

John Dymke, Program Manager Infrastructure Major Projects, Water Security Program, Actew Corporation Ltd

DECEMBER 2007DATE BRANCH/GROUP TOPIC SPEAKER/NOTES

Thur 612.00 for 12.30pmCPD 1 hour

Transport BranchJoint with the NRMA Road Safety Trust

Churchill Fellowship presentation on Road SafetyA brief Transport Branch AGM will precede the presentation

Rifaat Shoukrallah

Tues 115.30pm start of AGM

Division Annual General Meeting

Outgoing President’s report and election of office bearers

Refreshments to follow

Society for Sustainability & Environmental Engineering PresentationThursday 25 October 2007 – 12.00 for 12.30pm

Engineering House, 11 National Circuit, Barton

QUANTIFYING BIODIVERSITY DEBITS FOR THE HUME HIGHWAY DUPLICATION AND INTRODUCTION TO BIOBANKING

Speaker: Dr Jason Cummings, Natural Resources Manager, GHD Canberra

The NSW government is proposing to introduce a Biodiversity Banking and Offsets Scheme (BioBanking) to address the clearing of native vegetation for urban development and the impact it has on biodiversity values, including threatened species.

BioBanking will allow ‘biodiversity credits’ to be generated by landowners who commit to enhance and protect biodiversity values on their land. These credits can then be sold. Developers can buy these credits and use them to counterbalance (offset) the impacts on biodiversity values that are likely to occur as a result of development.

The scheme is currently under development with implementation expected in early 2008.

This presentation will discuss the tools that have been developed to quantify the value of biodiversity debits and their application to vegetation clearing on the Hume Highway duplication project.

As other state and territory governments are likely to adopt this scheme, this presentation is particularly relevant to landholders (with potential biodiversity credits to sell), land developers and government departments.

RSVP: blowe@engineersaustralia.org.au or phone 6273 1314

4 | October 2007 | Engineers Canberra

Congratulations to all Award WinnersWINNERS

SLIVER® Sub-Module AssembliesCSES, Australian National University

Tumut 3 Upgrade – Modernising an Engineering IconSnowy Hydro Limited

Superconducting LINAC-booster for National Heavy Ion Accelerator FacilityRSPhysSE, Australian National University

Building Structure/System AUSAID, Canberra CityMurtagh Bond Structuresburo

WINNER - ACT Government New Technology & Innovation AwardSuperconducting LINAC-booster for National Heavy Ion Accelerator FacilityRSPhysSE, Australian National University

HIGHLY COMMENDEDCanberra Airport Extension & OverlayGHD Pty LtdCanberra International AirportWorks Infrastructure Pty LtdHewatt Earthworks

Kingston Rising MainMaunsell Australia Pty LtdUEA Pty Ltd

Thank You to all of the Entrants and Sponsors of the 2007 Canberra Engineering Excellence Awards

2007C A N B E R R A D I V I S I O N

EngineeringExcellence Awards

Awards also sponsored by

Snowy Hydro Limited GHD National Capital Authority Maunsell Australia Pty Ltd UEA Pty Ltd Bassett Consulting Engineers Parsons Brinckerhoff Aspen Medical Brown Consulting (ACT)

Platinum Sponsor Silver Sponsors Bronze Sponsor

New Technology & Innovation Award

Engineers Canberra | October 2007 | 5

Congratulations to all Award WinnersWINNERS

SLIVER® Sub-Module AssembliesCSES, Australian National University

Tumut 3 Upgrade – Modernising an Engineering IconSnowy Hydro Limited

Superconducting LINAC-booster for National Heavy Ion Accelerator FacilityRSPhysSE, Australian National University

Building Structure/System AUSAID, Canberra CityMurtagh Bond Structuresburo

WINNER - ACT Government New Technology & Innovation AwardSuperconducting LINAC-booster for National Heavy Ion Accelerator FacilityRSPhysSE, Australian National University

HIGHLY COMMENDEDCanberra Airport Extension & OverlayGHD Pty LtdCanberra International AirportWorks Infrastructure Pty LtdHewatt Earthworks

Kingston Rising MainMaunsell Australia Pty LtdUEA Pty Ltd

Thank You to all of the Entrants and Sponsors of the 2007 Canberra Engineering Excellence Awards

2007

Awards also sponsored by

Snowy Hydro Limited GHD National Capital Authority Maunsell Australia Pty Ltd UEA Pty Ltd Bassett Consulting Engineers Parsons Brinckerhoff Aspen Medical Brown Consulting (ACT)

Platinum Sponsor Silver Sponsors Bronze Sponsor

6 | October 2007 | Engineers Canberra

CANBERRA DIVISION

2007 LEADERSHIP PRESENTATIONMonday 29 October 2007 – 12.00 for 12.30pm at Royal Canberra Golf Club, Bentham Street, Yarralumla

Ross Barrett FIEAust CEngExec – Managing Director, Woden Contractors

LEADERSHIP IN CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTINGSuccess today demands skills in leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship. Engineers Australia recognises this and seeks to develop

awareness and skills for leadership amongst its members. It has established its Centre for Leadership and Management in Engineering (CELM). In Canberra a focal point of these activities is an annual Leadership Presentation, when a recognised leader in a particular field gives their views on leadership.

