Engineering Alumni News

December 2012 | A Newsletter for Engineering Alumni | Number 28

In the last few months I have had the opportunity Message from the Dean to meet and enjoy the company of engineering This is the last Message from the Dean that I will be alumni at functions both in New Zealand and writing for Engineering Alumni News. I leave at the overseas – Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Melbourne end of the year to take up a new post at the (hosted by Opus) and in Brisbane (hosted by Beca). University of Sussex in the UK. I became Dean of Whilst most alumni functions are held in Auckland, Engineering in May 2007 and I cannot believe how this is the first time the AUEA have done this quickly time flies. It wasn’t so long ago that I was overseas. I am very grateful to Opus and Beca for being welcomed warmly to the Faculty by providing a venue as well as to the organisations colleagues, students and alumni – and occasionally that have opened their offices for AUEA still being referred to as the “new Dean”! What a Workplace Champions events closer to home. great privilege to be appointed the Dean of a Faculty that has a proud history for its excellence in In early September I accompanied the Vice teaching and research. As I have developed a Chancellor on his visit to New York and Boston deeper knowledge of the achievements of the where he hosted two very successful alumni placing in the competitions. It was pointed out to me former and current students and staff, I have events. It was most interesting to catch up with by the tournament organisers that not only were our become exceedingly proud of my association with several of our engineering alumni and some current Faculty’s teams most successful overall, but they were the Faculty. It has also been a privilege and a students working or studying in the cities. Later in most dedicated and vocal supporters! In the pleasure to be able to meet so many alumni and September we held our annual Engineering Alumni international sporting arena Stephanie Hazard, a friends (both in New Zealand and overseas), many dinner. As always, the event, a highlight of the student from the Department of Mechanical of whom I now count amongst my personal friends. engineering social calendar, was an enjoyable night Engineering, represented New Zealand in the London which attracted a large crowd. In response to a Olympics as helm in the Elliott 6m yacht class and I have particularly enjoyed learning from our more request from the AUEA, I used my address to Bobby Kells, studying in the Department of Civil and provide a snapshot of the research work that is senior alumni about hard work and antics at Environmental Engineering, won a bronze medal at taking place in the Faculty. I have to admit to being “Ardmore”! Conversations reveal strong bonds of the Under-23 rowing world championships in slightly concerned about how this might be received friendship between those who studied there, Lithuania as part of the mens coxed four. together with a loyalty to the School of Engineering but was delighted by the universally positive and a desire to see the School – which has grown response from people at the dinner. The sheer I have enjoyed my time as Dean of Engineering into the Faculty of Engineering, continue to be range of research activities taking place across immensely. Statistics show this period, as one of successful. I strongly believe that the “Ardmore the Faculty and the high, internationally significant growth in the number of highly qualified competitive achievements of my colleagues in Spirit” has remained with the student body over undergraduate students in the Faculty and an doing this never fails to amaze and delight me. I the intervening years and now resides amongst unparalleled growth in the number of postgraduate was very pleased that I was able to share this with the students in the Faculty of Engineering. students studying for masters and doctoral degrees. alumni and friends of the Faculty of Engineering. External research funding won by staff has doubled My period as Dean also coincided with a major In the same month, the Department of Chemical during this period and there has been a revival of the AUEA. This has been led by corresponding growth in research publications and successive Presidents: Des Mataga, Ian Parton, and Materials Engineering celebrated Emeritus Professor George Ferguson’s 43 years of service the impact of the Faculty’s research. These Dean Kimpton and David Carter. My gratitude to the University. George, who retired formally achievements have been the result of the goes to each of them for their hard work and this year, was a founding academic member of enthusiasm and dedication of the Faculty’s well valuable advice. I believe this has enabled the the department. During his academic career he qualified and innovative academic and professional Faculty to interact more strongly with its alumni made an outstanding contribution to the staff and, of course, the hard work of students at all to the benefit, I believe, of both parties. University as an inspiring teacher, internationally stages of their studies. The Faculty’s alumni, as individuals and through the AUEA, have also made In the last issue June 2012 I wrote about the renowned researcher and a successful Head of imminent commencement of the $216 million Department. I am sure you will join me in wishing a significant contribution to the continued success programme for the redevelopment and upgrade him a long and happy retirement. of the Faculty’s activities. This has been through of the Faculty of Engineering buildings at the City financial support and summer placement for Once again there were many engineering academics Campus, the refurbishment of the Ray Meyer students, the employing of graduates as well as who have received accolades in the past few months. providing advice that supports the teaching and Centre, and the construction of a new building Professor Richard Flay was awarded the Medal of for research at the Tāmaki Innovation Campus. research of the Faculty, and last but not least, as Distinction from the Royal Institution of Naval advocates for the work of the Faculty both in New Some of you may be aware, that the University Architects (RINA), Associate Professor Valeriy Vyatkin has entered into a conditional agreement to Zealand and overseas. I am grateful to you all for and Dr Nirmal Nair were awarded the Andrew P your invaluable support of the Faculty. purchase the 5.2ha former Lion Breweries site in Sage Best Transactions Paper award from IEEE Newmarket. Should we be successful, no further Systems, Man and Cybernetics Society, and Associate As I mentioned above, I am very proud of my development will take place at the Tämaki Professor Bryony James was one of a small number association with the Faculty of Engineering at The Innovation Campus but instead be relocated to of academics to receive the distinction of a University University of Auckland and, although not eligible the new Newmarket Campus. Significantly, until Teaching Excellence Award. to join the ranks of the Faculty’s alumni officially, this is complete, commencement of any work on I look forward to maintaining my links with the the main buildings for Engineering (in the city) As a demonstration that the “Ardmore Spirit” is alive Faculty and the many alumni I have met during will be postponed - pushing the completion date and well and that our students receive sporting as my time as Dean. of the redevelopment programme out by at least well as academic accolades, I am delighted to report a year. Although the delay may disappoint some that the Faculty won the University Interfaculty students and staff, once the Faculty prepares to Sports Tournament for 2012. Teams of students from move into the excellent and innovative buildings each Faculty compete in Badminton, Basketball, that are being planned, I am sure they will agree Cricket, Netball, Rugby, Touch Rugby and Volleyball - Professor Michael C. R. Davies that the wait will have been worthwhile! with the winner being determined by the best overall Dean of Engineering building improvements, due to be UK-bound Dean completed in the next four years, will leaves Faculty in bolster the Faculty’s international good health standing. After five years at the helm of New Professor Davies has juggled two roles for Zealand’s top Engineering Faculty the majority of his time at the University. Professor Michael Davies is moving In 2009 he became head of The University closer to his Welsh homeland to take up of Auckland’s Tāmaki Innovation Campus a new position with the University of and last year he was appointed Pro Sussex in South East England. Vice-Chancellor of the Campus.

Deciding to leave the University – and He was responsible for the rebranding of more importantly the Faculty – was an the Tämaki campus. “For me it was about exceedingly difficult decision to make, bringing focus to activities and the says Professor Davies. innovation happening at Tämaki and taking what we do at the University to “I have enjoyed immensely my time at serve society.” The University of Auckland and I’ve found my role as Dean of the Faculty of One of the first tasks Professor Davies Engineering to be richly rewarding. tackled when he started at the Faculty was to produce its first ever strategic “This is not least because of the calibre plan. Another strategic plan is on his of my colleagues in the Faculty, who have to-do-list before he leaves. pulled together and worked hard to bring about the achievements of the Faculty “I was quite surprised when I arrived to over the last five years.” find that the Faculty didn’t have a Professor Michael Davies with Part One Mentors, 2012 strategic plan but it also presented an Professor Davies’ final day with the opportunity. I spent most of the first year University is 21 December. He starts his I was here talking to people and finding new role of Pro-Vice-Chancellor out about the place in order to develop a (Research) at the University of Sussex on strategic plan which meshed with the 1 January. University’s strategic plan.

During Professor Davies’ tenure the “This is how we came up with the idea of Faculty has had some startling results: the Faculty putting into its teaching, its Postgraduate research student numbers research and its service, the objective of have increased by 60 percent, external working to benefit the health and wealth funding for research has risen by 100 of the nation, says Professor Davies. percent and engineering undergraduate numbers increased whilst entry “The wealth side of things is through our standards have risen. endeavours to not only educate the engineers who will be going off to work He attributes the Faculty’s success, and create the wealth of the country, but including getting University Council also the bright ideas from the Intellectual approval for a multi- million dollar Property (IP) that we create, and redevelopment of the Faculty’s buildings, developing that into products and Professor Michael Davies and wife Abi at the AUEA down to the hard work of staff. services that will create income so Alumni Dinner, 2012 working closely with local industry has “One of the highlights of my time here been absolutely vital to take that onto has been getting the University Council to the next stage. approve the redevelopment of the Faculty of Engineering buildings. I think it made it “Having that clear objective has been more easy to get through that because of very, very helpful, not only for me but the achievements of the Faculty. also to help us keep us on the straight and narrow and focused on what we are “We could point to increased growth in trying to achieve,” says Professor Davies. research, growth in undergraduate numbers, growth in international Professor Davies’ new position entails students, and growth in postgraduate looking after research for the whole of numbers. The hard work of my the University of Sussex. colleagues achieved that really. They had to do all the hard work and they worked The first thing on the agenda when he really well to achieve those targets.” arrives is to manage the University’s REF process, which is equivalent to Professor Davies says he expects the New Zealand’s PBRF (Performance ISSMGE board meeting, Hong Kong, 2011

2 | The University of Auckland, Faculty of Engineering Based Research Fund) and is how the research performance of tertiary organisations is assessed.

“I’m a glutton for punishment. My job will be to get the University to submit a really good quality submission as I believe we achieved here in the Faculty earlier this year.”

The University of Sussex, which placed 99th in the latest Times Higher rankings, is smaller than Auckland with 13,000 students. Its strength lies not in engineering but in the arts, social sciences, humanities and natural sciences and in its 50 year history the University has had three Nobel Prize winners.

The University also has an innovation centre Professor Michael Davies hosting his guests at the Geothermal World Conference, Bali 2010 on campus and one of Professor Davies’ roles will be to chair the centre’s board.

“What is interesting is they don’t have my type of engineering (Civil) at the University, which to me is part of the attraction because I enjoy working with different disciplines and it will force me to broaden my experience.”

Family are happy that Professor Davies and his wife Abi will be back in the UK. His sister Katharine lives not far away so she is delighted.

What will he miss? “I will miss the weather, I do like Auckland. I live in St Heliers where I drive to and from work along Tämaki drive, whatever the time of day it is, it’s always slightly different.”

“I enjoy Kiwis. I like the straight forward approach. I will miss that. It will take a bit of Professor Michael Davies with engineering graduate Ivan Ravlich and family, 2011 time to get used to the more formal approach with my new role. Although I probably come across as being more formal here because I am a Brit, I think I’ve adapted and I think I shall find it quite difficult moving back to that more formal way of dealing with things. I quite enjoy the Laissez-faire attitude.”

“What else will I miss? Well, good rugby I suppose. I did enjoy the World Cup last year. It was great fun and very special.”

