Issue 4 August to October - 2012

Message from the Dean

As we all know China is a power house of the world’s economy and Australia’s leading trading partner. Even regular visitors to China are continually astounded at the rate and quality of China’s advancement. It seems that every few months China’s landscape visibly changes as it improves the living standards of its vast population by developing and implementing technologies and infrastructure to provide energy, water, housing, health, transport and other services that many other countries take for granted, but which in China have only recently become practically available on a large scale. The energy, creativity and dynamism required to implement such massive change is immense, but Chinese Universities, Industries and Central and Provincial Governments are determinedly rising to these challenges.

Welcome to the Engineering Comprehending the scale of China’s achievements and ambitions is not an easy matter. China has to build about 4 United States of America’s to offer its newsletter for 2012 population a similar standard of living as in USA. In 2010, Chinese expenditure Featured in this issue: on research and development was over $US149 billion and some estimates for 2012 suggest it will be $US199 billion. This will be greater than Germany, . Editorial France and the UK combined. .Discover Engineering Day .Canadian Geotechnical Award Australia is well placed to partner with China in R&D. At a recent China- .CESE2012 Australian alumni celebration I attended in Shanghai a few weeks ago, attended .CME Student Success by over 300 Chinese born graduates of Australian Universities, it was clear that .Between a rock and a hard place there was tremendous goodwill towards Australia from these very high .Race In2Uni achieving people across all walks of Industry, Commerce, Government, Science .IRMMW‐THZ 2012 and Engineering. One of the major prizes for high achievement on the evening .IEEE Awards was won by Prof Chen Jun, Director of the Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy .Future Fellowship Materials Chemistry at Nankai University, who obtained his PhD from .Awards Boom for Blast Fence University of Wollongong. Last year Dr Simon Chung, Global Chief Operating .Mining Conferences Officer of ChinaSoft International, which is now one of China’s largest IT .ACARP Funding Success companies in its field, was awarded the major alumni prize and he also is a PhD .AMPT2012 graduate of University of Wollongong.

.METSOC Field Trip So Wollongong University, along with several other Australian Universities, is .Farewell Dr Dany Tague leading the way in partnering with China in Innovation. Our Faculty has many

formal and very vigorous R&D technology based partnerships with Chinese This newsletter is published by Institutions and Industries, ranging from regular staff and student exchanges, the Faculty of Engineering. formal research contracts, joint research projects, and jointly organised For further information about conferences both in China and Australia attended not only by researchers but by items in this newsletter, email Industry personnel. [email protected] or telephone Continued next page ext 5364

Continued from page 1 ... John Brumby, former premier of Victoria, and now a Board Member of Chinese telecommunications company Huawei Technologies, China’s largest privately owned company, with an annual turnover of more than $US32 billion, predicted in 1999 that within a few years China would be Victoria’s largest trading partner. He says: “Several people told me that I had my figures wrong – that it couldn’t happen that quickly. But it happened in 2006.”

He adds: “Today I make another prediction: within five years China will be one of the largest funders of Australian R&D.” It would be a brave person to contradict him, and Universities in Australia have a major role to play in developing and fostering such constructive partnerships.

Asia of Business Faculty of Events Director Engineering Sinead Yeo, International Officer Professor Jun Chen Anji Phillips, and UOW Faculty of Professor Jun Chen, Engineering Dean award finalist and Professor Chris Cook UOW graduate at the 2012 Australia Selina Ling, China Alumni Professor Chris Cook Awards. and UOW alumnus and Australia China Alumni of the Year 2011 winner Simon Chung.

Discover Engineering Day

Faculty representatives recently attended the “Discover Engineering Day”, hosted by Engineers Australia, held at Port Kembla Illawarra Senior College for interested High School students in Year 9,10 and 11.

The students were introduced to What Engineers Do, Examples of Engineering Projects, How to Become an Engineer, as well as hands on activities and presentations from current Electrical/Mechanical student engineer Kimberley Murdoch and Professional Engineer Joe Cato from Cato Consulting.

There were 162 attendees, including students, teachers and representatives from UOW, UNSW, UTS, Institute of Technology NSW, BlueScope Steel, and members of the UOW F SAE Team.

Students attended from Kiama High School, St Gregory’s College Campbelltown, Lake Illawarra High School, Warilla High School, St Joseph’s Catholic High School, Dapto High School, Kanahooka High School, Woonona High School, St Mary’s and Illawarra Christian School Cordeaux Heights campus.

