15. Engineering Excellence Awards Sydney (EEAS)

I was very fortunate to be a part of the Engineering Excellence Awards Night, Sydney Division. I was one of the volunteers running around and helping out. It was a great experience hearing about amazing projects and seeing companies being rewarded for it.

EEAS Volunteers

 Had a wonderful night!

Read More

13. The Current Status of the Civil Engineering Profession

Over the past century, civil engineers have dutifully earned the legacy they paved for themselves. Clean water supplies have increased life expectancies. Transportation systems have made a positive contribution to the social and economic sustainability of the communities they serve. Contemporary bridges have brought societies closer together, blending beauty and strength, speed and transport. Engineers, in the public and private sector, have provided the foundation of design and project management, producing thousands of jobs that drive community development.

 

From the beautiful and functional Golden Gate Bridge in the United States, Petronas Towers in Malaysia and Pont du Gard in France to the largely hidden water supply and sanitary sewer systems in Australia, civil engineers have made their mark in many aspects of the daily life of everyone around the world.

Of course, civil engineers know they cannot rest on their laurels. Ongoing discussions have risen over the years about the future of the profession, that is, the role that civil engineers will play in society down the road. Over the years, there have been many notable figures in the civil engineering industry that have sounded the alarm about the lack of investment in improving and maintaining infrastructure. Some of the shortcomings have unfortunately manifested by the death and destruction caused by failures. Consequently, inquires into engineering designs and government funding have come to light.

    

Civil engineers are painfully aware of the consequences for public health, safety and welfare when infrastructure does not receive the attention it requires. That is why I believe that civil engineers must be more active in the policy and decision making process, to ensure it is based on sound technical foundation. With this comes broadened responsibilities - stepping up to the plate and participating in political and public services.Civil engineers need to transform themselves from designers and builders to project life-cycle 'sustainers'.

Civil engineers should participate in public policy forums where future directions for societies are developed and in turn be perceived as trusted advisors to the public and policy-makers (regarding infrastructure). Better yet, actually being elected into the public office where they can directly influence infrastructure and sustainability policies / legislation. (Hon Bill Marmion MLA WA, Campbell Newman Qld and Greg Combet Vic are examples of engineers involved in the Australian Parliament and have all been listed in the 100 most influential engineers list of 2012.)

Furthermore, we need to revolutionise the basic civil engineering education in universities today.The education and training of future civil engineers and the continued development of today’s civil engineers should include and go beyond the required technical competencies. Education should meld technical excellence with the ability to lead, influence and integrate.

 

For the civil engineering profession to stay relevant in society, we must create a sustainable world and enhance the global quality of life not only as planners, designers, constructors and operators but also as leaders in shaping public environmental and infrastructure policies.

Sources:
The Vision for Civil Engineering in 2025 - ASCE
Civil Engineering - Building the Future
Engineers and Politics

Read More

12. North West Rail Link

The highly anticipated rail infrastructure project, North West Rail Link is now 'on track' to build Australia's largest tunnel project. The tender that obtained this major project is a joint venture between Thiess John Holland Dragados (TJHD). Recently being awarded the $1.15 billion Tunnel and Station Civil Works contract, TJHD will undertake construction of two 15 kilometre long tunnels with a 6.1 metre diameter. That's a pretty narrow tunnel, it looks like the currently running double decker trains won't be operating on the NWRL. Instead they'll be be running single-deck trains which are supposed to be more efficient. Looks like Sydney is following suit to the rest of the world's railway systems.

Image Source: Sydney Morning Herald

I wanted to bring attention to the custom made Tunnel Boring Machines (TBM) which will be used to construct the tunnels. I was first exposed to TBMs in my second year of study, in Soil Mechanics. Never knowing how tunnels were created, I was in awe over the large piece of machinery. I hope it won't be too long till I see one in action.

The two remaining contracts associated with the NWRL are still waiting to be signed. The Surface and Viaduct Civil (SVC) contract aims to build the 4 kilometre skytrain and associated civil works including embankments and cuttings for the railway and the Operations, Trains and Systems (OTS) contract will deliver the new-generation single deck trains, install tracks and signalling which is to be awarded in 2014.

There is still a very long way to go, with the expected finishing date to be in 2019. The opening of eight new stations, Cherrybrook, Castle Hill, Showground, Norwest, Bella Vista, Kellyville, Rouse Hill and Cudgegong Road will open up the Hills area to the rest of Sydney.