“Some of my friends in the UK said I only Visit to Columbia University, 2012 Professor Michael Davies presents Lucas came here because the Rugby World Cup was Hogan with AUEA Braithwaite Thompson going to be here and I’m only going back scholarship, 2010 there because the next World Cup is being hosted by England!”

Professor Michael Davies and Fred Tattum, 2012 AUEA Alumni Dinner, 2010

The University of Auckland, Faculty of Engineering | 3 Faculty News

“If you wound the clock back to 1975, we were “To add 850 megawatts to New Zealand’s pool Perspectives on actually at 90 percent of renewables in terms of geothermal generation, we would need to renewable energy of generation so we have been there before. more than double our capacity,” said A/Prof Archer. What changes is the growth in thermal power Introducing 90 percent of renewable energy Dr Hooper said the government’s energy policy stations, gas-fire powered stations - cheap sources into New Zealand’s electricity sector was a dramatic shift from that of previous Maui gas changed our energy mix.” would introduce more volatility, uncertainty governments, which was very much focused on and create a system not aligned to industry “The government outlook forecasts getting to decarbonising New Zealand’s economy. needs, according to an energy expert. 78 percent of renewables by 2025 and up to “In terms of the 90 percent question, it is Dr George Hooper, a senior consultant with 83 percent in the year 2030,” she said. probably worthwhile reflecting the electricity Transfield Worley, made the comment during industry in New Zealand contributes 19 “Where is all that regeneration going to a Faculty of Engineering panel discussion on percent of the total C02 emissions. An energy come from in terms of the mix of energy New Zealand’s aspiration of generating a policy that relates to decarbonising our sources? Government forecasts show that minimum of 90 percent of its electricity from electricity sector is only dealing with the top for the energy mix going up to 2030 renewable sources by 2025. 19 percent of C02 emissions in this country.” they’re predicting 850 megawatts (MW) of The energy theme event, which was part of the geothermal generation being added to the Also on the panel was Dr Rob Kirkpatrick from Dean’s Lecture Series, attracted more than mix, 850 MW of wind, 390 MW for gas and the Department of Chemical & Materials 150 people, including top executives from the 350 MW for potentially small scale hydro.” Engineering. energy sector.

“Trying to get our renewable energy into the electricity sector is only dealing with a very small part of the problem; it is actually not dealing with the problem as a whole. So you’ve got to understand the dynamics of the electricity system, the reliability, the lot,” says Dr Hooper.

So what is the impact of introducing 90 percent renewables into the system?

“It introduces volatility. You introduce uncertainty, you create a system that is not aligned with the needs of industry,” said Dr Hooper.

Energy research theme leader Associate Professor Rosalind Archer, who was also on the panel, said according to Ministry of Economic Development data, 77 percent of New Zealand’s electricity was currently being generated by renewables, Left to right: Dr Rob Kirkpatrick, Professor Michael Davies, Associate Professor Rosalind Archer substantially less than three decades ago. and Dr George Hooper

Engineers also make to teach with and learn from, says Bryony. “Teaching is a team sport, even when you’re excellent teachers standing in front of a class on your own. The Associate Professor Bryony James from the best teaching experience the students can Faculty of Engineering has been awarded a have is when all the lecturers in a course are teaching excellence award from The University relating their material to that of the other and nominated for a national teaching award. lecturers in that course, relating the material to their research and their colleagues’ Bryony, who received a sustained excellence in research, and relating the material to what the teaching award, says she was pleased to get students see around them every day.” the teaching excellence award for a job she loves. The University awarded eight teaching “I always wanted to be an engineer and being a excellence awards and Bryony is one of three lecturer in engineering is the best of all worlds as winners nominated by the University for the I get to be a materials engineer, run the national 2013 Tertiary Teaching Excellence Research Centre for Surface and Materials Awards (TTEA). Excellent teacher Bryony James Science, do research on food structure (including Bryony, from the Department of Chemical and relationships, and surface science and engineering. chocolate, cheese, wine and biscuits!) and I get Materials Engineering, teaches stage one to pass on the passion I have for all of this to Materials Science and a postgraduate course Bryony has a PhD in Materials Engineering 700 hundred of the brightest kids in the country in Advanced Materials Characterisation. from The University of Auckland and a BE each year. What’s not to love about my job?” Her research areas include materials (Hons) in Materials Science and Engineering She is also fortunate to have incredible colleagues characterisation, food structure and property from the University of Bath, England.

4 | The University of Auckland, Faculty of Engineering unidirectional water flows such as rivers, in invitations to give Stephen E. Coleman estuaries and coastal currents. keynote talks at major (1966-2012) conferences and Being a brilliant experimentalist, Stephen Stephen Edward Coleman was born on summer schools, developed a range of new experimental February 22, 1966 in New Zealand. He died on editorial work at July 23, 2012 at the age of 46, after a short techniques, procedures, measurement Water Resources battle with stomach cancer. Stephen received equipment and laboratory facilities, with the Research, member- his BE in Civil Engineering in 1987 at the unique oil flume for ‘zooming’ viscous sublayer ship and leadership Faculty of Engineering, followed by a PhD study, and studying sediment transport and a in many IAHR task also at the Faculty, in 1992. His PhD research ‘magnetic’ flume for controlling sediment committees and on sand dune initiation and development has transport experiments, amongst the most working groups, and produced a wealth of new ideas and unique spectacular examples. Curious about all facets external PhD Stephen E. Coleman experimental data, and was recognised in 1995 of sediment transport, Stephen made step examinations. with the International Lorenz G. Straub Award changes in conceptual understandings of Being a great patriot of New Zealand rivers, for most meritorious thesis at PhD level in sediment transport mechanisms and associated Stephen initiated and led the Rivers Group of hydraulic engineering. flow structure in equilibrium and non- the Institute of Professional Engineers of equilibrium conditions. New data sets and New Zealand and the Fluvial Process Initiative After a two-year involvement as an assistant conceptual developments for turbulence at The University of Auckland. engineer at Works Consultancy Services Ltd in structure over regular and irregular rough beds Wellington, Stephen returned in 1993 to the are contributions of the recent years of his life. An excellent communicator and inspiring Faculty of Engineering as a lecturer. Since then presenter, a caring teacher and mentor, Stephen his professional career has always been His research of fluvial mechanics was was always popular among undergraduate and associated with this Faculty where he published in 45 journal papers and around postgraduate students who benefited a lot from progressed from Lecturer to Senior Lecturer 70 peer reviewed book chapters and his lectures and stimulating discussions. (2000) and to Associate Professor (2005). conference papers. Stephen is also widely known for his accomplishments in engineering Stephen has been a key player in hydraulic In his career, Stephen skilfully maintained a studies of scouring processes, with significant research over the last decade, with good balance between fundamental and contributions to bridge scour and erosion of exceptionally high potential for significant new applied hydraulic research, making outstanding fractured rock. Stephen’s work in this area was achievements in forthcoming decades. Stephen contributions to both. Stephen was curious reported in a well-known and widely cited book, was also a real gentleman, a great family man, about many things but he particularly focused Bridge Scour (2000), that was an outcome of and a fine human being, who touched the lives on sediment transport, morphodynamics, his research partnership with Bruce Melville. of so many. He will be greatly missed by his turbulence, waves, flow-biota interactions, and family, the whole hydraulics community and by flow-structure interactions in oscillatory and Stephen’s high international standing is reflected all those who knew him personally.

candidate Felix Scheibmair under the supervision project, a second timber portal frame project Quick Connect of Professor Pierre Quenneville as part of the using the quick connect concept is underway concept wins Timber Structural Timber Innovation Company Project. by the same team of consultants and builders who won the award and other projects are in Innovation award “This award means a lot to us. It recognises the the pipeline in New Zealand and Australia. A quick connect system developed by an creativity and hard work put in by Felix over engineering postgraduate candidate for use the last three years. He has done the science, One of the four judges of the NZ Wood Awards, the development of the design procedures for in timber framed buildings has earned the architect Pip Cheshire, said this year’s awards practicing engineers and the promotion of the Faculty of Engineering an accolade at the leaves a very strong impression of the growing concept both in New Zealand and Australia,” 2012 NZ Wood Timber Design Awards. influence of science in timber design and construction. says Professor Quenneville. The Faculty of Engineering, Strata Group “What we are seeing is traditional ground The quick connect technology consists of where a skill saw and a hammer still prevail, Consulting Engineers Ltd and Alexanders pre-fabricated, pre-installed LVL sleeves, but science is growing in influence,” he said. Construction were winners of the Timber screwed to the main portal frame LVL Innovation in Business category for the use of members and grooved to allow the insertion of “There is also a confluence of circumstances quick connect timber frame connections in threaded rods that are fastened to the which have conspired to turn our attention Napier’s Tumu ITM Building. receiving columns or rafters. towards timber. It might even have started with the leaky building issue.” The quick connect concept was developed by Phd The system allows for more assembly offsite, saving time and money. The expedient “The Canterbury earthquakes also proved that installation of rafters to timber, steel or some other building materials might not be so concrete columns reduces the use of a crane flexible and this seems to have triggered more and labour needed during erection. In the thinking about timber.” Tumu ITM building, the quick connect concept was used between the LVL rafters and the steel This year’s awards attracted 93 entries across columns, at the LVL rafter splices and at the the nine categories – a record in the more than LVL rafter apex connections. 30 year history of the Timber Design Awards. Quick connect technology developed by Felix Of these, 38 were selected for second stage Scheibmair As a result of the success of the Tumu ITM judging and 14 recognised with awards.

The University of Auckland, Faculty of Engineering | 5 Faculty News CONTINUED

the sharing of many hilarious stories, both earthquake-prone New Zealand. Of particular Fitting retirement ‘ancient and modern’. engineering significance has been George’s celebration for long- work on the deep cycle fatigue failure of George joined the Department of Chemical welded steel joints and the development of serving engineering and Materials Engineering as a young lecturer new standards that specify critical levels of in its year of inception in 1968, after ductility in reinforcing steel required to meet academic completing postdoctoral studies at both earthquake standards. These achievements On July 21, at the Sorrento on One Tree Hill, a Berkeley and Oxford. His pivotal contributions reflect George’s unique set of intellectual retirement dinner was held to honour Emeritus to the establishing and development of the qualities – his fundamental physical and Professor George Ferguson’s 43 years of department’s dual-track chemical and mathematical rigour, his core training in service to The University of Auckland, and as materials degree programme, and as Head of mechanical analysis, and his insightful one of the founding academic members of the Department from 2004-08, have been understanding of the science of materials Department of Chemical and Materials enormous. Tributes during the evening were behaviour – and have enabled him to make a Engineering. heaped on George for his service at all levels quite remarkable contribution, both nationally of the University - the wisdom, insights and and internationally, across the disciplines of Some 70 guests attended, which included perceptive comments that he brought to so civil, mechanical and materials engineering. George’s wife Claire, his two daughters many committees, discussions and Stephanie and Lisa and son Jonathan, their conversations of both an academic and As a fitting, though slightly quirky, recognition partners and several grandchildren, current administrative nature will not be forgotten. of George’s research involvement in reinforced and former members of the department and steel and his administrative abilities, a member the Faculty of Engineering, as well as two George’s great research ‘love’ was fracture of the department’s technical staff Mr former Deans, Emeritus Professor Ray Meyer mechanics, an area of materials behaviour of Raymond Hoffmann fashioned a steel and Professor Roy Sharp. Together they huge practical importance. It is a discipline reinforcing bar to be an enlarged model of celebrated George’s outstanding contributions that has had far-reaching engineering George’s classic signature. All in the to the University during his long academic ramifications especially with respect to the department familiar with the manner in which career, with an evening of dining together and design of steel reinforced structures in his classic signature WG Ferguson was added to every document that passed his careful scrutiny will relate fondly to this quite magnificent piece of engineered artwork.