2 CESE2012

Canadian Geotechnical Award The Faculty of Engineering’s Environmental Engineering has clinched three prestigious awards from the 5th International Researchers from the Centre for Geomechanics and conference on Challenges in Environmental Science and Railway Engineering and Centre of Excellence for Technology (CESE-2012) held in Melbourne in September. Geotechnical Science and Engineering have been

recognised in the Robert M.Quigley Awards by the Scientific contributions in the field of membrane science and Canadian Geotechnical Society. technology by academics and research students from UOW

were given a standing ovation at conference. PhD candidate Dr Xueyu Geng, Professor Buddhima Indraratna and Kaushalya Wijekoon and Master by Research candidate Dr Cholachat Rujikiatkamjorn, were selected by the Shufan (Aileen) Yang both received the Best Student Oral Canadian Geotechnical Society to receive the 2012 Presentation Awards while Associate Prof Long Nghiem was Robert M. Quigley Honourable Mention Award for honoured with the Best Young Scientist Award. their outstanding contribution to the Canadian

Geotechnical Journal. “This event has cemented my wish to continue with a PhD

study and helped me to realise my own potential”, said Aileen The recognition was for their paper: “The after the conference. effectiveness of partially penetrating vertical drains

under a combined surcharge and vacuum preloading”. Since the conference, Aileen has completed her Masters

study. The 12 months of Aileen’s hard work have resulted in Their contribution deals with a new theory for three journal manuscripts. One has just been accepted for modelling rapidly consolidating soft clay foundations publication by Water Science and Technology and the others for road and rail embankments using much shorter are currently under review. Her thesis received drains than those typically installed much deeper in to recommendation for special commendations by both the clay foundation -- sometimes up to 40m deep. examiners. Aileen’s Master thesis project was supervised by

Dr Faisal Hai and Associate Professor Long Nghiem. The outcomes of this research have been applied

extensively now in Australia for various real-life From left: Dr Faisal Hai, projects including the Sandgate rail track, Ballina Kaushalya Wijekoon, Aileen Bypass and Port of Brisbane reclamation. Yang and A/Professor Long Nghiem

For the full article visit: http://media.uow.edu.au/ news/UOW131877.html

CME Student Success

Two of our PhD students Alexander Simon and Ming Xie have won the prestigious European Membrane Society Travel Awards to attend ‘Euromembrane 2012’ to be held at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre at the end of September in London. This is an important recognition of Alex and Ming’s work by the international community in their research field. Euromembrane is an International mega size conference in the field of membrane science and technology where the latest and the most cutting edge research results are reported.

Both Alex and Ming are jointly supervised by Professor Will Price from Science, and Associate Professor Long Nghiem from the School of Civil, Mining and Environmental Engineering (CME).

Geotechnical PhD student, Ana Heitor, supervised by Professor Buddhima Indraratna and Dr Cholachat Rujikiatkamjorn, has been awarded the prestigious 2012 NSW Outstanding Research Student Award of the Australian Geomechanics Society (AGS), part of the Young Professionals program initiated by the Institution of Engineers, Australia. Ana is the 3rd Candidate from the School of CME to win this award in recent times.

Ana’s research work is focused on the investigation of cost effective and non-destructive testing methods for evaluating the compaction efficiency of reclamation fills. The use of this novel methodology will enable practitioners to efficiently control compaction of various landfills over large areas for Civil infrastructure construction.

Ana was presented the award on the 8th August during an Australian Geomechanics Technical Session.

