Engineers Australia Queensland is proud to announce our Division Committee for 2021.
Division Committee Members are volunteers who contribute to the strategic plan of EA, and endeavour to advance the science and practice of engineering for the benefit of the community. 

Only a couple of months ago, Engineers Australia called for nominations to Division Committees for 2021-22. Nominations are provided to an independent body who manage the elections and nominees are reviewed for eligibility.

In Queensland’s case, forty-one eligible nominations were received.  This was an unprecedented number of nominations showing the interest of members in getting involved. 

Because the number received was more than the number called for, the General Regulations of Engineers Australia deem that a member vote was required. 

In the wake of this, we are pleased to introduce you to the elected nominees who will join the Queensland Division Committee for 2021 and 2022 – Helen Fairweather and Andrew Reid

Helen Fairweather, FIEAust

My role as Senior Lecturer in Environmental Engineering at the University of the Sunshine Coast is very exciting. Being a more-mature early career academic brings with it challenges, but also amazing opportunities to integrate my experiences over the last several decades into the engineering curriculum at a time that is seeing much transition across most facets of our lives.

Hydrology has long been a passion for me and to be able to share that passion with my students and hopefully inspire them to develop the same kind of passion is truly an opportunity not afforded to many. Of course with privilege comes a great responsibility to ensure I become the most effective teacher possible. 

My research is also water focussed, and includes the desire to integrate fast-developing technology into my projects. For example, the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs or Drones) for monitoring coastal dynamics and capturing input data into hydro-dynamic models. At its essence my research program can be described as engineering’s contribution to climate change mitigation and adaptation in the coastal zone. 

Andrew Reid, FIEAust CPEng NER
Andrew is a mechanical engineer with significant project experience in mining, sugar, transport, infrastructure, defence, energy, agriculture, and machine design. He is also an experienced business owner and Managing Director at Haald Engineering, with a strong technical expertise and a comprehensive understanding of the industry. 
Since his graduation from the University of Southern Queensland as a Mechanical Engineer (Honours), Andrew has been involved in the engineering sector with a focus on projects and specialist design engineering, concretely in detailed machine design. He has managed projects both nationally and internationally, working with clients in different environments. 

 
The full 2021 committee is as follows:

President

Suzanne Burrow FIEAust CPEng NER APEC Engineer IntPE(Aus)

Ms Burow joined the Board in 2019 as the elected representative. She is a chartered and registered Civil Engineer with considerable experience as a practitioner in water resources engineering in various sectors across the industry. Ms Burow is currently a consulting engineer in the private sector and the Deputy President of the Queensland Division of Engineers Australia.

Deputy President

Joseph Tam FIEAust CPEng EngExec NER APEC Engineer IntPE(Aus)

Joseph has been a chartered civil and structural engineer for over 30 years and a member of Engineers Australia since 1990. His experience in structures covers the design and construction of commercial, residential and industrial buildings, deep basements and shafts, foundations and temporary works, and highway and pedestrian bridges. Joseph has worked for consultants, contractors, governments and statutory bodies both in Australia and overseas. Joseph currently works for Seqwater as the Principal Supply Planner, responsible for planning major water infrastructure to meet South East Queensland’s water demands for the next 30 years.

Deputy President

Marie Gales FIEAust CPEng EngExec NER APEC Engineer IntPE(Aus)

Marie is a Civil Engineer with 30 years of experience working for Governments and Consultants both in Australia and internationally. Within her current role Marie is the Asset and Program Owner for Council’s road, public and active transport infrastructure. Her wide ranging responsibilities include the development of planning for long to near term infrastructure, program and project delivery as well as the day to day operations of Brisbane’s road network.

Immediate Past President

Colin Mitchell FIEAust CPEng EngExec NER APEC Engineer IntPE(Aus)

As National General Manager – Strategy, Colin leads the strategic planning process with the explicit objective of achieving sustainable growth across the BMD Group’s business units, encompassing BMD Constructions, BMD Urban, Empower Engineers & Project Managers, JMac Constructions and Urbex through diversification and competitive advantage.

Colin draws on his 27+ years’ operational and technical experience across a range of mining, port, defence, road and rail projects and his superior business acumen to head up both the business development and corporate communications functions of the BMD Group.

2020/2021 Congress Representative

Mark Lendich FIEAust CPEng EngExec NER APEC Engineer IntPE(Aus)

Mark has over 40 years of experience in the Queensland Supply Industry and National Markets, working in both regulated and non-regulated electricity and gas businesses.
He is a Fellow of Engineers Australia, a Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders, and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Committee Members

Chris Nielsen FIEAust CPEng EngExec NER APEC Engineer IntPE(Aus)

Chris is a civil engineer with over 25 years’ experience, working primarily as a consulting engineer, but also in software development, sales and research. Geographically, he has lived and worked in Australia, Asia and Europe. He graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) from James Cook University in 1990 and a Master of Engineering Science from the University of Queensland in 2000.

Elizabeth Harrison MIEAust CPEng

Elizabeth is a chartered engineer with 13+ year’s national and international experience working in the offshore, utilities and oil & gas engineering industries. She brings together both the people and the technical aspects of large & small scale engineering projects to ensure better client & stakeholder engagement, staff engagement and collaboration for better outcomes.
Elizabeth is passionate about engaging, energising & bringing together multi-disciplinary teams of engineers & managers together to deliver great outcomes across the life of the project from design, construction, through life optimal performance and integrity.”

Robert Hoffman MIEAust CPEng NER (representing Young Engineers Australia, Queensland)

Robert is a Senior Consultant working within KPMG’s Policy, Programs, and Evaluation team. Founded on a background in civil engineering, Robert now specialises in economic analysis and business case development supporting the development of policy and infrastructure planning outcomes.
Robert has experience through the complete project life-cycle, ranging from planning and business case development, economic analysis, project management, detailed design and overseeing construction. He has completed projects for the local, state and federal government, and private clients in a broad range of sectors, including Transport, Energy and Natural Resources, Water, Health and Defence.
Robert is currently the Co-Chair of the Emerging Professionals in Infrastructure Queensland, Chairperson of Young Engineers Australia (National), and EA QLD Division Committee Member.

Trang Pham MIEAust (representing Women in Engineering, Queensland)

Trang is a civil engineer with Aurecon. She has been actively involved with Engineers Australia since her University of Queensland Engineering and Business studies.  A passionate advocate of the STEM professions, Trang aspires to create an inclusive community where young engineers can feel connected to industry and to their peers in order to empower and foster growth in their careers.

Ashfaque Chowdhury MIEAust (representing Queensland’s regions)

Dr Ashfaque Chowdhury is the Academic Lead Engineering Foundation at CQUniversity. He is a Fellow of Advanced Higher Education, UK. He received Engineers Australia Central Region Young Engineer of the Year award in 2017. His research field has been broadly concerned with the numerical, theoretical and experimental studies in energy and thermodynamics and has extended into teaching practice and assessment in higher education. He authored over 50 refereed papers in reputed international journals and conferences and received two best paper awards in 2012 and 2018.
 
We would also like to thank our committee members whose terms are ending in December 2020 for all their efforts and commitment to the profession – Ken Gillard and Ross Percival.  Ken has served for 7 years on the committee including time as Deputy President and President.