This year’s leadership presentation promises to be particularly interesting and relevant to engineering leadership in Canberra. Ross is a well-known leader in the ACT construction industry. He has been the Managing Director of Woden Contractors, a very successful local construction company, for many years. He is the President of the Master Builders Association of the ACT and was recently appointed Chair of the Capital Region Development Board.

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REGISTRATION – LEADERSHIP PRESENTATION & LUNCH – 29 October 2007Cost $50 members, $60 non-members – RSVP by 23 October

Fax: (02) 6273 2051 – Email: blowe@engineersaustralia.org.au – Post: Engineers Australia, PO Box 6038, Kingston ACT 2604

Name(s) ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Phone: ................................................................................................... Fax: .........................................................................................................

E-Mail: .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Cheque enclosed (payable to Engineers Australia) or

Debit my credit card for $ _____________ Visa MasterCard Amex Diners Club

Card No. ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Expiry Date ____ / ____

Name on Card ................................................................................. Signature .....................................................................................................

This form becomes a tax invoice upon payment | Engineers Australia ABN 63 020 415 510

As part of the year to celebrate the Year of Women in Engineering, Engineers Australia invites you to a day of tree planting at St Clement’s Monastery, located 120km southwest of Canberra, in Galong NSW, on Sunday 28 October 2007, from 10.00am to 2.00pm.

Following the tree planting there will be a BBQ lunch for all volunteers, plus a personal tour of Galong Castle and Museum. Also, a plaque will be presented to the Rector of St Clement’s Monastery in acknowledgement of Engineers Australia (Canberra Division) and the women in engineering group’s contribution to the environmental sustainability of the region.

The Canberra Division has a long association with tree planting,

dating back to original plantings at Manuka Circle in August 1926, and subsequent plantings in the Cotter Catchment following the 2003 Canberra Bushfires.

All members are welcome to participate and continue the

engineering tradition of greening our region.

Registration is essential. RSVP by 24 October 2007 to Barbara Lowe – blowe@engineersaustralia.org.au Telephone: 6273 1314.

2007 TREE PLANTING CELEBRATIONS – Women In Engineering

HISTORYGalong

was home to two Aboriginal tribes, the Wiradjuri and the Ngunnawal, however, European settlement was to see these tribes gradually disappear.

St. Clement’s at Galong became a home for the Redemptorists in 1917, when “Galong Castle” and its surrounding 800 acres, the home of “Ticket of Leave” convict Ned Ryan, was left to them by his son, John Nagle Ryan MLA.

The place is rich in history. Galong Castle was called a “Castle” not because of its magnificence, but because of the princely hospitality.

From 1918 to 1957 St. Clement’s was a registered secondary College. Over 2000 boys were part of that history. Some 250 Redemptorists and diocesan priests were trained there. Since the close of the college in 1975, St. Clement’s has opened its doors as a popular Retreat Centre.

www.stclement.com.au

Engineers Canberra | October 2007 | 7

Can AusIndustry help your business?

AusIndustry delivers a range of more than 35 business products, including innovation grants, tax and duty concessions, small business services and support for industry competitiveness worth about $2 billion to more than 10,000 small and large businesses and 40,000 individuals every year.

Developing a cutting-edge product, process or service? AusIndustry’s innovation grants program Commercial Ready offers project funding of $50,000 to $5 million for research, development and pre-commercialisation. Another AusIndustry program, COMET, has a strong focus on mentoring, business management, advice and support and offers grants in the range of $5,000 to $120,000.

To help customers with product and eligibility information, AusIndustry has customer service managers located in 26 offi ces across Australia, a national hotline and website, plus more than 65 Small Business Field Offi cers in regional areas.

To fi nd out more about AusIndustry’s products, phone the hotline 13 28 46, visit the AusIndustry website www.ausindustry.gov.au or email hotline@industry.gov.au.