3 Between a Rock and a Hard Place During the mid-semester break, UOW mining engineering “Our pit tour of Drayton Mine was different to our previous students visited a number of surface coal mining operations in the experiences. Our tour took us through the pit where we got up Hunter Valley. For many of the students this was their first time close and personal with 180t payload Caterpillar trucks and to experience a mining operation first hand. The students visited a dragline. From the southern pit, we could clearly see the Xstrata’s Bulga Mine and Glendell Mine, Rio-Tinto’s Bengalla dragline in front of us making our guides' explanation much Mine and Mt Owen Mine, and Anglo American Drayton Mine. easier to follow. We could also see a preparation for a blast Below is a summary of some of the students experiences from on an upper shelf. At the northern pit we saw the interaction the various mine sites: of an excavator loading trucks which highlighted the importance of scheduling. Our guide also pointed out several Day one of our field trip began with a visit to Xstrata Bulga interesting points I hadn't considered before. From an Mine. Mathew Stone; 2nd Year Undergraduate Mining Engineer environmental management aspect, regeneration has to be recounts: considered in terms of replacing dams. This is so that when rainfall accumulates in the pit, it can be pumped elsewhere. “Bulga mine is an Xstrata mine which produces both thermal Finer details like this aren't realised in the classroom, you and semi-coking coal. They run both an open cut strip and need to be able to talk to engineers on-site, and the ones we underground operation at the site. Upon first entry onto the mine met at Drayton were more than happy to help us understand site I became excited. This was the first mine site I have visited. their jobs.” After a quick induction about safety and the history of the mine, students were escorted to the look-out station where the whole open pit operation was observed. Experiencing the size of the operation and machinery gave students a quick insight into the challenging world of mining engineering. Utilising both dragline and trucks and shovels the fairly simple strip mining operation reflected the geology with moderately dipping seams up to 6 degrees.”

In the afternoon on Day 2, the students visited Xstrata Glendell Mine. Mosses Athontung; 3rd Year Undergraduate Mining Engineer comments:

“The Glendell Mining operation greatly increased the passion of mining engineering students as we were able to ask questions that supplemented our observations of the mine.

Unlike Xstrata’s Bulga Mine, the Glendell mine utilises only truck and shovel; operating concurrently with Mt Owen. Currently in its ninth year of operation the Glendell mine exhibits On behalf of the University of Wollongong and AusIMM an average yearly stripping ratio of 8:1 producing 3.6MtPa of Illawarra Student Chapter, thank you to Erik Heiland from coal. With no washery facility onsite, coal is railed to the nearest Anglo American, Emma Watson and Ben Peach from Xstrata Xstrata washery where it is washed to reduce ash content.” Coal, Simon Land from Rio Tinto Coal Australia and Keegan Farrell from Thiess for spending their valuable times with us. We appreciate your effort towards making our visit possible. Also special thanks to Raymond Tolhurst for being our bus driver and also to Kevin Marston and Associate Professor Ernest Baafi for being valuable mentors for students on this trip. Gaetano Venticinque 2012 Hunter Valley Field Trip Organiser

In the afternoon of Day 3, the students visited Anglo American Drayton Mine which concluded the field trip. Sherilyn Docksey; 2nd Year Undergraduate Mining Engineer recounts:

4 Race In2Uni

On Friday 31st August, 30 Year 6 students from the Wollongong and Shellharbour areas took part in an engineering workshop hosted by the In2Uni program and the Faculty of Engineering.

The In2Uni Program is a schools engagement initiative under the In2Uni Program by the Office of Community & Partnerships and Dean of Students. The Year 6 'Race In2Uni' Days will provide an opportunity for Year 6 students and their parents to experience firsthand what university life is like. The day gives them an insight into student life including services and facilities on campus, allows students to participate in Faculty run Taster Sessions that familiarise them with University life.

Making an electrical motor, exploring the SMART Facility, using physics to measure the distance between tracks on a CD and understanding chemical engineering to make liquid nitrogen ice cream were just a few activities the group of Year 6 students enjoyed.

Faculty of Engineering Sub Dean Associate Professor Rodney Vickers said UOW was committed to raising the aspirations of students from the Illawarra region.

“The engineering workshop aimed to show students what it is like to be an engineering student at the University of Wollongong. It also aimed to show students, including female students, about the benefits of engineering for society,” he said.

Many of the Year6 students left the workshop with new hopes of studying engineering at university. The group will be back on campus in November to take part in another workshop, this time run by the Faculty of Commerce.

For the full article visit: http://media.uow.edu.au/news/UOW133229.html

IRMMW-THZ 2012

More than 460 delegates representing 27 countries participated in the 37th International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter and Terahertz Waves (IRMMW-THz) at the University of Wollongong from 24-28 September. It was the largest and highest-level conference in this field and was officially opened by UOW Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Wellings. During the conference, there were 10 plenary talks, 57 invited talks and 200 contributed talks. UOW hosted the conference with technical co-sponsorship from the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTT-S).

