Civil and Environmental Engineering School Profile 2014

Never Stand Still Faculty of Engineering School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Community

Our research & teaching delivers not just the latest developments in engineering models and methods but those that will be utilised by our next generation of leaders. Our graduates will push the boundaries of national innovation and leadership.

Head of School, Professor Stephen Foster

about us

The UNSW School of Civil & Environmental Engineering is the largest and most successful School of its kind in Australasia and is ranked in the world’s top twenty (QS World University Rankings 2012-2014) .

We are the largest School in the Faculty of Engineering, itself the pre-eminent centre for engineering studies and research in Australia.

From our foundation in 1949, the School has pursued excellence and innovation in education and research. Our academic staff are recognised world leaders in their fields of expertise, while our alumni are to be found as leaders and decision makers in industry, government and the community.

SCHOOL STATISTICS

Academic Staff 45

Professional & Technical Staff (School) 27

Research Centre Research Staff 70

Postgraduate Research Students 226

Postgraduate Coursework Students 597

Undergraduates 1696

Doctoral Graduates (2013) 20

Postgraduate Coursework Graduates (2013) 243

BE Graduates (2013) 364

Research Publications Refereed (2013) 513

Generated Teaching and Research Income (2013) $49.3 M

Grant Funding (2013) $15.91 M

Total Funding $65.2 M

SEMESTER 1 2014 STUDENT ENROLMENTS

CVEN Higher Degrees 226CVEN Coursework 597CVEN Undergraduates 1696

LOCAL INTERNATIONAL

men women women men

1600

1400

1200

1000

800

600

400

200

0

TOTAL 2519

world based research

Our research is only engineering research if it makes an impact in the real worldEvans & Peck Professor in Transport Innovation, Travis Waller

The School is at the forefront of innovative, original and applied research across the breadth of civil and environmental engineering. Each year we work with over 100 industry and government organisations on specific industry related projects. We have won millions of dollars in Australian Research Council grants to pursue our investigations into issues of national importance.

We continue to forge new links with industry and community partners to ensure a continuing real-world focus for both our teaching and our research. “My very strong belief is that our research is only engineering research if it makes an impact in the real world,” says the Chair of our Research Management Committee, Evans & Peck Professor in Transport Innovation, Travis Waller. “If we’re not interacting with industry, government or society, then in my opinion we’re not performing engineering research.”

WORLD BASED RESEARCH

In 2013 the School had a stellar year for ARC Grants, winning a total of $4.3 Million in 5 Linkage, 4 Discovery and 1 Early Career Researcher Grant.

The Linkage projects include: research into improvements in

water treatment systems streamflow prediction systems innovative pre-treatment strategies

for remote community groundwater supplies

transport planning methodologies multi-criteria optimisation of car

share systems.

The Discovery projects include: a paradigm shift in flood

forecasting, warning and evacuation procedures

promoting the reduction and reuse of structural steel in steel-concrete framed buildings

closing the knowledge gap of how shallow foundations perform in variably saturated soils

assessing the safety of large spatially curved-complex structures for design and rehabilitation purposes.

TEACHING INNOVATION

The School Teaching Initiative Grant Scheme (STIGS) was introduced in 2013 as a strategic investment to enable the School to continue to provide cutting edge education.

In 2013 and 2014 ten STIGs were awarded to twelve academic staff for their innovative projects which included:

more student-centred tutorial delivery

teaching podcasts water quality laboratory ‘hands-on’

teaching materials graphical modelling programs for

project management a new one week summer session

course in satellite remote sensing and applications (SaReSA)

improved quality of postgraduate coursework textual materials

creating scenario based eLearning the building of several online

learning objects, systems and assessments that can be shared across different CVEN classes and at different levels.

teaching excellence

The School has been Australia’s leading provider of engineering education for over fifty years. We believe that civil and environmental engineers are uniquely placed to meet and solve the challenges of contemporary society. With two and a half thousand current students, we play a leading role in the delivery of cutting edge undergraduate and postgraduate engineering programs -with a focus on sustainability as well as core engineering knowledge.

The major drive behind the work of the School’s Teaching and Learning Team is to improve the learning experience of students.

Chair, Teaching and Learning Committee, Dr Steven Davis

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS

The School offers five separate undergraduate engineering degree programs (all four years) and several combined degrees. Over a third of our students now undertake combined degrees.

Minimum ATAR in 2014 was 91.0.

POSTGRADUATE COURSEWORK

The School continues to provide industry professionals with essential specialist knowledge, backed by cutting edge research, to improve their performance and advance their careers.

Our Master of Engineering Science (MEngSc) educates students to the top level required nationally in nine specialisations:

Civil Engineering Environmental Engineering Geospatial Engineering Geotechnical Engineering and

Engineering Geology Project Management Structural Engineering Transport Engineering Water Engineering - Catchment to

Coast Water, Wastewater and Waste

Engineeringng

research groups

rCITIResearch Centre for Integrated Transport InnovationOur aim is to be a world leading organisation in integrated interdisciplinary transport research and development. Our five core research pillars are Planning, ITS Communications, Infrastructure, Energy/Fuel and Computational Sustainability.http://www.rciti.unsw.edu.au/

SAGESurveying and Geospatial Engineering ResearchThe Surveying and Geospatial Engineering (SAGE) Research group has been conducting world class research in the subdisciplines of geodesy, photogrammetry, positioning measurement and remote sensing since the 1960s. The group includes one of the world’s top satellite and wireless positioning research groups, and one of Australia’s premier Earth observation research teams.http://www.engineering.unsw.edu.au/civil-engineering/surveying-and-geospatial-engineering