As a department we are truly grateful for all that George has given us over these 43 plus years. We all wish Emeritus Professor George Ferguson a warm and fulfilling retirement, and one to be enjoyed with his life-friend and wife, Claire.

George Fergusson – WGF Fitting retirement celebration and signature work

Professor Brent Young, Head of the an adjunct position at Plant & Food Research. University and Plant Department of Chemical and Materials & Food Research Engineering, says it will combine under one Both Dr Zaid and Professor Murat will maintain roof food processing expertise from Plant & offices at the Plant & Food Research campus in pooling food Food and the University that will help in the Mt Albert as well as at the University. The development of new products and processes. appointments build on an existing relationship processing expertise between the two teams, says Professor Young. A $3 million food processing laboratory is “The collaboration is a win-win for both the being established at The University of University and Plant & Food. Having one main As well as Plant & Food and University staff, Auckland due to a partnership between the lab will encourage more collaborative research masters and PhD students will also use the and build on the number of current joint projects.” University and Plant & Food Research. laboratory. Under the partnership, The Lab; to be based at the University’s Dr Zaid Saleh from Tāmaki Innovation Campus, is due to open in Plant & Food will take time for the start of the 2013 university year. up a joint appointment in the University’s Pilot plant equipment that is currently at Plant & Department of Food and high pressure manufacturing Chemical and equipment housed at the University’s main Materials Engineering, campus will be moved to the University’s Tāmaki and Professor Murat Innovation Campus. The equipment will be used Balaban, Chair of Food for joint projects with the University and Plant & Process Engineering at Food Research, as well as with industry. the University, will hold Professor Murat Balaban, Professor Brent Young and Dr Zaid Saleh

6 | The University of Auckland, Faculty of Engineering Research

SPINEWEEK also saw another major Annual Meeting in Sydney (27-29 April this The University of international success for the spinal research year). This latter prize (A$1,000) is awarded Auckland Spine group, Second year PhD student and first annually to the best paper presented at the author Samantha Rodrigues’ presentation “The scientific meeting by a surgical trainee or Biomechanics micromechanics of annulus-endplate junior research scientist. research group gains integration” was judged to be the top basic science paper and received the International Professor Broom attributes the success of the further international Society for the Lumbar Spine (ISSL) Medtronic Tissue Mechanics Research Laboratory in the prize of US$1000. Department of Chemical and Materials recognition Engineering to several key factors; firstly he Researchers in the Experimental Tissue These two accolades from SPINEWEEK add to says, “We have really gifted PhD students who Mechanics Laboratory within the Department the Tissue Mechanics Laboratory’s quite work closely with each other in a highly of Chemical and Materials Engineering led by remarkable history of gaining major supportive though absurdly crowded Professor Neil Broom and Dr Ashvin Thambyah international awards in spinal research. In laboratory environment”. Professor Broom has have gained further international recognition 2008 two journal papers published in the top observed the warm and generous spirit in for their pioneering work on the intervertebral journal SPINE by first author PhD students Sam which the demanding and novel experimental disc. Recently in Amsterdam from 28 May to 1 Veres and Meredith Schollum were jointly techniques underpinning all of the laboratory’s June spine researchers from around the world awarded the ISSLS Prize of US$15,000 at the spine, joint and ligament research activities are met for SPINEWEEK, a huge 4-yearly Geneva SPINEWEEK conference. Then in 2009 passed down through the graduate student conference that brings together members from Meredith Schollum’s paper was awarded the generations by those more experienced. all major spine research societies. ISSLS Medtronic prize of US$1000 at the Florida ISSLS conference while in 2010, Sam Secondly, and especially so for the spine The conference included a special meeting in Veres’ paper, published in the journal SPINE, research, the group has greatly benefitted which the group’s work was recognised with was again awarded the ISSLS prize of from the clinical input of one of NZ’s top the award of the EuroSpine-Grammer AG prize (US$15,000). spinal surgeons, Dr Peter Robertson, (20,000 Euros) for first author PhD student Auckland City Hospital. Peter’s contribution Kelly Wade’s paper, “A fresh look at the Further, the group has been three times as a surgeon has ensured that the published nucleus-endplate region: new evidence for awarded the Spine Society of Australia Basic papers, while primarily addressing the significant structural integration”. Kelly’s paper Science Prize in 2005, 2006 and 2010 each fundamental relationship between tissue was ranked as the top research contribution with a value of A$10,000. Samantha Rodrigues micro-architecture and function, have ahead of all other papers published in the was also awarded The Rob Johnston Prize at significant clinical relevance. European Spine Journal in 2011. the Spine Society of Australia 23rd Scientific Lastly, the laboratory’s approach to its tissue research is definitely unorthodox. Professor Broom has consistently argued that the tissues of particular interest to the group, by their very nature, must be ‘observed in motion’ if we are to fully understand their structure/function relationships and thus the influence of disease. “Passive observation cannot,” he argues, “effectively uncover these crucial relationships. The experimental approaches developed in the Tissue Mechanics Research Laboratory over many years has given it a unique advantage internationally.”

The international recognition that has come to the research group members is, for them, a huge encouragement. The prize monies too have been put to good use, providing both stipend support at critical moments and enabling the purchase of several essential imaging facilities. The laboratory’s spine research has also been generously supported by grants from the Auckland Medical Research Foundation, Lottery Health, the Wishbone Trust (NZOA), and Medtronic Asia.

Spine research Professor Neil Broom, Samantha Rodrigues (PhD student), Kelly Wade (PhD student) and Dr Ashvin Thambyah

The University of Auckland, Faculty of Engineering | 7 Research CONTINUED

service provider interaction, will make it easier FRAMECAD and its technology is the fastest, Manufacturing for New Zealand manufacturing companies to most innovative steel-framing business solution, in the cloud collectively take on more substantial and enabling profitable, repeatable and quality Researchers from The University of Auckland complex projects”, says Professor Xu. construction systems. One of the key objectives are developing cloud manufacturing of the project is to set up a Network of “It’s a good fit for New Zealand companies technology to make it easier for New Zealand Manufacturers (NoM) that is cloud-enabled. It because they tend to be small in size so it’s manufacturing companies to take on bigger is envisaged that cloud technology will enable difficult for them to take on big projects. But projects and to share resources. scalability across all aspects of the FRAMECAD with cloud manufacturing, if projects are too business, ranging from design, manufacturing Project leader Professor Xun Xu, from the big for them to handle alone, they will be able to quality control and even training. Faculty of Engineering, an expert in intelligent to access resources from other companies or to and interoperable manufacturing solutions, partner with other businesses.” Involved in the research project are Dr Xinfeng says cloud manufacturing can give businesses Ye from the Faculty of Science, an expert in Professor Xu says a cloud manufacturing access to extra manufacturing capabilities. internet-based computing, and Professor Ananth platform can enhance a manufacturer’s Srinivasan, from the Business School, who is an “Cloud manufacturing allows a company’s capability, increase its competitiveness and expert in enterprise systems and architecture. resources to be packaged in a cloud for others productivity. to use. For example, a company may have a At the 1st Annual World Conference on Cloud piece of machinery that is sitting idle for 50 “A percentage increase in the total productivity Computing (CloudCon-2012) held in Dalian, percent of the time, which is a waste, but if it of our manufacturing sector is estimated to China, Professor Xu delivered a keynote on the were to hire that piece of machinery out by add about $250 million to our country’s Gross topic of technical insights into cloud offering it as a cloud resource it could be used Domestic Product (GDP),” says Professor Xu. manufacturing. The conference was attended by by another company. For both companies it’s a some top cloud technology developers such as The University is running a pilot programme ‘win-win’ situation,” says Professor Xu. IBM, Microsoft, Intel Corporation and Dell Inc. with FRAMECAD, a New Zealand business The University’s Cloud Manufacturing Platform renowned for steel-frame building solutions. The project was initiated under the University’s Project, the first of its kind in New Zealand and Innovative and Manufacturing and Materials “FRAMECAD has already established a one of only a handful in the world, will enable (IMM) Programme. Launched in August last manufacturing companies to share resources network of companies using its technology in year, IMM is designed to provide a single point such as manufacturing software tools, equipment more than 30 countries. Large construction of contact for manufacturing and materials and fabrication capabilities with other companies. projects that we undertake often require the related businesses, or industry groups who are ability to quickly scale up their production looking to tap into the University’s expertise. “The technology, a computer and service related without compromising the FRAMECAD More than 150 researchers from across the model which enables network access to a shared certified quality standards. Cloud technology is University are involved in the programme. pool of manufacturing resources that can be just the right technology we need,” said Mark quickly released with little management effort or Taylor CEO/Chairman.

Dr Xin Ye, Professor Xun Xu and Professor Ananth Asuri Srinivasan

8 | The University of Auckland, Faculty of Engineering ability to empty itself resulting in a reduced several years of technical development. Research sheds quality of life due to chronic nausea, vomiting, abdominal bloating and pain. “We developed new clinical devices consisting light on debilitating of sheets of hundreds of electrodes that could medical condition Abnormal electrical activity in the stomach or be laid over the stomach to precisely track gastric dysrhythmias was known to be electrical patterns during surgery. A new Researchers from the Auckland Bioengineering associated with gastroparesis but until now no software platform for processing these patterns Institute (ABI) have accurately mapped the accurate descriptions of these abnormalities also had to be developed by the research patterns of abnormal gastric electrical activity existed, says Dr O’Grady. team”, says Dr O’Grady. that occurs during gastroparesis, a debilitating stomach condition. “This is because previous research had been “Gastroparesis is a devastating disease that is impeded due to there being no adequate particularly difficult to diagnose and treat, and Dr Gregory O’Grady, from the Auckland methods to investigate gastric electrical its causes have been poorly understood. Our Gastrointestinal Research Group based at the activity,” he says. research provides significant new insights into ABI, says the new findings provide, for the first the disease, and opens the door to advanced time, an accurate and detailed description of The research project involved surgeons, new treatment options such as the use of gastric dysrhythmias in humans that will help engineers and biomedical scientists from the gastric pacemakers.” in the development of new diagnostic and University, the Mayo Clinic in the US, and the treatment options. University of Mississippi. “We hope that over the next few years our devices will evolve into routine clinical tools for diagnosing Gastroparesis, which affects predominately The gastrointestinal group’s research, which gastroparesis as well as other significant disorders women and 10 per cent of diabetics, is a was published in the prestigious international of stomach function,” says Dr O’Grady. medical condition that affects the stomach’s medical journal Gastroenterology, required The research programme was led for many years by the late Professor Andrew Pullan, a principal investigator with the ABI and a member of the Department of Engineering Science within the Faculty of Engineering, who passed away earlier this year.