C 0 7 3 0 2 8 _ E A . p d f P a g e 1 5 / 1 0 / 0 7 , 1 2 : 0 2 P M

Transport Branch PresentationThursday 8 November 2007 – 12.00 for 12.30pmEngineering House, 11 National Circuit, Barton

ROAD DIETS

Speaker: Jennifer Rosales

Jennifer Rosales is a Senior Professional Associate at PB with extensive experience in traffic engineering and transportation planning. Ms. Rosales was named the 2004 William Barclay Parsons Fellow by the PB Board of Directors. She developed a comprehensive practitioner’s guidebook called Road Diet Handbook: Setting Trends for Liveable Streets. Jennifer is PB’s Deputy Coordinator of the Highway Design Practice Area Network and has participated as a workshop instructor for PB’s Sustainable Highways Course. Jennifer has been active speaking and writing on various topics with over 20 publications and presentations in the past 10 years. In addition, Jennifer serves on the Executive Committee of the ITE Pedestrian and Bicycle Council and as President of ITE District 6.

Jennifer Rosales has worked on projects in China, United Arab Emirates, and United States including Oregon, Washington, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, District of Columbia. Her project experience includes a focus on developing multimodal design solutions, reducing traffic congestion, improving transit and reducing parking demand by increasing the use of alternative transportation modes.

RSVP: blowe@engineersaustralia.org.au or phone 6273 1314

8 | October 2007 | Engineers Canberra

Canberra Women in Engineering GroupActions for the Canberra Women in

Engineering group have not subsided in the last few months. There have been many activities, including the Girl Talk Workshop which was held at Engineering House in Barton on 23rd August.

The Girl Talk Engineering Workshop provided a great opportunity for girls in years 10-12 to get a better understanding of what an engineer does. The day comprised of guest speakers, activities, information sessions and a whole heap of fun. Feedback from students and teachers was extremely positive.

The workshop is a follow-on event to the Girl Talk school presentations and aimed to provide the school girls with a networking opportunity, information on engineering/technical trades and encouragement for interest in engineering/technical trade careers.

The workshop activities included small group discussions to talk about personal ambitions, motivational guest speakers, female engineers and university student panels, group bonding activities (such as problem solving tasks) and a quiz.

The motivational speakers on the day were Tracey Taylor, a Communications Technician in Antarctica and Nick Harley, a Mechanical Engineer for Santos and 2006 Young Engineer of the Year. Tracey’s presentation was extremely well received by the students and her experience demonstrated that girls can enjoy a rewarding

technical career if they do not wish to pursue an engineering career. Nick’s presentation was extremely motivating and showed the students a different field of engineering and also highlighted the rewarding experience of volunteering your engineering skills to help less privileged people in need.

All WIE helpers willingly volunteered many hours of their time to develop, promote and conduct the Girl Talk Engineering Workshop.

Like the school presentations, the WIE thoroughly enjoyed the experience and found the opportunity to talk about their profession to the students very rewarding. Most of the volunteers had never participated in this type of event before and enjoyed working with the students to help them explore simple engineering concepts and encourage them to think about career choices they had not previously heard about.

The dedication and hard work of the Women in Engineering Group towards the Girl Talk presentations and workshop were formally recognised at the Canberra Engineering Excellence Awards on 20th September. The WIE members in attendance on the evening were presented with special awards. The WIE were pleasantly surprised when they were awarded a special certificate for their efforts with the Girl Talk program.

The WIE sincerely thank the staff of the Canberra Division, Engineers Australia for their support in printing and assistance with the workshop preparations and ultimately making the Girl Talk Engineering Workshop a success in 2007.

WOMEN IN ENGINEERING BREAKFASTThursday 8 November 2007 – 7.15am for 7.30am The Deck at Regatta Point, Barrine Drive, Parkes ACT

Cost $30 per person (incl GST)

The Canberra Division of Engineers Australia invites you to attend the final Women in Engineering Presentation Series Breakfast for 2007.The breakfast will feature two guest speakers, Gunilla Burrows from The Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment at the University of Newcastle and Denise Fisher, High Commissioner to Zimbabwe (1989-2001) and Consul-General in Noumea (2001-2004). Gunilla Burrows will give the audience an account of how far the Women in Engineering movement has come and some of the issues facing WIE and the profession. Denise Fisher will give an account of her experiences as High Commissioner to Zimbabwe (1989-2001) and Consul-General in Noumea.

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REGISTRATION – WIE BREAKFAST – 8 November 2007Cost $30 per person

Fax: (02) 6273 2051 – Email: blowe@engineersaustralia.org.au – Post: Engineers Australia, PO Box 6038, Kingston ACT 2604

Name(s) ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Phone: ................................................................................................... Fax: .........................................................................................................

E-Mail: .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Cheque enclosed (payable to Engineers Australia) or

Debit my credit card for $ _____________ Visa MasterCard Amex Diners Club

Card No. ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Expiry Date ____ / ____

Name on Card ................................................................................. Signature .....................................................................................................This form becomes a tax invoice upon payment | Engineers Australia ABN 63 020 415 510