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

August 2007

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

Young Engineers Public Presentation Competition ...2

Technical presentations ......3

2007 Engineering Excellence Awards Presentation Dinner 5

Women in Engineering Dinner .................................... 6

Presentation Dinner

20 September 2007

Hyatt Hotel, Canberra

For further details see page 5

NATIONAL ENGINEERING WEEKPROGRAM

www.engineersaustralia.org.au/canberraOrganised by Engineers Australia

In conjunction withNational Science Week – www.scienceweek.info.au

Australian Science Festival – www.sciencefestival.com.au20 – 24 August 2007

Monday 20 August

12.30 – 2.00pm Launch of Electronic Access to Conference Proceedings by Mr Peter Taylor, CEO, Engineers Australia Venue: Engineering House, 11 National Cir, Barton RSVP as below

5.30 for 6.00pm Young Engineers Public Presentation Competition Guest Speaker: Andrew Botros, 2006 National Young Professional Engineer of the Year Venue: Engineering House, 11 National Cir, Barton RSVP as below

Tuesday 21 August

5.30 for 6.00pm Technical Presentation ”The Australian Army Approach to Network Centric Warfare” by LTCOL Marcus Thompson Organised by ITE&E Branch, IET & IEEEVenue: Engineers Australia, 11 National Cir, Barton RSVP as below

Wednesday 22 August

5.30 for 6.00pm Presentation “Nuclear Power Causes Global Warming and Ozone Depletion” by Dr Helen Caldicott Organised by: Society of Sustainability and Environmental EngineeringVenue: National Press Club, 16 National Cir, BartonRSVP as below

Thursday 23 August

8.45am – 3.30pm “Girl Talk” Workshop Now fully subscribed – Registrations closed

5.30 for 6.00pm Presentation Adaminaby Snowy Scheme Collection MuseumMr Bill Fogarty, Chair Adaminaby Snowy Scheme Collection CommitteeMr Anthony Harvey, Project Architect and Chair Building Sub-CommitteeVenue: Engineering House, 11 National Cir, BartonRSVP as below

Friday 24 August

5.30pm Engineering Games Competition Venue: QuestaconSpectators welcome

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

At the Presidents’ Meeting in Brisbane last month the matter of Divisional Boundaries was raised and it was resolved that the three Divisions involved, Sydney, Newcastle and Canberra, would jointly discuss this and prepare a submission to Council.

When the budgeting system was changed to a more results-oriented system, rather than being based on, to a large degree, division membership, this allowed a more flexible discussion to arise about how we might best arrange the division boundaries to carry out our primary task, which is the delivery of professional development services to our members.

The Canberra division covers just the Australian Capital Territory and Queanbeyan but we

already provide some services to members from Cooma and other local areas, when it comes to such matters as CPEng interviews. It seems sensible to me that we can fulfil a role in providing a full range of Professional Development services more effectively

to members who live closer to Canberra than to the metropolitan area of Sydney.

There are already close links between Engineers in Canberra and other Engineers in our Region. For instance, Canberra consulting firms typically provide services to Wagga, Albury, Griffith, Yass, Goulburn and Cooma rather than the Sydney offices of the same firms. The Canberra divisions of other organisations, such as the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, provide regional services to these areas. Government committees such as the South East Regional Committee embrace infrastructure concerns of this same region.

When we meet to discuss this matter with the other division

presidents, I intend to seek approval to circulate our branch meeting notices and newsletter to members in this region and to seek approval to visit the regional committees in these centres to seek their views on a potential change in the division boundaries.

At present, a member automatically belongs to the division in which he/she resides and normally receives correspondence and general services only from that division. With improvements in media and communications this concept no longer has the value it once possessed but probably limits the potential scope for professional discussion, which a broader view of membership and communications might provide. Web presentations of professional talks are already available and are being investigated by National Office so some exciting possibilities are ahead of us.

Please let me know your views about this matter by contacting me by E-mail on rjnairn@webone.com.au .