The research is continued by Dr O’Grady, and the other lead investigators of the study Drs Leo Cheng and Peng Du from the ABI and Professor John Windsor from the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences.

The research was funded primarily by a project grant from the Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC). Left to right Doctors Greg O'Grady, Leo Chang and Peng Dujpg

across New Zealand’s primary industry sector. Dr Cather Simpson from the Faculty of Science Technology to help was awarded $7.68 million over four years for “Precision agriculture is the ability to precisely a laser micromachining project. New Zealand’s dairy monitor and control the health and well-being and aquaculture of agricultural products such as livestock and Scientific and engineering teams from CRIs, fruit and the understanding that this will allow academia and industry with expertise in sectors us to maximise the product in terms of both manufacturing, sensor development and A major Faculty of Engineering research project quality and quantity,” says Dr Partridge. decades of funded research into the is developing new sensing technology designed understanding of production, disease and The sensing technology will be used initially in to increase the productivity and profitability of hygiene related to the chosen application the aquaculture sector to detect micro- the dairy and aquaculture industries. areas are involved in the project. organisms, such as E. coli and listeria, and in the The High Performance Sensors Project has dairy sector to detect facial eczema, pregnancy been awarded a grant totalling more than and mastitis (a breast infection) in cows. $9 million over four years in the Government’s “The system will allow the low cost and rapid science investment round. detection of the target species such as bacteria or animal hormones,” says Dr Partridge. Associate Professor Ashton Partridge, from the Department of Chemical and Materials The Auckland Bioengineering Institute (ABI) Engineering, who is heading the research, says received two grants; Professor Peter Hunter the initial focus of the project is to enable the received $812,744 over two years for a virtual vision of ‘precision agriculture’, which promises clinical trials project and Dr Daniel McCormick to deliver unprecedented improvements in was awarded $870,238 over two years for a productivity, profitability and sustainability saviour energy for implanted devices project. Dr Daniel McCormick Professor Peter Hunter

The University of Auckland, Faculty of Engineering | 9 Research CONTINUED

Touchtable 29 Dr Hoda left with her students at the SEPTA R&D Lab

platform which dominates the global (NUI) is not only engaging and easily Touching the Future of smartphone market. We are looking to understood by young children but also provides Software Engineering explore the tablet arena and the iOS evidence that it supports reciprocal teaching, Since she established the Software Engineering (Apple) environment next.” collaboration and collaborative learning Processes Tools and Applications (SEPTA) research through gameplay as promoted by the Te One of Dr Hoda’s latest R&D efforts is focused group at The University of Auckland about a year Whāriki curriculum framework. on creating touch-based software applications ago, Dr Hoda has been busy exploring the for early years education. “There is something Their cross-disciplinary project won the best exciting new area of touch-based software about the ease of use and intuitive nature of project in the software tools category as judged applications research and development. touch technology that seems to cut across a by the industry among final year engineering “With the burgeoning popularity of touch-based wide range of age-groups, including children projects this year. “I’m really proud of my team devices, touch software applications – or ‘apps’ and the elderly who may otherwise struggle and the effort we’ve put into this project. Our as they are called, are fast becoming the way with traditional computing devices such as research-informed touch software application we interact with ICT. We are keen to explore desktops, keyboards, and mouse.” and the findings of this research offer a new domains in which to research and apply valuable new platform for providing new However, the SEPTA team isn’t relying on this exciting new technology,” says Dr Hoda. teaching and learning experiences in the New instincts or popular trends alone. As a part of Zealand childhood education domain.” Dr Hoda’s SEPTA lab in the Department of a final year Software Engineering project, Dr Electrical and Computer Engineering is Hoda recently conducted a study into the use Dr Hoda’s research is receiving increased equipped with a number of state-of-the-art of touch-based software applications in the attention from various quarters including touch devices that fuel research and area of early years’ education. She believes in students interested in pursuing research in this development in this area. employing robust research and development area as well as from the industry interested in processes to work closely with practitioners collaborations and partnerships. “We work “We are currently working on Microsoft and end-users from initial domain observations, closely with practitioners and end-users to Windows and Android platforms.” In the brainstorming of ideas, designing and understand the application domain, its Windows platform, Dr Hoda’s team is prototyping, to implementation, running trials subtleties and challenges, and to design and developing multi-touch based software with real users and reporting the findings. develop research-informed solutions. We applications for devices such as the Samsung welcome partnerships with the industry to SUR40 with Microsoft PixelSense technology “I strongly endorse the importance of aligning explore bright new ideas as well as help resolve (previously called Surface 2.0) which is an technological and pedagogical choices and of some age-old challenges in their domain integrated tabletop computer with a 40’ touch studying real-life contexts as imperative steps in through the use of our cutting-edge touch surface that supports up to 50 simultaneous designing not just usable, but useful software software solutions.” touch points. solutions for the education domain.” As a result, Dr Hoda has on her team besides Software Other software applications developed at the They leverage PixelSense’s ability to interact not Engineers, domain experts such as Shiree Lee, an SEPTA research group include an Android app just with touch gestures, but with tangibles early childhood education expert from the School for personal health management and a (tagged objects) to provide more enriching of Curriculum and Pedagogy and Dr Annette Windows based project management tool for interaction experiences. Other devices currently Henderson, an early child psychology and Agile software development teams. Dr Hoda being used in R&D include the SMART table cognition expert from the School of Psychology. received her PhD in Computer Science from and NextWindow’s touch overlays. Victoria University of Wellington and her Their study demonstrated that interaction with Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from “We also develop applications for the Android multi-touch based Natural User Interfaces Louisiana State University, USA.

10 | The University of Auckland, Faculty of Engineering network and the cost of power (as driven by peak expertise in renewable development. Making the national demand) all need to be managed in balance grid smarter with the different types and requirements of The research team will also investigate electricity generation and demand.” consumer behaviour around some of the new The Faculty of Engineering’s Power Systems technologies in the industry. This includes Group is part of a national research team that The University’s Power Systems Group will look domestic solar installations, home automation, is tasked with making the national grid smarter. at which economic and technical models can and the use of smart meters with smart be used to evaluate the potential impact of appliances to deliver home automation. The research project, which is being led by the renewable energy feeding into the distribution University of Canterbury and also involves of New Zealand’s electricity networks. The As part of the project, consumers will be Otago University’s Centre for Sustainability, group will also consider if there are surveyed to understand their perceptions and will deal with issues fundamental to the future opportunities for new pricing structures, anticipated use of new technology in the of New Zealand’s electricity supply. demand side integration products and new electricity network, including solar panels on services for transmission operators and what their roofs, home automation, electric vehicles The government has given the research mechanisms can be used to investigate the and demand management. team a grant of $6.3 million over six years performance of low voltage networks. for the project. Contributing to the research will be companies such as Transpower, Dr Nair says the project will also investigate Orion, Unison, Vector, Mercury Energy, solar renewable generation and the highly Mighty River Power, the Electricity Authority, technical aspects of feeding it into the the Electricity Engineers Association, and distribution network, where it may completely Fisher & Paykel Appliances. change the direction that power flows.

Dr Nirmal Nair, from the Department of Electrical University of Canterbury’s Dr Allan Miller, who and Computer Engineering, says the research is heading the research, said the group is project will use modelling of future trends in looking at ways to safely and economically renewable electricity generation and household embed new renewable generation into the demand, together with in-depth knowledge of electricity network, especially the distribution electricity networks and power management, to network to ensure a secure electricity supply. ensure that New Zealanders have access to reliable, safe and affordable renewable energy. New Zealand is targeting 90 percent of electricity generation to be from renewable “New Zealand’s electricity network is sources by 2025, providing this can ensure a fundamental to our daily activities and to our secure supply of electricity. Dr Miller said the income generation. The reliability and quality target was challenging but realistic, given New of power supply, the safety of the electricity Zealand’s renewable energy potential, and Dr Nirmal Nair

run more clinical trials Building muscles while involving stroke patients. playing computer Professor Xie (from the games Department of Researchers from the Faculty of Engineering Mechanical have developed advanced rehabilitation Engineering) is the University’s first ever devices to help stroke patients strengthen Chair in their muscles while at the same time playing Biomechatronics. computer games. Biomechatronics is the “The main goal is not to play the game but to interdisciplinary study of stimulate the patient’s interest so while they biology, mechanics, are playing the computer game they gain electronics, software not only restore function but enhance muscle strength”, says Professor Shane Xie and control. It focuses on the interactivity of performance beyond typical human limits,” he says. from the Faculty. biological organs with electromechanical devices and systems. Professor Xie says the rehabilitation devices Professor Xie, and other researchers from the improve peoples mobility and their quality University, have developed two types of Professor Xie is also head of the University’s of life. wearable exoskeleton devices for stroke Medical and Rehabilitation Robotics Research patients, one for gait rehabilitation and the Group – where the rehabilitation devices and “Even 20 years after a stroke a person can other for upper limb rehabilitation. They have robot technology is being developed. gain mobility through rehabilitation exercises,” also developed a wearable ankle robot to aid he says. in the rehabilitation of ankle sprains. “Our research is targeted at people whose strength and coordination has been affected by Professor Xie’s other research areas include The devices have been tested on people with amputation, stroke, cerebral palsy or aging. We surgical robotics for brain and orthopaedic and without disabilities, and the next stage is to believe appropriate mechanical assistance can surgery.