Sources:
North West Rail Link to be state of the art
Thiess, John Holland JV to Build Australia’s Longest Tunnels

Read More

11. My Final Exams for Semester 1, 2013

It's always a huge relief to finish exams. My exams for this semester were dragged out over two weeks so exam period seemed longer than ever. I definitely favour spread out exams over back to back exams (which I experienced in second year). Overall, I felt that I was able to manage my time for exam study efficiently this semester. I found that doing little things like dancing to my favourite beats right before an exam helps relieve my pre-exam stress.

The easiest way to reflect on this semester's exams is probably chronologically.

• CVEN3201: Geotechnics was by far the most interesting subject to study this semester. The main reason for this was being able to relate to real life situations such as observing loads being applied on retaining walls. Doing past papers from 2008-2012 really aided my understanding in the subject. Preparations for this exam was quite straightforward since the course was so well-designed with sufficient amount of resources. No worked solutions (only final answer) for the past papers were not provided which I found beneficial as I was forced to test my understanding. My final exam consisted of 4 questions (the previous papers had 5). I was pretty bummed out that they missed out on covering the Lateral Earth Pressure topic as that would have been easy marks for me. Question 2 addressed the Cone Penetration Test (CPT) which we only covered briefly in the course. The consensus from my cohort was that it took us by surprise. Apart from that, the rest of the paper were very similar to the past papers.


• CVEN3501: Water Resources was quite straightforward, 50% theory, 50% calculations. Not too confident for the multiple choice section but all in all, a decent test.


• CVEN2301: Each question in Mechanics of Solids took quite a bit of time to complete. No difficult concepts to wrap my head around except getting through the calculations. Having to use my brain for three hour straight really drained my brain juice. By the end of the test, I was exhausted. 


• CVEN3401: By the time, my Transport exam came around, I was glad that it was almost over. Pretty straightforward exam. The second traffic question was deceiving as the Network system looked quite complicated and I thought I would have to spend a good half hour on it but upon closer inspection, it was actually the easiest test in the paper and it only took 5 minutes to complete. Relief! Someone forgot to supply us a graph for us to complete the last question so it was cancelled. The marks were then distributed within the pavement design section. Slightly irritated that happened as I had went through a very similar question the night before and was quite capable of obtaining the marks for that question. 

That brings Semester 1, 2013 to a close. I have work lined up everyday (except weekends) in the holidays. Most engineering internship applications open during the break so I will probably be looking into those as well. All the best to my peers who are also applying for jobs.

Read More

10. The Hop Signage (Transport for New South Wales)

Most Sydney-siders like myself have probably heard of the major upcoming transition of the Railcorp entity. As of the 1st July 2013, the infamous Cityrail becomes Sydney Trains and NSW Trains. The Cityrail brand will no longer exist, being replaced with new 'Hop' signages, Sydney Trains logos and uniforms.

It seems like the new 'hop signage' are starting to emerge at Milsons Point. The new signage distinguishes modes of transport into different colours while keeping the same standard across the network. Going back to basics, T is for Train, F for Ferry, B for Bus and L for Light Rail. This naming system provides consistency which is a good 'sign' for commuters.

     

     

According to many news reports and commuters, the members of the Sydney community are hesitant about the re-branding and doubtful this will change the efficiency of transport services. But I believe that when rebranding an entire entity, the initial superficial stage is appropriate. Stepping away from the negative connotations that Cityrail has earnt itself over the past decade is the first step to improvement. So far, I'm impressed at how modern and clean the new signs are so here's hoping that our transport services follow suit.

All photos courtesy of Beau Giles

Read More

9. Australia's approach on Infrastructure

Australia has a pressing need for substantial infrastructure investment to support the nation’s long-term growth. With Australia's economic and social aspirations, it is evident that dramatic modifications to the current infrastructure short-term approach need to be made.

Under current arrangements, the Australian government does not have sufficient headroom on their budgets to fund the level of infrastructure required in the country. Addressing the constraints on the capacity of the government to invest in infrastructure is particularly important given that the demand for infrastructure is projected to increase significantly in the coming years.

Infrastructure planning requires a long term vision, much longer than the election cycle, to deliver quality outcomes that will support Australia’s social and economic development. Governments should move beyond the current four-year approach to budgeting to strengthen the current Infrastructure investment pipeline. I believe that the Australian government should strive for a long-term approach. Instead of fulfilling short term promises, they should plan and present projects with 10-year budgets and estimates of their prospective infrastructure outlays.

