Vol 84 No 3, March 2012 $6.85 Inc.GST
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inc.GST $6.85 ENGINEERS ENGINEERS A USTRALIA 2012 AS U T RA LIA March 3, No 84 Vol au rg. o MONGOLIA Growing f ast www.engineersaustralia. on the back of its mineral wealth FEATURES: F ire Protection - Lighting (-sgm - hokey There's n ever been a better time to be an Engineer in the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The ADF is continually looking for undergraduates and qualified Engineers to fill exciting positions across the Navy, Army and Air Force. There are a diverse range of engineering professions including Aeronautical, Armament, Avionics, Electrical, Electronics, Marine, Mechanical, Software and Weapons fields. You'll e nter as an Officer which means you'll have management responsibilities, oversee a team and work alongside mentors to make sure you are able to maximise your own professional development. Not only rewarding on a personal level, you'll also enjoy job security, work with the most high-tech equipment available and have the chance to travel. Plus yfi’ll receive a competitive package including free healthcare, subsidised accommodation and much more. To f ind out more, attend an Engineering Careers Information Session. The presefitationgwill feature currently serving Engineering Officers and you will hear first hand abouw eers within the Australian Defence Force as well as university sponsorship opportunities. Brisbane S ydney M Wednesday 28th March at 6:30pm Wednesday 2nd May at 6:30pm 2 at Defence Force Recruiting, at Level 22, Tower 2, Darling Park, - Level 11, 410 Ann “my. g 201 Sussex St, ey. v Adelaide W ollongong louse, A delaide. % i l [email protected] or to apply call 13 19 01 or visit Henceiobsgoiau FROMHE T PRESIDENT | A <g> ENGINEERS A USTRALIA Is e ngineering an extension of science? or t he past month, new CEO Stephen the s ystematic gathering of knowledge Durkin and I have been out and about about the universe, and the organising talking with members and senior and condensing of that knowledge into industry people. To date we've been contestable laws and theories, and that to the east coast, Tasmania, Northern Ter- "engineering" then used those proven laws ritory and South Australia. We intend to and theories to solve society's problems, cover all Divisions and as many regional and make the world a better place. groups as we can over the next couple of Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary months to hear from you, and hopefully defines science as "knowledge attained let you see the enthusiasm that we both through study or practice," or "knowledge feel for the future of Engineers Australia. covering general truths of the operation of Feedback has been very encouraging. general laws, esp. as obtained and tested Apart from our top priorities of relevance through scientific method [and] concerned and member service, the other consistent with the physical world". It would seem issue that keeps coming up relates to the that the broader science community has role of our Colleges and why we have combined these definitions as including David H ood them. There are many themes embedded "practice in the physical world" (my ital- [email protected] in this issue - our learned society func- ics), that is engineering. In other words, tion, gate keeping for entry to a field of according to this definition, science (or- practice, being chartered, and the bodies ganised knowledge) begins with discovery of knowledge related to all the fields of and new knowledge, and travels through Maybe t he reason we engineering that Engineers Australia testing and modelling to application, re- haven't won a separate covers. But in a sense, shouldn't we first sulting in engineering and eventual benefit reassess more broadly what exactly engi- to society (too often meaning simply the identity from science lies neering is all about? economy, to the detriment of social and in the fact that we have This was brought home to me forcefully natural capital). at a forum in Canberra on 24 February. At Do we continue to argue that we are not clearly defined our the Science Meets Policymakers Forum I special or separate, or do we accept that asked a question as to why there had been we are a part of that continuum which fields of engineering, nor no mention of engineering in any of the it seems is becoming more generally ac- have we consolidated discussions about getting politicians to cepted as "science"? use more science advice in policymak- Maybe the reason we haven't won and published the ing. I was thinking specifically about the a separate identity from science lies in bodies of knowledge role of engineering in sustainability and the fact that we have not clearly defined anthropogenic climate change. As policy our fields of engineering, nor have we