The University of Auckland, Faculty of Engineering | 11 Engineering Students

Engineering students take part in Enginuity Day

students the chance to try engineering with a “Macaronage” were crowned the Enginuity Enginuity Day calls for hands-on approach.” 2012 Champions. more females to study The following lecturers spoke to the students Enginuity 2012 is the Global Business engineering during the day: Management Competition for construction The Faculty of Engineering encouraged Year 13 Dr Elizabeth Fassman, senior lecturer in Civil professionals. Taking part in Enginuity 2012 high school girls studying physics and calculus to and Environmental Engineering talked about gives competitors the opportunity to gain a explore the possibility of a career as an engineer her current research projects on full scale living better understanding of how a modern at its annual Enginuity Day on 28 June. roofs (aka green roofs), permeable pavement, construction business operates. bioretention (rain gardens) and constructed Held at The Faculty of Engineering, Enginuity wetlands. Competition participants work as a team of Day saw more than 200 students from 40 directors, and are given the task of taking over secondary schools from across the North Associate Professor Rosalind Archer and running a fledgling worldwide UK-based Island take part in the annual event. This year (Engineering Science) outlined innovative construction company. Key decisions need to student organisation Engineers Without energy solutions using oil, wind farm design, be made to manage the business for a Borders was also incorporated into the day’s gas and geothermal energy. simulated number of years, in a dynamic ‘real events and were well received by the students. Dr Michelle Dickinson, senior lecturer in life’ environment, with jobs, clients, competitors Chemical and Materials, spoke about the and people across different continents, This year’s theme, “Imagine, Innovate, Discover, world of nanotechnology and opened students’ resulting in unique challenges and Design”, explored the ways in which engineers eyes to the invisible world. opportunities, and requiring some special discover solutions to problems by using their management skills to be successful. imagination to design innovative answers. Later in the day current engineering students talked about what it is like to study engineering The competition runs over two stages, Stage 1: Robyn MacLeod, Women in Engineering Equity and the many academic and social The Preliminary Round. This was run over eight Adviser, said students were given a problem organisations that students can belong to at rounds between February and April 2012. Each and told to work as a team with students from The University of Auckland. team competed for work against a number of other schools to come up with a viable ‘fictional’ rival companies. Each one had their solution. Engineers Without Borders tied this Engineering students own unique profile and bidding history, and a in with their other projects which confront careful assessment of the opposition was global challenges of poverty, sustainable win Enginuity 2012 required to formulate an effective procurement development and social inequity. This year eight teams competed in Enginuity strategy. The dynamics of this stage enabled the teams to appreciate the impact of each Currently 23 percent of all engineering 2012; three from the UK, three from America decision they made. undergraduates studying Engineering at The and two from New Zealand, including University of Auckland are female, a figure the graduates from the Faculty of Engineering in Stage 2: The Knockout Final saw the top eight University hopes to eventually increase to 50 2011, team “Macaronage”. This team consisted teams at the end of the preliminary rounds percent. of Jason Lim, Karen Stokes, Kevin Ng, Ying Yang and Ijma Pradhan. invited to compete in an intensive knockout “By holding Enginuity Day we are actively final played over two days at the beginning of encouraging Year 13 girls to find out more After starting day two in second place, team May. During the final, the teams competed about the broad range of opportunities a “Macaronage” from Auckland moved to within against each other for not only work, but also career in engineering can offer them,” she says. only five points of “Bay Breakers” (PB Americas, the services of project managers. This created US) during the second to last period. They then an even more uncertain and pressurised “Various workshop activities demonstrating the took over the top spot during the last period, environment in which the skills and team creativity and problem solving processes that and extended their lead during the final round dynamics formed in the early years were really all engineers use in real life will give the to deservedly lift the title. put to the test.

12 | The University of Auckland, Faculty of Engineering The sixth annual Fletcher Construction Design and Build Zome Competition A collaborative effort between the Faculty of Engineering, Engineering Library and Fletcher Construction - challenged engineering students to see what they could make with a set number of plastic Zome sticks and balls and collaborative brain power in a limited time, using their engineering design skills. Entry was limited to 20 teams and sponsored by Fletcher Construction with $2000 in cash prizes.

Winner of the ‘Nature’ category was the “Kiwi bird” designed by Fatin Fahani Fadzil, Ho Wan Ri, Mohd Fikri Zulkifli and Zarifah Binti Zahri. Second prize went to the “Elephant,” designed by Daniel Chen, Allan Veale and David Shin. Daniel Chen, Allan Veale and David Shin

‘Man-made’ category winner was the Knight designed by Kirsten Ky, Louise Wan, Lily Kim and Milanda Jayasekera.

Second prize was awarded to “Super Bike 2” designed by Ted Yang, Jose Cachero, Benji Yen and Maggie Shu Han Lin.

The following models were highly commended: “Duck” – Priya Mittal, Tejas Parnerkar, Shivank Dubey and Shrey Bharat; “Portable Hardon Collinder” – Sunkee Hong, Sam Metson and Sam Grace; “Man-made Space Shuttle” – Mu Chien Lee, Jia Yan Chia, Wan Ahmad Sabri and Fan Di Pang; “Man-made Observatory” – Wayne Tse, Chang Zhai and Zhangtai Sun.

All models are currently on display in the Engineering Library. Competition winners: Fatin Fahani Fadzil, Ho Wan Ri, Mohd Fikri Zulkifli and Zarifah Binti Zahri

Engineering student would have to wait until everyone had Matt was one of three 2011 University of completed the event before finding out final Auckland Sports Blues recipients competing at makes orienteering times and placings. His time of 27 minutes and the championships, with Laura Robertson, who history 55 seconds was the fastest, 13 seconds clear placed 27th in the Women’s A final, and of the next best result. Duncan Morrison, 25th in the Men’s B final, Matt Ogden, a second-year engineering also taking part. student, has won the junior title at the Junior New Zealand team manager Derek Morrison says that Matt’s win is a great result in a sport World Orienteering Championships in Slovakia. “This is a great achievement for Matt and a typically dominated by Europeans. “Matt’s Matt has become the first male from outside of great reward for his commitment and Europe to win the title in the competition’s 12 outstanding achievement in a sport dominated dedication. The University is proud to see our year history. by the Scandinavians marked the first time a New Zealand male has finished better than elite athletes, like Matt, Laura and Duncan, The final for the middle distance event, a 4.8 10th in a Junior Worlds competition. It was competing and excelling overseas and we will kilometre course, is arranged so that clear at the finish and at the medal ceremony watch with interest in their development over competitors start in order of slowest qualifying that the crowd was delighted at the success of the next few years,” said Louis Rattray, Director time meaning Matt, who qualified fifth fastest, one of orienteering’s lesser known countries.” for Sport and Recreation at the University.

The University of Auckland, Faculty of Engineering | 13 Engineering Students CONTINUED

Cancer Foundation with the support of staff Women in Engineering and students within the Faculty. raise money for Breast This year the girls sold a range of pink cakes Cancer Awareness Day and biscuits, and kept in theme by dressing in The Women in Engineering Network (WEN) pink costumes. Their efforts proved very annual support of Pink Ribbon Day was held successful as a total of $2,100 was collected on on 12 October. Each year the girls work hard the day for the charity. Women in Engineering Network raised $2,100 to raise money for the New Zealand Breast on Pink Ribbon Day

Student’s ladder the mend, but Jonathan was off to Wellington alarm, Jonathan’s was the only idea that to receive an award for his winning idea. combined the best features of both solutions. design wins prize Jonathan had used ladders a lot as a student “Falls from ladders can be extremely serious A ladder design by engineering student at Edgewater College, working on lighting in and a product like this could have a significant Jonathan Prins, which was inspired by his the school auditorium. “I know ladders can be reduction in the 11,000 accidents that occur nana’s fall from a ladder, has won a $10,000 precarious if you’re not careful. It’s pretty high each year,” they said. prize in a national competition. and you often have to lean out. We were The first year engineering student, from the supposed to have a second person holding the Faculty of Engineering, won the ladder category base at school but very few people are going in ACC’s Idea Nation competition. The to have that at home.” competition, which attracted 600 entries, aims Jonathan has always liked inventing things. His to help combat the 100,000 working-age people father Robert said even as a child, he was injuring themselves in home falls every year. always looking for new ways of building and Jonathan’s entry, the Ladder Base Alarm doing things. combines a levelling plate that can be adjusted “We were doing some house renovations and for uneven surfaces, with a tilt-alarm that warns Jonathan kept coming up with a lot of way out the user if the ladder begins to lean too far. ideas on how to make things better,” Robert said. He’d already submitted a few ideas when, a ACC statistics show that every year, about few weeks later, his Nana fell from a ladder 11,000 New Zealanders are injured after and smashed her kneecap. falling off a ladder in the home. “She’d had the ladder out too far from the wall The judges, who created a special ladder and it slipped out from under her. I took that as category for the competition after receiving a sign that I needed to come up with an idea to help stop that sort of thing,” says Jonathan. more than 80 entries for that hazard alone, said that while there were a number of Eight weeks later, his Nana’s knee was still on suggestions for a levelling device or a tilt Jonathan Prins and ACC Minister Judith Collins

The crew managed to hold off a strong since moved down to Cambridge where he will Bronze medal at the challenge in the final 300m from the continue his undergraduate degree and U23 Rowing World Australian and French crews, leaving them training. “I am very grateful for the support I tired but elated with having placed in their first have received from The University of Auckland Championships international race as a crew. during my Under-23 campaign and more Earlier this year Bobby Kells, a third-year recently my move to Cambridge”. engineering student, made a memorable “We’re stoked with a bronze medal especially international debut winning bronze as part of when this was our first race as a crew and an the men’s coxed four at the Under-23 Rowing international debut for three of us. Hopefully World Championships in Lithuania. this is the beginning of an international career for us and with New Zealand’s rowing The New Zealanders went into the final race programme getting stronger and stronger, facing a strong head wind which would favour making the 2016 Olympics is a definite goal.” some of the bigger crews, but this did not seem to faze Bobby or the team. The New Zealand Under-23 men’s coxed four are Bobby Kells, Michael Berry, Alex Kennedy, “We didn’t let the head wind affect our focus Axel Dickinson and Caleb Shepherd. and we were determined to give the best race we could. Coming into the first 500m mark we Since the Under-23 Rowing World had been left behind by most crews, due mainly Championships Bobby went on to be selected to the initial power of the bigger crews handling to trial for the New Zealand men’s elite From left to right, (back) Bobby Kells, Axel the head wind, but once we settled into our summer squad, where he was successfully Dickinson and Alex Kennedy, (front) Caleb rhythm, with our heads down, we fought on.” selected into the 2012/2013 team. Bobby has Shepard (coxwain) and Michael Berry

14 | The University of Auckland, Faculty of Engineering Scholarships and Awards

Dr Te Kipa Kepa Brian Morgan Excellence in Equity Award Associate Professor Enrico Hammerle and daughter Corina Hammerle It is a pleasure to announce that Dr Te Kipa Kepa Brian Morgan was awarded an Excellence Graduation Story in Equity award for his sustained work for the Associate Professor of Engineering Enrico Haemmerle was a proud father as he watched his eldest Maori and Pasifika engineering students since daughter Corina receive her conjoint BCOM/LLB (Honours) degree. Corina recently started as a law 1998. The award was presented to Kepa by the graduate in the commercial litigation team at Minter Ellison Rudd Watts. One of her goals is to Vice-Chancellor on 27 September at the Fale become an expert in sports law. During her summer internship she was a member of the legal team Pasifika. As Kepa was away, members of his at FC Bayern Munich – one of the world’s most well-known legal teams. family accepted the award on his behalf.

Cambridge will enable me to further develop Woolf Fisher my field of interest in New Zealand in the Trust Scholarship coming years. I would really like to acknowledge the fantastic lecturers I’ve had at awarded to 4th year the Faculty of Engineering. This wouldn’t have engineering student been possible without them.” Chemical and Materials Engineering student Daniel’s research will focus on the scalability of Daniel Fitzpatrick has been awarded one of the flow chemistry reactors used for pharmaceutical Woolf Fisher Trust scholarships for 2013. production, especially on overcoming the problems surrounding their maximum Daniel was one of three successful candidates production limits. He will also apply his chemical who participated in the gruelling process engineering background to improve the which began with 50 applications that were preparation and extraction processes associated forwarded from universities around New with flow synthesis. He hopes that increasing the Zealand. Eight students were shortlisted and efficiency of the overall flow chemistry process put through a series of interviews, which led to will enable pharmaceutical companies to the decision to award Daniel and two other synthesise complex molecules in a more students each with the $400,000 scholarship. cost-effective manner.