From the President

YOUNG ENGINEERS AUSTRALIA CANBERRA DIVISIONPresents the

Young Engineers Public Presentation CompetitionMonday 20 August 2007 5.30 for 6.00pm start

Auditorium, Engineering House, 11 National Cir, Barton

First Prize $300

The competition offers Young Engineers the opportunity to utilise skills used at the Speech Craft Workshop and also display their speaking abilities. First Prize will be $300 cash prize with Second Prize an Engineering in Canberra book. The competition topics can be any engineering related subject. However, speeches should be exciting, appealing and interesting for a wide variety of audience.

While the judges are judging, Andrew Botros, 2006 Young Professional Engineer of the Year,

will be speaking about “My Life as a Serial Presenter”. Andrew is currently an engineer at Cochlear Ltd., the Australian manufacturer of the Bionic Ear.

The Competition details:

• Speeches to be between 5 and 7 minutes each;

• A short question time after each speech;

• Topics and Titles to be submitted by the RSVP date below; and

• Warning bell sounded at 1 minute to go.

The competition is open to all young engineers (including students, young professional and graduates under 35 years of age). Audience members and generally interested Young Engineers are invited to attend to witness the action. Bookings are essential for catering purposes.

If you wish to enter the competition RSVP by Wednesday 15 August 2007 to Callum Heinrich by email callumh@northrop.com.au or phone (02) 6285 1822.

2 | August 2007 | Engineers Canberra

ENGINEERS AUSTRALIA CANBERRA DIVISION

TECHNICAL PRESENTATIONSAll 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.

AUGUST 2007DATE BRANCH/GROUP TOPIC SPEAKER/NOTES

Tues 145.30 for 6.00pm1 CPD hour

Civil/Structural Branch The technical aspects of the Sydney desalination plant and the Kyeemagh and Kurnell pipelines

Mike Watts, Sydney Water

20 - 24 August - See National Engineering Week Program on page 1

SEPTEMBER 2007DATE BRANCH/GROUP TOPIC SPEAKER/NOTES

Tues 4 5.30 for 6.00pm 1 CPD hour

Risk Engineering Society Life Engineering – Your personal risk? Brian Charlton, Chair, RES Canberra Chapter

Wed 55.30 for 6.00pm 1 CPD hour

ASDE Organising a presentation on Air Warfare DestroyerDetails to be announced

TBA

Tues 115.30 for 6.00pm1 CPD hour

Mechanical Branch Perspectives of the 2007 Weir-Warman Design and Build Competition

Dr Warren F Smith, Head School of Aerospace, Civil and Mechanical Engineer, ADFA and some students

Thurs 135.30 for 6.00pm1 CPD hour

Civil/Structural Branch The Art of Structural Engineering – An Australian Perspective – How do we educate Young Engineers in Structural Engineering?

John Woodside Structural College Eminent Speaker

Tues 18 5.30 for 6.00pm 1 CPD hour

ITE&E Branch, IET & IEEE Wireless Telecommunications Operation Mahinda Ramasundar

Civil/Structural Branch PresentationThursday 13 September 2007 – 5.30 for 6.00pm

THE ART OF STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING – AN AUSTRALIAN PERSPECTIVE How do we educate Young Engineers in Structural Engineering?

John Woodside, Structural College Eminent Speaker

Engineers Canberra | February 2007 | 3

PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS SEMINARThis seminar will deal with Public Private Partnership relationships in the transport sector covering construction risks, operating

risks, financial risks, political risks and experiences of projects in several States. We have speakers from NSW, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia, including State Government people and Leighton Industries, Macquarie Bank and operators. It will include commentary on local issues as well as those of widespread national interest.

Date: Tuesday, 25 September 2007

Time: 8.30am – 5.00pm

Venue: Engineering House

Cost: $240.00 members

$300.00 non-members

The training of structural engineers is vital for the profession. We need to employ, train and mentor young structural engineers in their formative years. It is not by accident that most good structural engineers have had good training. Unlike graduates of the past who had an informal apprenticeship and learnt their trade over the years, younger structural engineers are expected to perform within a few months of graduating.

The process of structural design will continue to change as more sophisticated computer software and other new materials become available. In the future one can see software that designs and draws, checking that the requirements of the appropriate codes are met. The role of the structural engineer will change.