The scope of the conference extended from millimeter wave devices, components and systems to far-infrared detectors and instruments. It encompassed micro- and nano-scale structures to large accelerators and tokamaks and applications as diverse as space science, biology and medicine.

Plenary Speakers for the conference come from Harvard, Columbia and Maryland Universities in the US, the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology in Japan, Kyoto University (Japan), the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Fudan University in China, the Institute of Nuclear Physics in Russia, the National Taiwan University, the University of Sydney and the University of Adelaide.

The IRMMW-THz conference, which began in 1974, is the oldest and largest sustained forum specifically devoted to the field of ultra-high-frequency electronics and applications and was held here in Australia for the first time. From left:Professor Roger Lewis (Conference Co-Chair, UOW), Professor Gun-Sik Park, (IOC Vice- Chair, Seoul National University,Korea), Professor Gian Piero Gallerano (IOC Chair, ENEA-Frascati, Italy), Professor Paul Wellings (Vice-Chancellor, UOW) and Professor Chao Zhang (Conference Co- Chair, UOW).

5 IEEE Awards Awards Boom for Blast Centre for Medical Radiation Physics (CMRP) PhD student Fence Anthony Espinoza has been awarded both the Valentin T. Jordanov Radiation Instrumentation Travel Grant and The Paul Phelps Continuing Education Grant $750 to attend the 2012 UOW’s Associate Professor Alex Remennikov’s Nuclear Science Symposium, Medical Imaging Conference to be collaboration with Woolacotts Consulting Engineers to held in Anaheim, California in late October. produce a new blast deflector fence to accommodate its new A380 and 787 aircraft has received a boom of These internationally competitive awards are considered by accolades since the project’s completion in 2010. different IEEE NSS MIC Committees and are based on outstanding and innovative research in a field of medical physics. The fence’s original and highly specialised design has been recognised by both the Australian Steel Institute Anthony’s awards are for his work on the development of a Steel (ASI) Design Awards NSW and ACT 2012, Quality Assurance system for High Dose Rate Brachytherapy of Highly Commended from the Consult Australia Prostate Cancer (BrachyMagicPlate). He is supervised by Dr Awards for Excellence 2011 and nominated for the Marco Petasecca and Professor Anatoly Rozenfeld with support 2012 Engineering Excellence Awards . from other members of CMRP, Dean Cutajar and Stephanie Corde-Tehei (POWH). The fence, located at Qantas’ Jet Base in Mascot cost $3 million and was designed to protect people and property from engine blasts during aircraft testing. Blast deflector fences are designed to mitigate blast loads during testing of aircraft engines to maintaining a safe working environment.

The innovative design was a 120 metre long fence constructed from lightweight galvanised steel. The fence is rail mounted to run full circle, allowing the fence to be positioned behind aircraft to suit the prevailing wind direction. This is a unique facility, as typically the fences are fixed in position allowing testing in only a limited range of conditions.

Qantas’s Northern Blast Deflector Fence was constructed by Nepean Engineering and Innovation with steel from BlueScope Steel. Anthony Espinoza pictured here with Martin Carolan Chief Physicist Illawarra Cancer Care Centre, Wollongong Hospital and Dr Marco Petasecca. For the full article visit http://media.uow.edu.au/news/ UOW130049.html Future Fellowship

Professor Zhengyi Jiang from the School of Mechanical, Materials and Mechatronics (MMM) was recently presented with a Future Fellowship, along with Dr Julia Martinez (Faculty of Arts), Professor Sandra Jones (Faculty of Health and Behavioural Science), and Associate Professor Louise D’Arcens (Faculty of Arts).

Future Fellowships are awarded by the Australian Research Council to the nation’s best and brightest mid-career researchers.

Professor Zhengyi Jiang’s project titled “Advanced Micromanufacturing–will establish high precision rolling technology for manufacturing microparts in Australia using a unique profile and flexible rolling method. The research will provide an important breakthrough in advanced micromanufacturing for the region.

UOW’s four Future Fellows were awarded a total of $3.095M in funding.