The Woolf Fisher Trust Scholarship covers four He plans to work with the Ley Group, within the Daniel Fitzpatrick years of PhD study at the University of Department of Chemistry at the University of pharmaceutical synthesis. I’m really keen to Cambridge. Cambridge and Professor Steve Ley has confirmed work with him and his team next year. Working that he will be Daniel’s main supervisor. “I am very grateful to the Woolf Fisher in such a new and exciting area will bring its trustees for giving me the opportunity to do “Professor Ley is leading the field when it fair share of challenges, but I’m looking postgraduate study in the United Kingdom. comes to developments in flow chemistry, forward to facing them during the course of Hopefully my experiences at the University of especially in the areas of natural product my research.”

The University of Auckland, Faculty of Engineering | 15 Scholarships and Awards CONTINUED AUEA Braithwaite- Thompson Graduate Research Award for 2012 The AUEA Braithwaite-Thompson Graduate scholarship is awarded annually to an international student studying a Master of Engineering, Master of Operations Research or a Doctorate in The Faculty of Engineering.

The scholarship, donated by Mr and Mrs Ray Thompson, focuses on the importance of innovative postgraduate research within The Faculty of Engineering. The award, established in 2007, is given out each year at a small lunch hosted at the Faculty to acknowledge the success of the student.

This year Stéphane Bertin was awarded the scholarship for his PhD research on Hydraulic Engineering. His thesis topic is “The use of a remote sensing technique, stereo- Dr Michael Neve (Associate Postgraduate Dean), Mrs Joan Thompson, Stéphane Bertin, photogrammetry, in characterising river-bed Dr Heide Friedrich and Mr Ray Thompson boundary roughness.” hydraulic equations, to be extracted from the recognition that the research project I work on A high-resolution, non-proprietary, analysis of the structure of the bed surface. for my PhD thesis is of interest for Civil and measurement technique suitable for hydraulic This is expected to give river engineers Environmental engineers. I am particularly experiments will be developed in the Fluid accurate analytical tools that can be used in grateful to Mr and Mrs Thompson and the Mechanics Laboratory of The Faculty of surveys on flood mitigation. Faculty’s alumni association for establishing Engineering and will be validated through this award. More than helping me financially, it field-based experiments. It will enable detailed Stéphane is very grateful for the support of his gives me strong encouragement in continuing stereo-photogrammetric measurements of research from Mr and Mrs Thompson. “Being hard-work and innovative research.” river-beds, and improved roughness given the AUEA Braithwaite-Thompson parameters, which can be employed in Graduate Research Award 2012 is for me a

Mobility Fund USA Awarded Dr. Jie Han, who is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering with Prof Wei Gao, recently won the prestigious International Mobility Fund USA (IMF-USA) from the Royal Society of New Zealand. The IMF-USA fund supports the development of new science and technology links between New Zealand and the USA. Dr. Han will travel to the USA to develop an innovative water purification technology that has the potential to change the landscape of industrial practices for micropollutants monitoring and treatment. Dr. Han will work closely with her research collaborators at the Professor Wei Gao, Jie Han, Mr. Jianguo Xu, Jingjing Yang, Mr. Yanchu Hu in the Chinese Center of Advanced Materials for the Embassy, Wellington Purification of Water with Systems universities including UIUC, Yale, MIT, UC systems for water purification. Dr. Han will be (WaterCAMPWS) at the University of Illinois Berkley, and seven national laboratories and working with Professor Benito Mariñas who is - Urbana Champaign (UIUC). WaterCAMPWS water institutions to address the grand an internationally renowned expert on water is a U.S. National Science Foundation and challenge of water scarcity and pollution by purification technologies and the Acting Technology Center and participated by ten developing revolutionary new materials and Director of WaterCAMPWS.

16 | The University of Auckland, Faculty of Engineering Graduate changed by Her most recent visit abroad was in August Engineering staff win where she attended an International Disaster disaster research Management Conference, in the Japanese city prestigious 2012 Best Dr Alice Yan Chang-Richards’ disaster-related of Kumamoto. Transactions Paper postgraduate research has had a lasting effect She visited the Disaster Research Institute and on her life. Award Kobe University in Kobe and the Disaster Congratulations to Associate Professor Valeriy “Being in a devastated disaster zone and Prevention Research Centre based at Kyoto dealing with traumatised people and the loss Vyatkin and Dr Nirmal Nair who were University. of life has made me strong,” she says. recently awarded the prestigious 2012 Andrew P. Sage Best Transactions Paper by the “By visiting researchers at these institutions, Alice graduated with a PhD in Civil Engineering IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Society at the University’s spring graduation. Her PhD and the communities which have recovered for the paper “Intelligent Decentralised Power thesis “Resourcing mechanisms for post- from the 1995 Hanshin-Awaji earthquake in Distribution Automation with IEC 61850, IEC disaster housing reconstruction,” had her Kobe, I gained an understanding of how the 61499 and Holonic Control”, published in IEEE seeing first-hand the aftermath of some of this Japanese Government, social organisations, Transactions on Systems, Man and century’s most devastating natural disasters. and local community groups responded to the Cybernetics - Part C in 2011. Alice studied the changes in resource demand earthquake, and how they had gone through The paper proposes a novel software architecture and the underlying drivers over the housing the whole recovery process - what worked well for future power distribution systems and has reconstruction period following Indonesia’s and what didn't.” already attracted over 20 citations. Boxing Day tsunami in 2004, China’s Wenchuan earthquake in 2008 and Australia’s ‘Black Saturday’ bushfires in 2009. “Despite different resourcing approaches in the three countries, competence of construction professionals, government response and intervention are common determinants to resource availability for housing recovery projects,” she says. “Following a major disaster, shortages of resources and the increased costs of building materials are likely to slow post-disaster reconstruction. By identifying and considering factors in recovery planning of both pre-and post-disasters the resource demand modelling for reconstruction can be improved, particularly around the impact of resourcing issues on community recovery”, says Alice. Her co-supervisor and disaster recovery expert Dr Regan Potangaroa, who is currently in Haiti working for the International Federation of Red Cross on the country’s housing programme, has been an invaluable mentor. “His admirable commitment to humanitarian aid work has inspired me in terms of the meaning of my work,” says Alice. Alice, who was born and raised in North West China, received a Joint Doctoral Scholarship from The University of Auckland and the Chinese Scholarship Council to study in New Zealand. Alice, who is currently a post-doctoral researcher in the Faculty’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is working on the Canterbury earthquake reconstruction research project led by Associate Professor Suzanne Wilkinson. “In terms of the Christchurch rebuild, we can learn a lot from other countries who have experienced disasters before and recovered from these events,” says Alice. Dr Alice Yan Chang-Richards

The University of Auckland, Faculty of Engineering | 17 Alumni

AUEA scholarship recipient Viranchi Patel AUEA scholarship recipient Terrence Ibasco AUEA scholarship recipient Hannah with Dean Kimpton with Dean Kimpton Sheahan with Dean Kimpton

during the Inter-Semester break, those recipients At this year’s AGM, the committee also AUEA AGM and who were unable to make it to the AGM were welcomed their new President, David Carter. scholarship presented with their certificates at AUEA’s Matt Thomson stepped into David’s former following Committee meeting on 6 August. role of Vice President, Peter McGregor is the presentation new Treasurer and Sharon Andersen, Secretary. On 10 July, AUEA held its Annual General Congratulations to Terrence Ibasco, Hannah Many thanks, to Dean Kimpton who stood Meeting at the Faculty of Engineering. At the Sheahan, Viranchi Patel and Zoe Garrett who down as AUEA President after two great years same time, recipients of this year’s AUEA and received AUEA scholarships and to Ben and also to Neil Carter for his many years of Ardmore Scholarships were presented with Wilshere, Gemma Goodfellow and Samuel service as Treasurer. their certificates. As the meeting took place Grace who received Ardmore scholarships.

CPG's Steve Gaskin gave a fascinating talk on CPG hosts engineering the Christchurch Temporary Stadium, Eden alumni Park's RWC Temporary Grandstands and the Scott Elwarth from CPG hosted the latest role he played in the construction of both. AUEA Alumni & Friends meeting on 26 June. Nathan Clarke, also from CPG, gave an Around 40 engineering alumni from engineering insightful talk on energy from waste within companies around Auckland attended the event, New Zealand and abroad. In addition, held at CPG’s offices in Ellerslie. Professor Brent Young updated everyone on the latest at the Faculty of Engineering. A great This was the second event of its kind for 2012, evening was had by all. the first being hosted by the Auckland Council in April. The aim of these meetings is to bring the For more information on the Alumni & Friends Auckland University Engineers Association programme, please contact: (AUEA) and the Faculty, together with friends Priscilla Chung and alumni of the University, at their workplace. [email protected] This provides an opportunity for alumni to or John McCurran and Scott Elwarth network as well as to be updated on what is Mohammad Rahman happening in industry and at the faculty. [email protected]

Mike Ellis, Chris Turney and Mohammad Matt Thomson, Alistair Stewart, Craig Professor Brent Young and Nathan Clarke Rahman Horwood and Priscilla Chung

18 | The University of Auckland, Faculty of Engineering He maintained this role for five years and moved Jon Blomfield: Eulogy upwards to Head of Regional Engineering It is with great sadness we advise of the (Auckland) and was responsible for both radio passing of one of our graduates, Jon Desmond and television broadcasting transmissions for Blomfield (1940 – 2012). the top half of the North Island.

Jon graduated in Electrical and Electronics in Historic changes were happening. 1963 and after 3 or 4 years with the then De-regulation, TV3 on the horizon and New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation, technological and staff changes were rapid where he worked on translators repeating and exponential. Jon’s technical and people radio broadcasts to main transmitting stations skills were proven and he was the ideal choice to ensure reception in remote areas. He to head TVNZ’s Human Resources Department. moved on to become one of the pioneers in In times of major changes and turmoil Jon television transmission. was described by senior colleagues as “Seldom ruffled, calm, thoughtful, one of the New transmitters in Waiatarua, Te Aroha, good guys and a human, caring person”. Sugarloaf in Christchurch and Wharite near He was a total professional. Palmerston North were critical to national coverage. Some of these facilities had Jon was a true leader in a select and components flown in by helicopter to their sites professional group who took broadcasting and following proven success were replaced by from temporary mountain top transmitters to a large, high power stations. Following his then world class satellite facility which was both almost mandatory OE, working for RCA in technically superb and highly profitable. At the Jon Desmond Blomfield America and various European companies, he same time he kept care and consideration for gained a Diploma in Public Administration. all his colleagues as his highest priority. This was put to good use and his studies and thesis on personal structures, remuneration Our sincere sympathy goes to his partner, and career development led to his Margaret, his brothers, Monty and Ted, all his appointment as Head of Staff Engineering. family, close friends and colleagues.