Additionally, we need to question why so many infrastructure projects have grossly incorrect forecasts? Whether it be, under-estimating the cost of major infrastructure projects or over-estimating the demand. Australians have plenty of experience with under-performing infrastructure projects. For starters, just in transport alone, there’s Sydney’s Lane Cove and Cross City tunnels that took its 'toll'. The real question behind these errors, is who's responsible?

Research explains that these errors are mainly due to promoters, investors and politicians deliberately under-estimating costs and over-estimating benefits. These parties have the motivation to do so, to obtain approval and funding for their projects. In turn, it's a case of not the best projects being implemented but the ones that look best on paper. This type of strategic misinterpretation should be reprimanded. On the brighter side, one way to address this problem is implementing a reference class forecasting approach - predicting the future, through looking at similar past situations and their outcomes.

Australian roads are becoming more congested everyday. Of course the community wants and expects high quality transport infrastructure though it is clear that the current road funding/taxing arrangements will struggle to meet Australia’s future transport challenges. This is why Australia must embrace bold reforms to find new opportunities to fund projects. Such as for the community to pay higher taxes to fund a higher spend by governments. Alternatively, the private sector could play a greater role in directly providing road services, although this would necessarily involve an expanded role for direct user charges. This is not an unfamiliar concept as many Australian drivers in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are already being tolled. This method could promote the use of carpooling or public transport.

It is important to recognise that if the infrastructure shortfall is not addressed, it will have an adverse impact on Australia’s competitiveness. For example, the increasing costs of transport and logistics, utilities and social infrastructure services point to a shortfall in capacity. This will continue to impart the cost of living pressure on households and erode the competitiveness of Australian businesses.

Communication is key if Australia wants to move forward.

Sources:
Infrastructure Finance and Funding Reform Report
Changes Needed To Australia’s Infrastructure Approach
Why do the worst infrastructure projects get built?

Read More

8. Gender Imbalance in the Engineering Workforce

The disproportion of males to females in the Engineering profession has been a long-discussed issue not only in Australia but internationally. The minority status of women in the engineering workforce has been well documented with copious amounts of surveys and research that discuss the factors that contribute to this deviation.

      

Notably, there is a marked absence of women observed in Construction and Mining - two sectors which have prominence in the Australian economy and are highly paid. Factors impacting women’s engagement in these sectors include low levels of part-time work, a culture of overwork, long hours that are incompatible with non-work responsibilities and the remote nature of work in the industry sector.

Of course, the gender imbalance in the engineering workforce has been recognised over the past decade. Numerous initiatives have been implemented and supported by the Australian government, industry bodies, academic institutions and companies in Australia who aim to attract and retain women in the engineering profession. A few examples include forums, workshops and conventions held by Engineers Australia, as well as engineering firms introducing Women in Engineering Scholarship programs.

The initial step to employing more female engineers is motivating them to participate in engineering studies. Simply being exposed to the opportunities a career in Engineering at an early stage in their education is a good start. In fact, this applies to all students, not specifically females. Personally, coming from an all girls high school, the word engineering rarely appeared in our conversations. Had engineering been a warmer topic of discussion, I would envisage more girls pursuing it as a career or at least having an interest.

       

Support is key. Recently, there have been discussions of implementing initiatives to support engineers on parental leave and encourage them to return to the workforce. Under this initiative, those on parental leave can learn how to stay in touch with their profession and maintain connections for when they return to work. This is not only beneficial to mothers but fathers as well as parents are now able to continue career development even after having children.

As we progress as a society, we leave the stereotype that links masculinity to engineering behind and stride towards attracting more women to the engineering profession.

Sources:
Engineers Australia survey of working environment and engineering careers 2012
New Initiative Supports Engineers on Parental Leave

Read More

7. GoldieBlox: Engineering Toys for Girls

Came across an uplifting story about Debbie Sterling, an engineer from America who recently launched her new toy company, GoldieBlox.inc. Her toys are aimed at girls of young age. Goldie Blox is a toy company out to inspire the next generation of female engineers. They make construction toys for girls built from the female perspective.

Read More

6. Preface of Semester 1, 2013

Semester has commenced and I'll be taking on three 3rd year subject and one 2nd year subject; CVEN2301: Mechanics of Solids, CVEN3201: Applied Geotechnics and Engineering Geology, CVEN3401: Sustainable Transport and Highway Engineering and CVEN3501: Water Resources Engineering.