6 UOW Mining Staff and PhD Students Attending International Conferences

Our mining engineering staff and postgraduate students represented UOW and the Faculty of Engineering in conferences and seminars in several European countries and Turkey. Professor Naj Aziz and Dr Jan Nemcik attended the fourth International Colloquium on Geomechanics and Geophysics in June. The conference was hosted by the Czech Academy of Science, which celebrated its 30th year of its establishment in Ostrava. Dr Nemcik presented a paper on “Stabilising rock surface with a glass reinforced polymer skin”, co-authored jointly with Associate Professors Ernest Baafi and Associate Professor Ian Porter, while Professor Aziz presented his paper on the “Permeability and volumetric changes in coal under different test environment”, co-authored with Dr Ting Ren, Dr Jan Nemcik and Lei Zhang. The two day conference was held at the forest hotel Beltine in Ostravice. Afterwords, Both Professor Aziz Lei Zhang and Dr Nemcik spent a day in Stola Josef Experimental mine, the largest experimental mine in Europe which is part of the Prague Technical University. This facility is located in an old gold mine close to Prague where approximately 50 scientific experiments are conducted annually at the mine mostly funded by European Union.

Prior to visiting Czech Republic, Professor Aziz visited St Petersburg Mining Institute, Russia, on May 15th 2012 and presented a paper on “Enhancement of coal seam gas by nitrogen injection”, co-authored by Dr Ting Ren, Dr Jan Nemcik and Lei Zhang. Professor Aziz also visited the Polish Academy of Mining and Metallurgy (AGH) in Krakow as an invited member to the advisory board of the new technology research centre in gas engineering, reinforcement and knowhow exchange, faculty of drilling, oil and gas at the University of Science and Technology.

PhD Mining Engineering students Lei Zhang and Zhongwei Wang from the School of Civil, Mining and Environmental Engineering (CME) attended the 18th Coal Congress of Turkey. The event was organised by the Zonguldak Branch of the Chamber of Mining Engineers of Zhongwei Wang Turkey and held in Zonguldak on 6-8 June, 2012.

The primary objective of the Coal Congress, which has been held biannually since 1978, is to promote and support the information exchange related to coal mining and technology. The theme of the Congress is “Science and Technology of Coal Mining”, “Health and Safety of Coal Mining” and “Economic Policy and Social Problems of Coal Mining”.

Lei Zhang presented two papers entitled “Permeability Testing of Bulli Seam Coal under Triaxial Condition” and “Investigation into Variations in the Drainability of Coal in Different Sections of the Bulli Seam, NSW, Australia”, co-authored by Dr Ting Ren and Associate Professor Naj Aziz and Zhongwei Wang. Zhongwei Wang presented a paper entitled “Modelling of Airflow and Dust Suppression Above an Underground Bin”, co-authored also by Dr Ting Ren, Brian Plush, Graeme Cooper and Lei Zhang. Both of the representatives’ research outcomes are highly related to the challenging issues in coal mines, such as coal seam gas drainage capability and coal mine dust management, and if these issues are not managed properly, they can cause coal mine ventilation problems, outburst and Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis (CWP) or black lung disease for miners.

The Congress was well attended by more than 400 participants coming from different countries such as Turkey, Australia, Germany, Iran, UK, China, and USA. Both of the representatives found the congress was a good experience to share the knowledge and communicate with other coal mining researchers around the world.

Delegates at the fourth International Colloquium on Geomechanics and Geophysics, June 7-8, 2012

7 ACARP Funding Success

A research team from the Faculty of Engineering has received a further $1 million in funding from the Australian Coal Association Research Program (ACARP) to fund Stage 3 of the Automated Bolt and Mesh Handling Project.

The Dean of Engineering, Professor Chris Cook and Senior Research Fellow Dr Stephen van Duin (Applied Automation Research) will act as Chief Investigators for the project. A team of three others (Peter Donnelly, Ian Oxley and Luke Meers) are providing expertise in industrial automation and mechanical design. Dr van Duin is the Project Leader.

Practical input and the required underground mining knowledge is being provided by Mr Gary Gibson (Gary Gibson & Associates) who has extensive and long-standing relationships with Australian coal mining companies.

The project was initially conceived by the researchers in response to ACARP’s Roadway Development Task Group’s vision of a safe, high capacity gateroad system. It was a system aimed at improving the health and safety of operators by reducing their exposure to hazards in the immediate face area through development of automated roof and rib support installation systems.

The latest Stage 3 funding will be used to manufacture, fit and trial a number of refinements to the automated bolt and mesh handling system that were either identified during earlier trials or have since been recognised as fundamental improvements to the overall system.