This seminar will highlight the changes in structural engineering over the past 40 years and will explore the history of structural engineering both overseas and in Australia. It will use that history to explore what we can expect in the future, and what we need to do about training young structural engineers for that future.

John Woodside has specialised in structural design of buildings and in particular concrete buildings and precaste concrete and is widely experienced in that field. He retired from Connell Wagner mid 2000 and is currently a guest lecturer to the University of South Australia and Adelaide University.

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

Further information and Registration brochure:

www.engineersaustralia.org.au/canberra

Engineers Canberra | August 2007 | 3

Mr Peter Taylor, Chief Executive of Engineers Australia

invites you to the Canberra Launch of

Engineers Australia’s Conference Papers Onlineon Monday, 20 August 2007, 12.30-2.00 pmat Engineering House, 11 National Circuit, BARTON

(Lunch provided)

RSVP by COB 15 August 2007To Mrs Barbara Lowe, Canberra Division

Ph: 6273 1314 or Fax: 6273 2051

Organised by: Society for Sustainability and Environmental Engineering

Wednesday 22 August 2007 – 5.30 for 6.00pmVenue: National Press Club, 16 National Cir, Barton

NUCLEAR POWER CAUSES GLOBAL WARMING AND OZONE DEPLETION

Dr. Helen Caldicott, Founder and President of NPRI

The enrichment of uranium releases 93% of the CFCs (chlorofluoro-carbons) annually in the US which are 10,000-20,000 times more efficient global warmers than carbon dioxide while also releasing large quantities of O2 – the primary agent of global warming.

When uranium is fissioned in a nuclear reactor it becomes 1 billion times more radioactive.

Nuclear power plants continually discharge radiation into the air and water and also produce massive amounts of radioactive waste which lasts for 500,000 years. There is no safe place to store Nuclear waste.

Nuclear power destroys ecosystems. One million gallons of water per minute are required to cool a large nuclear plant which is then discharged into waterways where radioactive elements are reconcentrated by orders of magnitude at each step of the aquatic food chain.

A reactor meltdown could release as much radiation as that produced by the explosion of 1000 Hiroshima sized bombs.

There is no home or personal insurance available for nuclear accidents.

Dr. Helen Caldicott is the president of the Nuclear Policy Research Institute, the founder of Physicians for Social Responsibility, the winner of the 2003 Lannan Prize for Cultural Freedom, and a nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize. Both the Smithsonian Institute and Ladies’ Home Journal named her one of the Most Influential Women of the 20th Century and she has honorary degrees from nineteen universities. She divides her time between Australia and the United States, where she has devoted the last thirty years to an international campaign to educate the public about the medical hazards of the nuclear age.

Helen’s latest books will be on sale at the presentation.

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

PresentationThursday 23 August – 5.30 for 6.00pm

Venue: Engineering House, 11 National Cir, Barton

ADAMINABY SNOWY SCHEME COLLECTION

MUSEUMSpeakers: Mr Bill Fogarty, Chair

Adaminaby Snowy Scheme Collection Committee

Mr Anthony Harvey, Project Architect and Chair Building Sub-Committee

The Adaminaby Snowy Collection will be a world-class Museum bringing together all its stories under the one roof, complete with a collection of machinery and materials used to build the Snowy Hydro Electric Scheme and recognising the achievements of the Snowy workers, particularly the post-war migrants.

ITE&E Branch, IET & IEEE Presentation

Tuesday 21 August – 5.30 for 6.00pmVenue: Engineering House,

11 National Cir, Barton

THE AUSTRALIAN ARMY APPROACH TO NETWORK

CENTRIC WARFARE

LTCOL Marcus ThompsonThe presentation will address Army’s

approach to Network Centric Warfare (NCW) and the development of networked and integrated war fighting capabilities in the land environment.

LTCOL Thompson will describe Army’s networking priorities and broad approach to ‘the problem’, the complexity of networking in the land environment, and discuss the technology and human aspects of NCW.

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

Engineers Canberra | August 2007 | 4

Engineers Australia (Canberra Division) invites you to join them at the 2007 Canberra Engineering Excellence Awards Presentation Dinner.

