Sydney’s most prestigious engineering awards were handed out at a centenary celebration in Sydney on Saturday night to mark the 100-year anniversary of Engineers Australia.
Chartered Mechanical Engineer, David Jehan, was awarded the 2019 Sir John Monash Medal for outstanding contribution to engineering heritage.
Mr Jehan is involved in operating a heritage railway and industrial equipment display on the NSW’s South Coast, where he established training systems for heritage steam equipment operators. He has written numerous books on engineering heritage and frequently lectures on the subject.
Professor Brian Uy, Professor and Head, School of Civil Engineering, University of Sydney, was named 2019 Sir John Holland Civil Engineer of the Year.
Professor Brian Uy is a leading international authority on Steel and Composite Structures. He has worked in academia for over 25 years and has helped to build Australia’s civil engineering capacity in human resources and physical infrastructure through his leadership roles in Australian universities.
Through his teaching of thousands of civil engineering undergraduate students and mentoring of scores of research students and staff in civil engineering he has provided significant leadership in education and research.
Dr Helen Cartledge, Director for Maritime Autonomous Systems, Defence, has been named 2019 Professional Engineer of the Year – Sydney.
Prior to taking up this role she was Director of Science for Army and Navy. In July 2019 she received recognition for the impact she made in supporting the Australian Defence Force (ADF) both in peace time and in overseas operations.
Her research into "Green Composite Materials" delivered solutions for protecting the environment from general waste materials. She has been actively involved in taking this technology to developing countries and creating jobs for locals.
She is also a volunteer in Australia and in developing countries, teaching science and engineering in schools and inspiring children to become scientists and engineers.
Edmond Ang, Associate Director – Fire and Risk, AECOM, was named 2019 Young Professional Engineer of the Year - Sydney.
Specialising in Fire and Risk, Mr Ang has been assisting government and private clients solving some of the most complex engineering challenges. Ed is currently the Chair for Engineers Australia NSW Society of Fire Safety, Board Member of Engineers Australia Mechanical College and Representative on the Engineers Australia Infrastructure Advisory Panel.
David Henderson Technical Officer – Mechanical Engineering, Australian Centre for Field Robotics, was named 2019 Student Engineer of the Year – Sydney.
Mr Henderson studied Mechanical and Mechatronic engineering at UTS and loves turning interesting ideas into things that work. For his thesis project, he designed and built a 3D printer which prints spirals around a rotating form using UV light, a world first configuration.
Engineers Australia President – Sydney, Bruce Howard said the Engineer of the Year Awards celebrate outstanding individual engineering achievements.
“All nominees have made substantial contributions to the profession, and I look forward to seeing both nominees and award winners continue to innovate and inspire in their fields,’ said Mr Howard.
Engineers Australia General Manager – Sydney, Greg Ewing, said the centenary was also an opportunity to look to the future.
“As we embark on the next 100 years, Engineers Australia is committed to fostering cultural change so the engineering profession, and Australian society, can benefit from a more diverse and inclusive engineering workforce. Working together, all of us will bring better solutions to the many challenges facing our nation, and the planet,” said Mr Ewing.
Notes for Editors
- Engineers Australia is the peak representative body for the engineering profession, representing more than 100,000 members from all disciplines of engineering, and maintains representation in every state and territory.
- The Engineer of the Year Awards identify and reward outstanding achievement in the practice of engineering and service to the profession.
- 230 people attended the Engineers Australia Centenary Celebration at Four Seasons on Saturday 17 August 2019.
- The Institution of Engineers Australia (now operating as Engineers Australia) was incorporated August 1, 1909 and in 2019 celebrates its Centenary, a significant milestone for the organisation and a chance to accentuate the critical role engineering plays in the lives of all Australians.
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