discharge hoppers used to improve the speed Arnold James Wilkinson of loading Fletcher and Dakota-DC3 1924 – 2012 topdressing planes. His innovative company, Jim (AJ) Wilkinson, FIPENZ, who passed Tasman Special Vehicles devised local away on 13 September, was a well- engineering solutions including many respected New Zealand transport engineer. “twin-steer” configurations and powered He practised mechanical engineering in the trailers. Nearing retirement he developed a heavy commercial vehicle industry for most new commercial practice, TSV Consultants, of his career. He graduated with honours which certified the many Japanese-imported from The University of Auckland in 1949, vehicle modifications. having enjoyed being part of a small engineering class inspired by Professor Jim’s life-long interest in the engineering of heavy vehicles led him to maintain an active Leech during the ‘Ardmore Years’ (when the membership role in both the Society of university’s engineering campus was based Automotive Engineers of USA as well as there). Following graduation, he worked on becoming a fellow and life member of both the the Mangakino Dam project for the Institute of Road Transport Engineers of the UK Ministry of Works. and New Zealand. He and his wife Stephanie moved to Canada to During his career he played an active part of gain overseas experience where he worked for Arnold James Wilkinson several standards and design committees, Pennock Consulting Engineering in Ottawa, from heavy vehicle towing, towing code Ontario, which specialised in heating design. establishment primarily for industry-focused Cambridge Borough Council for many years, Despite being offered a partnership they chose groups, setting and raising standards in the the Waipa Power Trust, President of Senior to return to New Zealand to work in the family area of transport engineering and vehicle Net to name a few. He was an active member business, Wilkinson & Co Ford, in Cambridge. certifications. of the Cambridge Rotary Club for 40 years Not content with the automobile industry he and received a Paul Harris Fellow award. He set up a heavy transport design and Beyond his professional work he was actively engineering consultancy practice, T.S.V. involved and received many awards for his is very much missed by the Cambridge Consultants, that flourished. Early involvement. These included his involvement community, his wife, daughter, three sons and achievements included the design of rapid- as Chairman of Town Planning of the eleven grandchildren.

The University of Auckland, Faculty of Engineering | 19 Alumni CONTINUED Annual AUEA Engineering Alumni Dinner 2012 This year’s AUEA Alumni dinner was held at the Pullman Auckland on Saturday 22 September.

The focus this year was on those who graduated in a year ending in a ‘2’; 1952, 1962, 1972, 1982, 1992, 2002 and 2012.

The day began with an informative tour of the University for alumni, taken by Professor Joe Deans from mechanical engineering. After morning tea, guests were then treated to a tour of the Faculty which included a look at the Electrical and Computing undergraduate labs, Civil and Environmental Engineering’s fluids Lab, the Research Centre for Surface and Materials Science (RCSMS), Chemicals and Materials Engineering’s Food Processing lab and Mechanical Engineering’s Manufacturing Systems Lab.

Over 300 alumni, industry, friends of the Faculty and staff attended the AUEA President David Carter evening dinner which was packed full of reunions, delicious food and fine wine while being entertained by accomplished pianist and graduate of the University, Eli Moore.

There was also an insightful talk given by guest speaker, Graham Darlow, Chief Executive of Fletcher Construction on the ethical issues facing engineers at this point in time.

Professor Michael Davies, Dean of Faculty gave an informative overview of what each department within the faculty does, as well as drawing attention to the fact that the learning spaces within the faculty are very much in need of an upgrade. MC Neil Purdie Guest speaker Graham Darlow AUEA's new President, David Carter, gave an enthusiastic talk encouraging alumni to get involved and support AUEA. Neil Purdie, a new member of the AUEA Committee did a fantastic job as MC.

Many thanks, to all who attended and continue to support AUEA.

Ada Lam, Albert Toh, Naveen Kumar and Priscilla Chung Michelle Brock, AUES President Charlotte Davis, Alex McCutcheon, Dushka and Professor Zoran Salcic

John Duder and 2012 Todd Mataga Helen Thorstensen, Brian and Jeannie Erikson, Doug 1982 graduates, Bob Northey and Award recipient, Daniel Fitzpatrick and Carole Haigh, Lew Thorstensen Stephen Leech

20 | The University of Auckland, Faculty of Engineering Eli Moore entertains the guests Jenny Xu and James Pau Vince and Diana Monaghan Professor Michael Davies

Mark and Susan Batchelar Owen and Marian Campbell Michael and Helen Wesseldine

Justine Hoyle, Alan and Shirley Routley Arthur and Jan Wesley Gavan and Sue Jackson

AUEA Upcoming Events 2013 Alumni Dinner AUEA Annual Lunch The next annual Alumni Dinner will be held on Saturday 21 September at Wednesday 20 March 2013 the Pullman Hotel Auckland, corner of Princes St and Waterloo Quadrant 11.30am Guests to arrive near the University campus. The formal black tie affair will take place from 12.30pm Lunch 6.30pm to midnight. Beaufords, in Totara Park 1 Wairere Road The annual dinner is a unique opportunity for members of Faculty, the University The Gardens and old friends to reconnect and share experiences. This year we will be Manurewa celebrating all alumni who graduated in a year ending in ‘3’, i.e. 1953,1963, 1973, 1983, 1993, 2003. Contact: Natalie Mason, [email protected] We encourage you all to attend the 2013 Annual Alumni Dinner. or phone 09 373 7599 ext 89930 All Alumni are welcome from any graduating year.

To attend this event, look out for your registration form in the next Alumni News. If you would like to reserve your table now please contact Sharon Andersen at: [email protected] or phone +64 9 373 7599 ext 88225.

For information on any of our alumni events please visit: www.alumni.auckland.ac.nz/events

The University of Auckland, Faculty of Engineering | 21 Alumni Profile

practice in Canada, and provided invaluable Fred Matich mentoring to scores of young engineers. “In terms of my association with the Engineering School those many years ago, the most Fred has been the recipient of many honours memorable was the time spent at Ardmore throughout his career, including an engineering where I had the privilege of being one of the medal from the Association of Professional “originals”. Attained B.E (Hons) and B.Sc degrees Engineers of Ontario; the R.F Leggest Medal (1950 and 1951, respectively) followed by a stint from the Canadian Geotechnical Society and at Harvard (M.Sc. in geotechnical engineering, or the K.Y.Lo Medal; all of which are indicative of S.M degree as Harvard calls it), then a career in his standing among his peers. consulting in applied geotechnical engineering in Canada which involved about 35 years with the Dr. C. Derek Martin has been awarded the Firm Geocon Ltd and a number of years as its John B. Stirling Montreal Medal in recognition President. In private practice through MAJM of leadership and distinguished service at the Corporation Ltd since 1990. Currently serving on national league within the Institute and/ or its a variety of Geotechnical Review Boards doing member societies. peer reviews on various major projects around Source: Geotechnical News: Remote monitoring the world.” of surface deformation with Robotic Total M.A.J. (Fred) Matich has been awarded the Station using reflectorless measurements Fred Matich Julian C. Smith Medal for achievement in the (RRTS). across Canada, including its marine and arctic development of Canada. Response by M.A.J (Fred) Matich on receipt of regions, and to see many parts of this great Since his arrival in Canada in the mid-1950’s, The Julian C. Smith Medal for achievement in country first-hand. More importantly, I had the M.A.J. (Fred) Matich has made enormous the development of Canada. opportunity to meet and work closely with contributions to the development of Canadians in all walks of life, members of the Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen, geotechnical engineering. His exceptional geotechnical profession, of course, but also to service continues today with his own be mentored by mature, experienced engineers I would like to thank the Engineering Institute of on the one hand and kept current by younger geotechnical engineering consulting practice at Canada and the Canadian Geotechnical Society MAJM Corporation Ltd. colleagues beginning their careers. In the early for honouring me with this prestigious award. days (at least in Geocon with which I was associated) it was practice for young Fred has over 50 years of experience in Canada I am also deeply appreciative of my colleagues geotechnical engineers to spend several years and around the world in applying geotechnical in the Geotechnical Engineering profession, and in the field. This brought together as a team, engineering expertise to challenging and high perhaps others as well, who nominated me for the hitherto unusual combination of young profile projects. He has been involved with in this award. I have reason to believe that my engineers fresh from University and excess of 5,000 significant projects across nominators are represented here this evening so experienced, hardened geotechnical drill Canada and in more than 25 other countries. my thanks go to them personally and directly. operators who were experts in their own right. He has provided service to several important Very special thanks to my wife Helen, for her It was a very rewarding experience for me to be research, technical and standards committees, tremendous support in looking after the “home part of such teams. It is not possible at this reviewing geotechnical sensitive operations. front” for the now more than 50 years of our time to acknowledge individually all of the He’s been involved in countless mining married life. Thanks also to members of our people who have assisted me along the way, so development projects across Canada and for family. I am pleased that Helen and our sons I acknowledge them collectively, with gratitude. Canadian mining companies operating abroad Matt and Mike, can be present on this occasion. in several countries. Fred was not only an In closing, I would like to also acknowledge the engineering expert for those projects, but also Through a fortunate series of circumstances my privilege of working for many years on notably as goodwill ambassador representing career began at a time when geotechnical assignments relating to development of the the provision of Canadian experience. engineering in Canada was undergoing oilsands, (particularly the Syncrude Canada Ltd. significant development. In addition, it began Project) where my involvement began in June, Many of our outstanding engineers have at one with a large organisation (The Foundation 1962 almost 50 years ago to the day. time or another worked with, and been tutored Company of Canada) which had operations (source: The Engineering Institute of Canada, by Fred. He has made substantial contributions Canada-wide and also internationally. I thus June 2012) to setting the standards of geotechnical had the rare opportunity to work on projects all

Did you know you can purchase 5-star wines at a discounted price from The University of Auckland? The University’s ownership of the spectacular Goldie Vineyard on Waiheke Island (previously Goldwater Estate) was made possible by a generous gift by engineering alumnus Kim Goldwater and his wife Jeanette Goldwater. Now under the Goldie Wines brand, our alumni and friends can enjoy exclusive discounts on the whole range via our online store: www.aucklandcampusstore.com A great buy just in time for Christmas and all proceeds go back to the University.

You can also sign up to the Goldie Wines e-newsletter to be alerted to their exclusive offers.