Join us to celebrate our local engineering achievements. The Canberra Division will acknowledge and reward the best of these achievements as examples of engineering excellence. The Awards Presentation Dinner promises to be a not-to-be-missed social highlight of the engineering year.

Venue: Hyatt Hotel CanberraDate: Thursday, 20 September 2007Time: 7.00 for 7.30pmDress: Black Tie or Lounge SuitCost: $100.00 members and guests Bookings essential

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

EngineeringExcellence Awards

PRESENTATION DINNER

REGISTRATION – Engineering Excellence Awards DinnerFax to: (02) 6273 2051 or Email details to blowe@engineersaustralia.org.au or Post to: 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

The 2007 Entries:

Sponsors of the Canberra Engineering Excellence Awards

Commonwealth Place Forecourt GHD

Sliver® Sub-Module Assemblies The Australian National University

Tumut 3 Upgrade – Modernising an Engineering Icon Snowy Hydro Limited

Harrison 2 Estate (Wells Station) Brown Consulting (ACT) Pty Ltd

Superconducting LINAC-booster for National Heavy Ion Accelerator Facility The Australian National University (RSPSE)

Childers Street Public Realm GHD

Water Quality Standards for Inland Waterbodies National Capital Authority

24 Fairbairn Avenue Bassett Consulting Engineers Point Project Management

Building Structure/System AUSAID, City Murtagh Bond Structuresburo

Kingston Rising Main Maunsell Australia Pty Ltd UEA Pty Ltd

Belconnen to City TransitWay Concept Design & Preliminary Assessment Brown Consulting (ACT) Pty Ltd

Mobile Asset Command & Control MAC2 Network ATI

Canberra Airport Extension & Overlay GHD Canberra International Airport Works Infrastructure Hewatt’s Earthworks

Platinum Silver Bronze Corporate Tables Brown Consulting (ACT) Land Development Agency Aspen Medical

Women in Engineering DinnerOn 24th July, the Women in

Engineering group held a dinner in Anzac Hall at the Australian War Memorial. The dinner was attended by 75 people – engineers and non-engineers alike. All Engineers Australia’s Directors from the various divisions were present at the dinner, along with Rolfe Hartley, National President of Engineers Australia, Air Vice Marshal Julie Hammer, Deputy National President of Engineers Australia (also the distinguished guest speaker for the evening) and Bob Nairn, Canberra Division President.

The setting for the dinner was unique, with guests dining under the wings of the Avro Lancaster B1, “G for George”. Mr. Bob Nairn warmly welcomed the guests with a personal touch – telling them of his connection with the Lancaster bomber.

The evening was a celebration of the Year of Women in Engineering and included highlights of the activities undertaken by the Women in Engineering group for this special year. One of the main achievements of the Women in Engineering group was the implementation of the Girl Talk program – where the Women in Engineering group went to visit schools to promote Engineering as a career choice for women.

The guest speaker for the evening was Air Vice Marshal Julie Hammer, who presented an entertaining and informative talk on

her days at the Air Force’s Electronic Warfare Squadron.

Mr. Rolfe Hartley closed the evening by giving his thoughts on the success of the Year of Women in Engineering and the importance of using the momentum and enthusiasm created by the year to ensure women continue to get recognised as important members of the engineering workforce.

Yolanda Fisher Guest speaker AVM Julie Hammer

Women engineers currently represent between 2% and 6% of the engineering workforce – one of the lowest participation rates of women across all professions. Engineers Australia is actively seeking to redress this problem through a range of initiatives and programs designed to enable women’s full involvement in such a dynamic and

powerful profession.

This guide represents one such measure. It was conceived as an initiative of the National Women in Engineering Committee of Engineers Australia and was actively promoted and supported by the Offi ce of the Status of Women.

The second edition of the book is intended to be used as a resource for engineering managers and practitioners at all levels. It also forms part of the resources included within a series of workshops commissioned by the National

WIE Committee – “Leading the Change” targeted at mid-career women engineers, and “How to Attract and Retain a Diverse Workforce” targeted at engineering managers. The second edition retains the same format and intention of

the fi rst, but has incorporated an update of many statistics as well as more recent literature in the fi eld.

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6 | August 2007 | Engineers Canberra