SEISustainable Engineering ResearchThe aim of the Sustainable Engineering Research Initiative is to explore, research, define, assess and resolve issues of sustainability in engineering problems, in particular the implications and implementation of sustainability concepts and practices for civil infrastructure – buildings, roads and transport, water supply, waste disposal – in the areas of planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance.http://www.engineering.unsw.edu.au/civil-engineering/sustainable-engineering-initiative-sei

WRCWater Research CentreTo maintain Australia’s current level of population and economic growth, our water management needs innovative and integrated solutions in terms of environmental, energy and social considerations. WRC conducts pure and applied research in surface and groundwater hydrology, public health and water treatment, and civil and environmental hydraulics. We also undertake commercial activity in collaboration with industry. water.unsw.edu.au/site/

ACCARNSIAustralian Climate Change Adaptation Research Network for Settlements & InfrastructureOur Vision: To facilitate the coordination of the Australian research community in the field of Climate Change Adaptation for Settlement and Infrastructure – supporting multi-disciplinary research, building research capacity, and promoting open exchange of information and resources.http://www.nccarf.edu.au/settlements-infrastructure/

CIESCentre for Infrastructure Engineering & SafetyAs an internationally recognised centre, focused on high-level research in structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, engineering materials and computational mechanics, CIES provides outcomes that improve the design, construction and maintenance of economic, effective, safe and sustainable civil engineering infrastructure. http://www.cies.unsw.edu.au/

CIRIConstruction Innovation and Research InitiativeConstruction is the world’s largest industry and its efficiency and sustainability is of obvious importance. The School is actively engaged in industrial research on major construction projects in the region. We undertake basic and applied research in two broad areas - the design and management of large scale field processes and improved technology for construction activities.http://www.engineering.unsw.edu.au/civil-engineering/construction-innovation-and-research-initiative-ciri

CWIConnected Waters InitiativeAn integrated understanding of groundwater is essential for the future of the Australian environment, our urban and rural communities, and for agricultural and mining activity. The Connected Waters Initiative Research Centre aims to help fill critical gaps in our knowledge through research, teaching and public education.http://www.connectedwaters.unsw.edu.au/

The School provides an exceptional environment for higher research, offering a combination of pre-eminent academics, supported by over 70 full time researchers, with top class facilities.

Our investment in major research infrastructure and equipment enables our staff and students to work at the cutting edge of local, national and international research.

The Randwick Heavy Structures Laboratory at UNSW King St campus, and the Materials Research Laboratory and Geotechnical Engineering Laboratories in the School’s Valentine Annex support the research of the Centre for Infrastructure Engineering and Safety (CIES).

The Water Quality Laboratories (WQL) include specialist laboratories for chemical and microbial analysis, pilot hall facilities for large scale bioreactor studies, radiation laboratory for isotope studies and olfactory laboratory for odour characterisation.

The Connected Waters Initiative has extensive computing, technical equipment and laboratory facilities for connected waters studies, available through the Faculties of Science and Engineering.

Practical project-based and theoretical hydraulics research is undertaken using the unique large-scale facilities of the Water Research Laboratory at Manly Vale.

All the laboratories also provide extensive support for undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and learning.

After sixty-five years in the business of delivering world class engineering education, we have thousands of alumni working and succeeding in many areas of industry, government and community.

By mid-2014 we had graduated 6,537 BEs (or equivalent); 4,509 coursework Masters, and 548 higher degree researchers. It’s not just quantity – it’s quality. We regularly rank as one of the highest contributors of graduates to Engineers Australia’s Annual Top 100 Engineers list.

Our own success is the result of the enormous hard work, dedication and talents of our staff and students over the years. The journey continues - with new challenges and new solutions. As one alumnus who regularly appears in the Top 100 Australian Engineers, Arup’s Dr Robert Care, AM has said, ‘If we are to live in a sustainable and socially just world, it will be civil and environmental engineers who will play a disproportionate part.’

To spread the word, we need our alumni. If you are a CVEN graduate, please stay in touch. Register at www.engineering.unsw.edu.au/civil-engineering/graduates-alumni.

Cover pic is of Lisa Thom; BE Civil with Architecture (Hons 1) 2014. Lisa’s fourth year thesis was entitled “Cross Laminated Timber: An Australian Context”. For Lisa, the year since graduation has been ‘a whirlwind of opportunities’. She notes ‘the thesis has definitely been an incredible stepping stone taking my career to a level I never thought it would reach (and so soon as well!).’

The School is committed to maintaining our strong ties with industry, and with continuing to raise the profile of the profession amongst the community. To this end, and with the support of our Industry Advisory Committee and the industry partners program, we

provide a highly sought after Year 10 work experience week where students from around the state visit various civil engineering sites and offices;

promote a primary school maths prize to encourage younger students to stay with the knowledge required for a rewarding and useful career;

support Indigenous programs, and are actively engaged in raising

the participation rates of women in our programs.

We are grateful to our industry partners and supporters Aecom, Arup, Aurecon, Brookfield Multiplex, Cardno, GHD, JK Geotechnics, Laing O’Rourke, Leighton Contractors, Leighton Holdings, NSW Water Solutions, Parsons Brinckerhoff, PSM, SMEC, Taylor Thomson Whitting (TTW), Thiess and URS for their support.

Industry partners are able to connect with our wonderful Year 3 and Year 4 students in a variety of ways, including an annual breakfast with our elite students.

For further information on external relations, alumni, and industry partnerships, please contact Dr Mary O’Connell at m.oconnell@unsw.edu.au

Research Facilities Community

School of Civil and Environmental Engineering (H20) | UNSW AUSTRALIA SYDNEY NSW 2052 T +61 (0)2 9385 5033 | F +61 (0)2 9385 6139 | E cven.enquiries@cven.unsw.edu.au | W http://www.civeng.unsw.edu.au/

Alumni