First week back was mild. The introductory routine was made for each course, thankfully they were all brief which meant that we could promptly start the course content in the first lecture(s). Solids was just revision of centroids and second moment of area from CVEN1300. There are many small assessments in this course which helps you keep on track throughout the entire semester which include four quizzes, a midsem and finals. Moving onto 3201, the course is split into two parts, Geology and Geotechnics. The first six weeks is spent on geology so first week involved revision of high school geography - plate tectonics and the rock cycle, nothing too straining. Similarly, water resources is also very theoretical first week, focused mostly on the water cycle. Highlight of the week was definitely transport. Our lecturer, Travis Waller is excellent. He's American, quirky and makes traffic interesting with his real-life examples. Noting that, I have considered looking into Transport as my major, this was my first taste of the sweet journey (down the road). This course is split into three sections, Traffic, Road Design and Pavement Design. There are only three assignments throughout the semester so I definitely look forward to those.

Overall, my first week back was quite pleasant and we shall see how everything pans out as we move along the semester.

Read More

5. Australia's Thirst for a Secure Water Supply

It is simple to visualise what a water secure world looks like: reliable water supply and sanitation services, free from floods and droughts, and enjoying nature along clean beaches.

Unfortunately for a country that is surrounded by water, Australia is a victim to a persistent drought. Along with rapid population growth and maturing infrastructure in need for upgrades, Australia must take steps to address these issues to ensure the delivery of an efficient, secure and sustainable water supply.

Australia needs a secure water supply as its current water supply is vulnerable to the constant climate change. Entrusting sources such as rivers and groundwater to maintain a steady supply of water is futile as the shortfalls due to floods and droughts are unpredictable. That is why a long term plan is essential to build a resilient water system that includes concurrent services such as sewerage.

  

There are many different approaches to create a self-sustaining and adaptable water supply. The very first step would be to encourage water-saving behaviour by educating and informing consumers about the water cycle and environmental impacts. Most Australians already do their part to reduce their water footprint by following water restrictions implemented by Sydney Water a decade ago. These restrictions could become our permanent way of life.

Recruiting skilled workers and rewarding talent can also help with water management. Water providers should employ more talented staff since there is currently a need for increased skills in the water sector. Engineers are able to work with smart technology to monitor water usage. Skilled workers are also able to answer the ultimate question, 'how do we know when water security has improved'? Answering this challenging question will involve working relationships among private companies (who know about customers and profits), researchers and ecologists (who know about ecosystem preservation) and politicians and journalists (who know about public opinion).

Improving the way we manage water resources is a pre-condition to Australia's secure water supply which is a prerequisite to other securities, be it energy production, economic growth or human health.

Source:
http://www.dpc.vic.gov.au/index.php/featured/infrastructure-australia-update/ia-6
http://designbuildsource.com.au/secure-water-supply-needed-in-australia

Read More

4. UNSW Student Ambassador Scheme for 2013

If you follow UNSW Faculty of Engineering on Facebook, you would have seen a post about the Student Ambassador Scheme for 2013. Pretty hard to miss, especially with the red jumpers and rhetorical questions. If you don't follow them, jump on the bandwagon and do so.

It's an amazing opportunity to interact with your peers whilst spreading the engineering love to young ones that are just looking for some guidance. I have a few friends that are a part of this scheme and they tell me it's a rewarding experience. It involves appearing at a few events each year such as UNSW O-week and travelling to a few high schools, sprinkling engineering dust wherever you go. Of course, everyone wonders about the pay. I am unable to disclose the exact pay rate but let's just say, there won't be any complaints. Not to mention it looks great on your resume.

I had a browse through the application form. Let's just say, it's not a form for the weak-minded. It includes many pitstops: Personal Information, UNSW Educational Information, High School Educational Information, Personal Statement which includes six questions, Contact details of referee, a copy of your Academic Transcript and Resume (optional). Most of it is relatively easy to fill out, the only section that may require some thought is the Personal Statement section. These questions are pretty generic for an engineering-related application form and after filling out a few of these, you'll realise that.

Why did you choose to study engineering at UNSW? Why did you select your program? How are you involved in UNSW Community Life? Have you previously undertaken a leadership/advisory role? If so, please provide details. Please give an example when you have demonstrated excellent customer service skills. What makes you a suitable candidate for this role?