that we might claim as impacts directly on society, the environ- consolidated and published the bodies ment, and the economy, engineering of knowledge that we might claim as belonging to these fields. should at least be given a mention if not belonging to these fields. It seems strange significant prominence, I argued. to me that we expect our Colleges to be I was told in no uncertain terms by a the gatekeepers for entry to a field of very senior government official, and other practice, and for them to set policy for the speakers, that engineering was always a maintenance of competency in that field consideration as it is really just a part (continuing professional development) of science, and we should "get over it". when they do not have a body of knowl- A manifestation of this view has been edge against which to measure practice the fact that the federal government has in their field. While not that simple, I removed engineering input from one of believe this issue may lie at the heart of its primary policy advice mechanisms: our Colleges currently having an unclear the Prime Minister's Science, Engineer- view of what they should be doing within ing, and Innovation Council (PMSEIC). Engineers Australia. We really need to fix I was also told that there was no need our learned society function. for an Australian Chief Engineer because Tlook forward to your thoughts and any this role sat within the role of Australia's ideas for structural change that might bet- Chief Scientist. ter position engineering within society's I had always thought that science was global knowledge framework. ENGINEERS A USTRALIA | MARCH 2012 3 I @F E NGINEERS AUSTRALIA COVER STORY Engineering f ocus on Mongolia ENGINEERS 3 4 After b eing a satellite of the Soviet Union for decades, Mongolia has established itself as a democracy and its economy is growing with help from a mining boom. Australian engineering companies are increasingly active in the country, focusing mostly on mining and associated infrastructure projects. FEATURES: Fire Protection - Lighting Cover d esign: Michelle Watts inCover: the MongolianEquestrian countryside.statue of Chinggis Khaan ALSO... Sustainable w ater supplies 32 A n ew membrane filtration unit is being launched to deliver decentralised water supplies for developing countries. CONT ENGINEERS MEDIA HEAD OFFICE NATIONAL MARKETING MANAGER Victoria & Tasmania Engineers Australia magazine, published by 2 Emest Place, Crows Nest, NSW Wyeth Media Services Pty Ltd Engineers Media (registered nameEngineers (PO Box 588, Crows Nest 1585) PRODUCTION MANAGER 10 Keysborough Close Australia Pty Limited, ACN 001311511), phone 02 9438 1533 Chris Gerelli ggygborouggymlfl Z; Engineers Australia's publishing company, fax 02 9438 5934, PRODUCTION ox 161 Dingley Vic 3172 is a m agazine reporting impartially the www.engineersmedia.com.au Stefan Novak, Michelle Watts [email protected] 0 9701 8844 latest n ews of interest to engineers, The mas - E DITORIAL EMAIL EA BOOKS MANAGER statements made or opinions expressed in nlcs . South Australia & Northern Territor the magazine do not necessarily reflect the [email protected] Daniel Kneprath Russell Baker Advertising & Markegng views of the Institution. ADVERTISING EMAIL ADVERTISING MANAGER PO Box 413 Engineers Media retains copyright for this [email protected] Sew-502th Wales (Head office) North Adelaide, SA 5006 publication. Written permission is required enise rant phone 08 8267 1198 for the reprinting of any of its content. ( a p Aas mobile 0417 266 459 [email protected] Bruce Roff [email protected] "ae estern Australia BOARD OF DIRECTORS MANAGING EDITOR ADVERTISING COORDINATOR O'Keeffe Media Services E/Prof Elizabeth Taylor, AO FIEAust Dr Dietrich Georg, FIEAust Esmé Johnstone Unit 2, 266 Hay Street, (chair); Gunilla Burrowes, FIEAust; [email protected] Subiaco, WA 6008 Stephen Durkin; David Lees, MIEAust EDEESRC'QEHM Kirill Reztsov ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES phone 08 9381 7766 CPEng; Bruce Roff, FIPA ACIS; Terence Thomfis Derricotlt 7 Queensland [email protected] JeyIaretnam, FIEAust CPEng; MBL Media, PO Box 5834, Q Supercentre, Mai Yeung, FIEAust CPEng. ACCOUNTANT Mermaid Waters, Qld 4218, Tissa Mohotti phone 07 5594 5455 [email protected] Member of Average Net Distribution 22. Reader surveys by N General Edition PublishersAustralia Melson 323!5 Vol 84 No 3 AUDIT BOARD April to - Media Research yum ISSN 1448-4951 I 4 E NGINEERS AUSTRALIA | MARCH 2012 THE J OURNAL OF ENGINEERS AUSTRALIA IN T HIS ISSUE... 3 F ROM THE PRESIDENT 48 F IRE PROTECTION - Feature What's t he difference between science and engineering? 54 LIGHTING - F eature 6 F ROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE Making o ur organisation more relevant 8 L ETTERS 12 N EWS 58 T ERENCE JEYARETNAM Priorities maybe too complicated