22 | The University of Auckland, Faculty of Engineering From the AUEA President

This year our annual AUEA Alumni Dinner was believe that engineering is now coming of age. employer premises) and even the University’s held on Saturday 22 September. It was, once own alumni engagement programme. At again, a great success. Those who attended To complement the on-going focus on quality several recent University Alumni events, were treated to a thought provoking teaching, in recent years there has been an engineering alumni have comprised almost presentation by Graham Darlow (class of 1977) added focus on world-class research. Incoming 30% of those attending. Further, as the AUEA, on ethics and maintaining the reputation of Faculty staff have been hired with the we are always keen to take on board any new our profession in challenging times. The events expectation of delivering research projects, suggestions from alumni. The aim for the of Christchurch have thrust engineering into plus there has been a substantial increase in coming calendar year is to extend the the limelight, both in terms of standing up a both Masters and PhD level students within the Workplace Champions programme to cities city and investigating the failures. Faculty. This is not to suggest that we should outside Auckland as a means of garnering use research as the sole determinant of our wider contact. Graham’s talk was appropriately Faculty’s success. Rather, Performance-Based complimented by a summary of the world-class Research Funding (PBRF) plus international Inevitably when singling out individuals for research currently underway within the Faculty ranking is heavily influenced by the quality of thanks, others equally deserving will not be of Engineering, courtesy of our departing both research and research publications, and mentioned. Nonetheless, it is timely to thank a Dean. As highlighted by Professor Michael international ranking in turn, has a significant number of alumni who have been instrumental Davies, it was almost uncanny that a impact on the relative attractiveness of the in keeping the AUEA in good health. At the significant proportion of the research already Faculty to international students. recent AGM Dr Ian Parton (class of 1972) and underway within the Faculty has proven Alan Routley (1955) both stepped down from directly applicable to both understanding and Notwithstanding the previous comment the AUEA committee, after many years of rebuilding the city. Given that the knowledge regarding three essential elements, I would service. In addition, Dean Kimpton (1987) economy will be a determinant in New also contend that there is a fourth equally stepped down from the role of President but Zealand’s future, it is beholding on all of us to important factor, namely the degree of continues to serve as the committee member both keep abreast of this research and involvement by the Faculty’s alumni, i.e. us. responsible for the Associates portfolio. determine ways that it can be applied. When I compare New Zealand with my Stepping into their shoes are a number of university days in the USA, one of the more equally enthusiastic alumni which reinforces It is often mooted that a great Faculty is obvious differences appeared to be the degree that health of our Association. founded on three essentials: top quality of interaction between universities, their students; leading Faculty staff and world-class alumni, the government and business. It was Lastly, I would like to (i) thank those companies facilities. If this is the case, then our alma mater not uncommon for Faculty staff to undertake that are members of our Associates is in great heart. For those alumni who are not significant consulting activities, for businesses programme (delivering an invaluable source of yet aware, you may be interested to know that to trial their developments through universities funding) and (ii) acknowledge the challenges the minimum entry level GPA for high school and for universities to contribute to currently being faced by our colleagues within students entering the Faculty of Engineering is government policy thinking. Not to mention, the University of Canterbury. While the prime now the highest of all Faculties in The weekends would commonly see over 80,000 focus of the AUEA is inevitably to help University of Auckland. It would be nice to current students and alumni return to their strengthen University of Auckland’s Faculty of school for college football games. Engineering it is also important for New Zealand’s future that the University of While college sport (within New Zealand) is Canterbury’s Engineering Faculty remains unlikely to attain such rarefied status, it seems strong. This will no doubt be a challenge, albeit ironic that for such a small country, where one that will be overcome. working together would seem to enable even greater leverage, our educational institutions, If you missed out on this year’s dinner, do not businesses, alumni and government tend to be despair as there is always next year, and we look more siloed. The challenge, therefore, must be forward to seeing as many of you as practical at to unleash this latent potential through even any upcoming event in the near future. greater involvement between ourselves and our alma mater. As a key linkage between our David Carter alumni and the Faculty, we are conscious that President, AUEA the AUEA has an important role to play and will continue its focus in this area.

For those wishing to engage, the opportunities are numerous, ranging from the Dean’s lecture series through to the Workplace Champions David Carter programme (alumni gatherings held on major www.engineering.ac.nz/auea

Email Alumni News In the interest of a sustainable future, the Faculty of Engineering produces this publication on eco-friendly paper and is available in electronic format. If you would like to receive this publication via email please confirm your preferred email address to Natalie Mason at [email protected]

The University of Auckland, Faculty of Engineering | 23 FoundationsFoundations forfor thethe futurefuture When you provide a gift to the Faculty of AUEA Cecil Segedin Endowment Fund go to assisting applications from participating ways in which you would like to assist please have gone on to become international leaders Engineering, you are supporting New Was established to recognise the significant countries in the Colombo plan. The first Thank you donors contact our External Relations Manager Sharon Zealand’sWe would leading like to research thank Alumni university. and Friends of contribution to Cecil Segedin’s work in the scholarship was awarded this year to Thomas Andersen contact details below. economic and social contributions in their the Faculty who have generously supported our fields of Engineering Science and Applied Loho who is a current third year Chemical and Thanks to the generosity and commitment of home countries and throughout the world. funds for the future, we are very grateful for Mathematics. The found will provide financial Materials student. distinguished alumni, industry partners and The Cecil Segedin Endowment Fund These Scholarships will go to assisting your involvement. support for undergraduate students. applicantsThe Engineering from pa Endowmentrticipating count Fundries in the friends.Enginee Ther’s impactskills are of essential the Faculty for mainis felttaining around a contribution of Cecil Segedin’s work to the Colombo plan. the world – through ground-breaking research, AUEA Ardmore Fund Has been established with the specific purpose andour graduates economic whopros pebecomerity. De leadersspite this, in ttheirhere Was established by students form the School of Theof helping Enginee fundr ingmuch End of theow specialisedment Fun d professions and communities. The Faculty of exists in New Zealand and around the world a Engineeringsupport for inunde Ardmore,rgradua classte students of 1957-59,. equipment needed for research purposes. For Engineering requires their loyal support and critical shortage of skilled engineers. after their successful reunion in April 2000. helpingthe Faculty fund to mu bech at of the the forefront specialised of equipment financialAs the count involvementry’s leader to inreach enginee our ringgoals. educatio n TheThe awards Ardmore are made Fun tod students who have neededengineering for resea we needrch pu torposes. invest Fheavilyor the S inch ourool to Monetary assistance helps to ease the was established by students from the Auckland and research it is the Faculty of Engineering’s excelled academically and who exemplify the befuture, at the research forefront projects, of Enginee upgradingring we ne anded to financial burden of countless engineering University School of Engineering at Ardmore, camaraderie, school spirit and values iexpansionsnvest heavi lyof in our our physical future. Rfacilitiesesearch pandrojects , students.we char gIted also wi tempowersh attracting us g reato continueter numbe ourrs o f class of 1957-59, after their successful reunion representative of “The Ardmore Years”. Special upsupportgrading for and selected expansions academic of our positions. physical This traditionunderg rofadua excellencete and po ins tresearchgraduate innovation students, w e considerationin April 2000. is Thegiven aw toa rstudentsds are made experiencing to ffundacilities will and help suppo us tor tbe for to selec achieveted aca ourd egoalsmic in andmu assistsst also useq uipin providing them with students the best withskills aan d financialstudents whohardship. have excelled academically and positions. This Fund will help us to achieve our these competitive times, and see us continue to world-classknowledg eeducation, available. thus building bridges to who exemplify the camaraderie, school spirit goals in these more than competitive times, and Colombo Plan Scholarships maintain our position as a worldwide leader in a betterThis is futurebecoming for usincreasin all. gly expensive for the and values representative of “The Ardmore see us continue to maintain our position as a students themselves and for the Faculty. TheYea Colombors”. Special Plan conside was formedration is in gi 1950ven to to wengineering.orld wide leader in Engineering. WithGo vourernment students funding and yourno lon generousger cove rsupports the co sts assist economic development in South and AUEA Endowment Fund youof canstudy be and proud independent that you are and making private an resea rch Southeast Asia. It enabled students from the AUEA Endowment Fund Colombo Plan Scholarships Has been established by the AUEA, a investmentgrants and in sthechola futurerships of are Engineering becoming and region to train in more developed countries in has been established by AUEA, a committed The Colombo Plan was formed in 1950 to haveincreasin helpedgl yThe im poUniversityrtant. of Auckland areas such as dentistry, agriculture, food fundingcommitted par fundingtner of t hepartner Facul tofy ofthe Enginee Facultyr inofg , assist economic development in South and becomeWe hope one y ouof thewill World’splay your leading part and universities. make a tEngineering,o support the to need support to att theract need and to re attracttain th eand processingSoutheast Asia.and engineering. It enabled s tudentsWe have fr omhad t houre Donationsreal cont rcanibution be made to the by future completing of the F theacul ty. moretainst t alenthe tmosted st atalentedff and s tudentsstaff and poss studentsible. T he 220region Colombo to train Plan in more students developed join the count Facultyries in You can make donations into any one of four fundpossible.’s main The focus Fund’s is onmain pro focusviding is on providing form below or if you would like to talk to us betweenareas su 1950-1970,ch as dentis tmanyry, ag ofriculture, whom havefood gone funds listed below. Your contribution will be undeundergraduate,rgraduate, popostgraduatestgraduate andand docdoctorialtoral about other ways in which you would like to onpr ocessingto become and international engineering. leaders We ha inv eindustry had assist,channeled please direct contactly in ourto t Externalhat fund. Relations Donation s and research, making significant economic and scholarships. The significant and projected can be made by completing the attached form over 220 Colombo Plan students join the growth of the faculty is in need of your Manager Sharon Andersen, social contribution in their home countries and growth of the Faculty is in need of your or if you would like to talk to us about other Faculty between 1950-1970, many of whom generous support. [email protected] throughout the world. These Scholarships will generous support.

YES, I would like to support YES,THE I w oulARDMOREd like to FUND supp UNDEort RGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP THE ENGINEERING ENDOWMENT FUND THE ARDMORE FUND UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP THETHE C CEECILCIL SEGEDIN SEGEDIN END ENDOOWMENTWMENT FUN FUNDD AUEA ENDOWMENT FUND COLOMBO PLAN SCHOLARSHIPS If you are making a donation from the United States, please make cheque payable to Friends of COLOMBO PLAN SCHOLARSHIPS The University of Auckland and send to: Friends of The University of Auckland, c/- Gift Processing, THE ENGINEERING ENDOWMENT FUND External Relations, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand. NAME: NAME: ADDRESS: ADDRESS: TELEPHONE: EMAIL: YOUR DONATION: $ TELEPHONE: EMAIL: CHEQUE made payable to The University of Auckland Foundation YOUR DONATION: $ If you are making a donation from the United States, please make or cheque payable to Friends of The University of Auckland and CHEQUE made payable to The University of Auckland Foundation send to Friends of The University of Auckland, c/- Angela orCREDIT CARD Ca rd Type: VISA / MASTERCARD / AMEX Card Number: Rosati, 1209 G Street N.E., Washington DC 20002. (CIRCLE ONE) CREDIT CARD Card Type: VISA MASTERCARD AMEX (CIRCLE ONE) Expiry Date: Name on Card: Signature: Card Number: Please complete this form and return it to Sharon Andersen. Thank you for your generosity. You can be proud of your commitment to making a diffe re Expincer yin Da ourte y: oung st udents’ liveNsame. on Card: Signature: Please complete form and return to Sharon Andersen. Thank you for your generosity. You can be proud of your commitment to making a difference in our young students’ lives.

Contact Postal Address: Sharon Andersen Faculty of Engineering ContacExternalt Relations Manager Postal AddressThe: University of Auckland Faculty of Engineering Private Bag 92019 SharonPhone: Ande +64rsen 9 373 7599 ext 88225 Faculty of EngineeAucklandring ExterEmail:nal Relations [email protected] Manager The UniversityNew of A uZealandckland Faculwww.engineering.auckland.ac.nzty of Engineering Private Bag 92019 Phone: +64 9 373 7599 ext 88225 Auckland Email: [email protected] New Zealand www.engineering.auckland.ac.nz