Answering these questions not only brings you one step closer to this job but it allows you to reflect on yourself and the choices you make/have made. For example, if some of the questions stumped you, it may be a wake-up call to be more proactive so the next time you come across a similar question, you will take it - head on.

Read More

3. The Transition - It's never too late

It took me two and a half years. I had the run of the mill with accounting, economic and biological science courses and none of it was just doing it for me. Floating around and having no clue about career prospects frightened me. Alas, the face of engineering came to my rescue and it was good riddance to that foggy part of my life.

During the start of the transition, I found the engineering course different and much more difficult. The prerequisite mathematics and science courses consisted of lengthy weekly homework sets and laboratory classes which gave little flavor of the interesting parts. Of course, I knew nothing great is ever presented to you on a silver platter and this was all part of building my foundation to becoming a kickass engineer one day.

Settling into my new course took some time to readjust (timetable hours, homework load, class structure) and I admit that I did struggle a little to keep up in the beginning. Each person adapts to change differently and I found that even though I was certain about my choice, a part of me was still questioning the decision I had made to transfer to civil engineering. Not questions about my 'calling' but more about adapting to a new environment. Of course, this is all part of the transition process.

Now that I have grown accustomed to my new course, I notice a stark contrast between engineering and business students. Engineering students integrate group forums and a large collection of resources into their learning. There is also a strong emphasis on teamwork and communication. Each subject had a group work component whether it be a six-person design project (ENGG1000) or pairing up in laboratory classes (PHYS1121).

Having only four hundred in a cohort, it is easier for the civil engineering students to interact with each other compared to the 1200+ kids in business. All in all, CE kids are friendly, willing open to help a newcomer like me settle in and learn the ins and outs of all things civil.

Read More

2. Engineering - The Ninja Profession

I came across this inspirational piece the other day. It really highlights how rewarding it is to work in the engineering sector and what it really means to be an engineer.

" Engineering has been called the 'invisible' or 'stealth' profession. It is the career of fulfillment and satisfaction. Engineers use their imagination and analytical skills to design, invent and build structures that matter. They are team players with independent minds who turn ideas into reality. Many become licensed professional engineers in order to better protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public. By dreaming up creative and practical solutions, engineers are changing the world all the time. 

The greatest inventors of the past were creative, intelligent thinkers who imagined solutions. This embodies engineering today. Engineers are called upon to answer difficult technical problems that involve creating solutions that require innovation and invention. Engineers are modern-day inventors. "

Read More

1. My Backstory and Why I Started This Blog

In a society with such an abundant and diverse pool of occupations, we are constantly being asked about our careers and the choices we make for that career. From a young age, we aspire to be someone great; to be recognised for our actions. And though the decisions we make then don't affect us directly, we essentially pave the way to our future profession whether it be through the hobbies we develop or finding tasks we excel at.
I wasn't someone who knew from the get go what I wanted to do with my life. At times I envied those who identified their 'calling' at an early age because they were able to work towards their goal while I was still searching. During my high school life, I would pick careers that sounded cool or jobs that rumoured to pay well. I was naive, young and not well acquainted with career prospects. I would constantly be unsatisfied with my choice as none of the professions I chose truly interested me.

Coming from an all girl school, I was never exposed to engineering. It was rarely talked about as it was a 'male dominated' profession (which is something I want to address in a later blog post). I knew very little what an engineer did.

As a result of my uncertainty, I chose to pursue a profession in the business sector as I believed it would be a 'safe' option. I began my university life meeting so many people from various degrees. Listening to their stories really opened my eyes. In particular, I became good friends with an Engineering Student Ambassador. Soon after, I found myself sitting in on his Construction lectures in my breaks which I found more interesting than my accounting classes. The more I exposed myself to engineering, the more I realised that this was it - my 'calling'. Needless to say, I felt a huge sense of relief, a huge burden off my shoulders was lifted. This is where my journey as a civil engineer began.

Since settling into my civil engineering degree, I have been thankful everyday for the change I made and now that I've come to terms with what I do, I want to share my experiences with other students out there that are interested in pursuing engineering or even for current engineering students who enjoy a good read. From here on in, I will be posting anything civil related that tickles my fancy and I hope that I can provide an inside eye to what civil engineering is all about.

And hopefully one day, I'll make a kickass engineer!

Read More