Dr van Duin said that when the project was completed it should allow underground coal mines using in-place continuous miners to either retrofit the technologies to existing equipment to improve roadway From left: Dr Stephen van Duin (back row,) Luke Meers (back row right), Peter advancement rates or incorporate the technologies into specifications Donnelly, Ian Oxley and Gary Gibson (front row left to right) for a new generation of fit for purpose high capacity roadway development systems.

AMPT2012

At the major International AMPT2012 Conference held in Wollongong in September, the conference’s international committee awarded Professor Kiet Tieu with the William Johnson International Gold Medal for “Lifetime achievements in Materials Processing Research and Teaching”. The Welding Technology Institute of Australia (WTIA) also made a special presentation to Professor John Norrish for his ‘Outstanding contribution to Research and Teaching in Welding and Joining.’

The four-day event attracted 430 delegates from 30 countries which involved the submission of 460 papers for review.

The conference sessions covered a broad range of topics such as materials, deformation processing, materials removal processes, processing of new and advanced materials, welding and joining, surface engineering and other related processes.

The AMPT2012 Conference is considered one of the biggest events in the area of Materials and Processing Technology in Australia.

8 METSOC Field Trip 2012

The Materials Engineering Society (METSOC) organise a week long field trip each year to provide its members with an insight in Materials Engineering in another part of the world. This year 15 students travelled to Victoria, Australia. The sites visited were CSIRO, Orica, Monash University, Fosterville Gold Mine, Thales Group, Iluka and OneSteel. Each company we visited were impressed with our level of interest in the field of study they were presenting, and of course our PPE and safety standards.

The theme of our trip was ‘Titanium as a futuristic material’. We were able to follow the primary processing at Iluka, through to the CSIRO where they are improving on the Kroll process (using chlorides from Orica), and then Monash University, where they were experimenting with titanium and additive manufacturing.

Some other sites that we visited included the Thales group where we were able to follow the entire production line of the Bushmaster protective vehicle that is used by the Australian military. In addition to these new vehicles, some vehicles that had been sent back from war for refurbishment after being involved in an incident were shown to us to examine.

Another site that we visited was the Crocodile Gold mine at Fosterville. We were taken through the entire process from start to finish, by which mined ore has gold extracted from it. Our visit to the Crocodile Gold mine exposed us to the greater world of minerals processing and showed the design capabilities of a processing plant can be pushed to maximise efficiency and yield to maximise profit margins.

Many parties combined together to make this trip possible. Our sponsors included the Faculty of Engineering, the School of Mechanical, Materials and Mechatronic Engineering, The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, The Association for Iron and Steel Technology, and BlueScope Steel- External Affairs. Special thanks to Brian Monaghan for his administrative work and involvement in organising the field trip and to Ray Tolhurst who was also involved in the trip’s planning and bus driving.

METSOC have been providing students with networking opportunities, degree support and career development for over 50 years and, as we continue to develop as UOW’s Materials Engineering Society, the significance of our events, with support from our partners, is becoming invaluable. Once again, we would like to thank all those involved in the organisation of the annual METSOC field trip 2012. All of this would not have been possible without your kind support. By Erica D’Silva METSOC President

Farewell Dr Dany Tague

Dr Dany Tague passed away peacefully at the age of 92 years old in September.

Dany was a long time mining engineering friend and visiting fellow to CME during the 1980’s and 1990’s. He was the chief planning engineer with BHP – AIS Collieries (now known as BHPB Illawarra Coal Holdings) and oversaw the expansion of existing mines such as Appin and Wongawilli, as well as the development of new Collieries Cordeaux and Tower (now known as Appin West). He was an innovative engineer with some of his designs now evident in many mine construction equipment, such as the construction of an overhead belt conveyor in steel tube and suspension of 500 mm diameter, 40 t gas pipe lines from the collar of a shaft with a single point anchorage point. Dan taught mining engineering on a voluntary basis and was instrumental in establishing close engagement of mining companies with the Faculty of Engineering’s mining group at a very vulnerable time. He assisted in attracting funds as well as supporting mining colleagues in their endeavours for research. His exemplary contribution was subsequently recognised by the University of Wollongong with an honorary DSC in the mid eighties during the era of VC Professor Ken McKinnon. He was always keen to help and support the university in various ways.

He is survived by his wife Elsa, his son Dr Ian Tague, and his two daughters Grace and Elizabeth. By Associate Professor Naj Aziz

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