Join Young Engineers Australia Illawarra in discovering the future of engineering as University of Wollongong showcase their world class research projects. Hear researchers speaking about their work and the potential impacts that it will have on our Engineering Industries, as well as learn about the higher degree research opportunities that can be undertaken at the University of Wollongong.

About the Speakers Professor Gursel Alici, Head of School of Mechanical, Materials and Mechatronic Engineering

Gursel Alici received his PhD degree in robotics from the Department of Engineering Science at Oxford University in 1994. He is currently a Professor at the University of Wollongong where he is the Head of the School of Mechanical, Materials and Mechatronic Engineering since 2011. His research interests are soft robotics, system dynamics and control, robotic drug delivery systems, novel actuation concepts for biomechatronic applications, robotic mechanisms and manipulation systems, soft and smart actuators and sensors, and medical robotics. He has published more than 300 refereed publications in his areas of research.

VENUE

SMART building Rm 6.105

SMART Lane

UOW, Northfields Avenue

Wollongong NSW 2522

DATE & TIME

Tuesday 23 August 2016 at 5.45

pm

Pizza will be provided after the

presentations.

Sponsored by

TICKETS (incl. GST)

EA Members & Students: Free

REGISTRATIONS CLOSE

COB Monday 22 August 2016

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About the Speakers Dr Ana Heitor, Lecturer, School of Civil, Mining and Environmental Engineering

Ana Heitor, an early career researcher at the University of Wollongong, received a Licentiate degree (New University of Lisbon) in 2004, a master’s (Kyoto University) and doctoral (University of Wollongong) degrees in Geotechnical Engineering in 2009 and 2012, respectively. From 2004 to 2006 she also worked in consultancy and construction companies in Portugal. During her PhD study, undertaken under the auspices of an ARC linkage project, she was honoured in the Young Geotechnical Professional Competition (2010) and with the AGS NSW Research Student Award (2012) for her innovative research work on the investigation of cost effective and non-destructive testing methods for evaluating the compaction efficiency of reclamation fills at Penrith Lakes. Her research work is also showcased in a number of scholarly academic publications, including journals and international conference proceedings. She joined the Centre for Geomechanics and Railway Engineering at University of Wollongong as lecturer in July 2012 and is currently working on two ARC Projects encompassing the characterization of compacted granular wastes and compacted soil stabilized with chemical agents. Her research interests are mainly focussed on non-destructive laboratory testing, soil improvement and stabilization, small and large strain behaviour of compacted soil and granular wastes and liquefaction analysis of partially saturated ground.

Edward Alexander, PhD Candidate, School of Mechanical, Materials and Mechatronics Engineering

Edward Alexander completed his Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) with 1st Class Honours at

the end of 2015 and began a PhD in Bulk Solids Handling and Storage in 2016. His research is being

undertaken at the Centre for Bulk Solids and Particulate Technology under the supervision of

Associate Professor Peter Wypych as well as Dr David Hastie and Dr Andrew Grima. His research

is also connected to BMEA (Bulk Material Engineering Australia) a licensed consultancy of the

University of Wollongong and ISHRI (International Solids Handling Research Institute) which is

made up of 2 bulk solids handling companies from China and the University of Wollongong as well

as corporate partners. Edward’s research is based on investigating the issues surrounding

consolidation in flow property testers through experiments and numerical simulations as well as

the design of a high pressure flow property tester for application in the design of gravity reclaim

stockpiles.

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About the Speakers Phillip Drain, PhD Candidate, School of Mechanical, Materials and Mechatronic Engineering

Phil first came to the University of Wollongong in 2006 to study Materials Engineering as part of the BlueScope cadet program. During the 5 years with BlueScope Phil acquired technical and operations experience in blast furnace ironmaking, ore preparation and sintering. This work experience resulted lead to Phil researching the topic "Blast furnace hearth refractory and coke ash mineral interactions" for his honours in 2010. Phil's won the Australasian institute of Mining and Metallurgy G.B O'Malley Medal (2011) and the UoW MM Metals Prize (2010) for this project. In 2011 Phil accepted a process engineering role with BHP Billiton Worsley Alumina and continued this research on kinetics of blast furnace hearth refractory and coke ash reactions part time completing this in 2013. Phil's roles with Worsley alumina included Lead Commissioning Engineer for Calciner 6, Production Execution Coordinator, Process Engineer and acting various technical and production superintendent roles over the period 2011-2014. In late 2014 Phil won a PhD scholarship through the new Steel Research Hub based at the University of Wollongong. Phil's research project on "The Effect of Ti on the kinetics of phosphorus removal during BOS Steelmaking" is funded by BlueScope, Arrium and the Australian research council. Phil's current research started in February 2015 under the supervision of Professor Brian Monaghan and Dr Guangqing Zhang.

Ashley Zaracostas, PhD Candidate, School of Civil, Mining and Environmental Engineering

Ashley Zaracostas is currently a PhD student in the School of Civil, Mining and Environmental Engineering. Ashley completed a Bachelor of Engineering (Environmental) with first class honours, at the University of Wollongong in 2013. Her honours thesis focussed on the removal of trace contaminants from wastewater by membrane bioreactor for safe water recycling. During her undergraduate studies, Ashley participated in an internship program at Shoalhaven Water, which developed her interest in water treatment technologies. Ashley commenced her PhD in 2014 and her research project involves the sustainable recovery of water, energy and nutrients from wastewater using membrane-based technology. Ashley’s research will focus on a hybrid forward osmosis – membrane distillation system. This novel desalination process can enhance the recovery of resources from wastewater, and has significant potential to become a carbon neutral treatment system.

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