Eminent Speaker Program

Eminent Speaker Series

The Eminent Speaker Program enables members to hear presentations by notable persons from Australia and Overseas on key topics of interest to the profession across a range of disciplines.

The Current Speakers section will be updated regularly as tours are organised by the National discipline Colleges & Committees of Engineers Australia.

The Past Speakers section allows you to access the presentation slides & video-streamed presentations of speakers you may have missed over the past months.

Unless otherwise stated, there is now a $10 charge for non-members to attend any of the Eminent Speaker Presentations. Payment is required at registration for the presentation applicable.

Current Speakers

Mr. Paul Blanchfield

MIE Aust, CPEng, Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical) Hons 1st Class

Paul is the Electrical College National Professional Electrical Engineer of the year 2011 and a senior electrical engineer with over 28 years experience in transmission and generation plant design, asset management, maintenance, operation, and commissioning. He also has extensive expertise in substation, power station, embedded generation, and industrial plant earthing design and the particular issues associated with adjacent infrastructure connections.

Paul is SKM's Practice Leader in Protection and Metering and the senior technical authority in this area. Paul is a member of CIGRE Australian Panel B5 (protection and automation).
 
 

Presentation topic

Learning, applying and facilitating the transfer of electrical engineering know-how in the power industry
 
Paul Blanchfield is an electrical engineer specialising in power infrastructure and has 28 years experience. He spent the first half of his working career in the Electricity Commission of NSW (ECNSW) at a variety of locations and the second half of it in private industry.
 
He has worked on a large variety of equipment that includes large power plants, embedded generators, transmission plants, islanded networks, mining networks, and industrial infrastructure. The roles at both green-field and brown-field sites have encompassed design, construction, commissioning, asset maintenance, asset operation, independent verification, and owners engineering.
 
During this presentation Paul will provide useful insight to those who wish to practice as an electrical engineer from the view point of gaining expertise, successfully applying it, and effectively mentoring younger professionals.
 
Examples of the type of work he has been doing and the particular approaches adopted to guarantee a successful outcome will be presented during the course of his presentation from the following areas;

1. Managing generator - network electrical interfaces from plant concept to network connection.
 
2. Brown-fields substation secondary plant design, construction and commissioning.
 

Presentation location and dates

Perth
Monday 6th February 2012
5:30pm for 6:00pm start
Engineers Australia Western Australia Division
712 Murray Street
West Perth WA 6005

Adelaide
Wednesday 8th February 2012
5:30pm for 6:00pm start
Engineers Australia South Australia Division
Level 11
108 King William Street
Adelaide SA 5000

REGISTER NOW

 

 

Mr. Doug Arbuckle

B.S., M.S., AIAA Associate Fellow

Doug Arbuckle advises the JPDO Director on required PNT and Surveillance activities to meet Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) objectives -- including identification of critical institutional, policy, and technology issues.

Mr. Arbuckle advises SBS Program management in the development of future ADS-B applications, through the lifecycle of operational concept development, safety and performance analysis, field test validation, and avionics standards development via RTCA and ICAO.

He also leads implementation of the SBS Program’s international strategy.

Prior to joining FAA in March 2009, Arbuckle was a NASA employee, beginning as a researcher at Langley Research Center (LaRC) in flight controls and simulation. At LaRC, he served in multiple technical leadership and management positions including: Vehicle Operations Research Branch Head, Flight Dynamics and Control Division Chief, and Airborne Systems Competency Director.

Arbuckle holds B.S./M.S. degrees in Aerospace Engineering and is an AIAA Associate Fellow. He is the Designated Federal Official for the ADS-B-In Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC), a member of the RTCA Program Management Committee, and US representative on the ICAO Airborne Surveillance Task Force.  He also served on the ADS-B Aviation Rulemaking Committee.

Click here to download Doug's presentation flyer

Presentation topic

Next Generation Air Traffic Management – Promises, Pitfalls and Progress

Both the U.S. and Europe are engaged in active, long-term programs to modernize Air Traffic Management (ATM).  These programs promise a continuous roll-out of new procedures and technology that will save fuel, reduce noise, cut pollution, and maintain or improve safety. 

The United States has invested nearly $3 billion in its ATM modernization program, called NextGen. NextGen is projected to reduce delays about 35 percent in the next seven years.  It will bring $23 billion in cumulative benefits, saving about 1.4 billion gallons of jet fuel and cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 14 million tons.

This presentation will describe the technologies that enable and underpin NextGen, as well as the technical challenges involved in integrating these technologies. However, good engineering alone is not enough to achieve NextGen goals. Since ATM systems must operate 24/7/365, how to transition to new operations and procedures using the new technologies is also key; major transition considerations will be described. Cultural factors in the engineering, pilot and controller workforces must also be addressed; these factors will be described, as well as the approaches which are trying to address them.

The presentation will close with selected examples of progress from a U.S. and global perspective.

Presentation locations and dates

Brisbane
Thursday 8th March 2012
5:30pm for 6:00pm start
Transport and Main Roads Conference Centre
477 Boundary Street
Spring Hill Qld 4000

Newcastle
Monday 12th March 2012
5:30pm for 6:00pm start
Engineers Australia Newcastle Division
122 Parry Street
Newcastle West NSW 2302

Sydney
Tuesday 13th March 2012
6:00pm for 6:30pm start
Engineers Australia Sydney Division
Level 3
8 Thomas Street
Chatswood NSW 2067

Canberra
Wednesday 14th March 2012
5:30pm for a 6:00pm start
Engineers Australia Canberra Division
Engineering House, 11 National Circuit
Barton ACT 2600

Melbourne
Thursday 15th March 2012
5:30pm for 6:00pm start
Engineers Australia Victoria Division
Engineering House
Level 2
21 Bedford Street
North Melbourne VIC 3051

Adelaide
Friday 16th March 2012
5:30pm for 6:00pm start
Engineers Australia South Australia Division
Level 11, 108 King William Street
Adelaide SA 5000

Perth
Monday 19th March 2012
5:30pm for 6:00pm start
Engineers Australia WA Division
712 Murray Street
West Perth WA 6005

REGISTER NOW

 

 

Mr. Greg Martin

PSM FIEAust CPEng

Greg Martin is the Chair of the National Transport Commission, Deputy Chair of the Taxi Industry Board in Western Australia and a member of the Western Australian Freight and Logistics Council and Principal of Greg Martin Transport Strategies.

His previous roles included Professor of Planning and Transport Studies at Curtin University and Executive Director of the Planning and Transport Research Centre, Director General of the Western Australian Department for Planning and

Infrastructure and Commissioner of Main Roads Western Australia.  His earlier career developed in the Commonwealth through engineering specialist, project management and corporate executive roles.

Greg Martin was awarded the Public Service Medal of the Order of Australia in 2008 and the 2010 Transport Medal by the National Committee on Transport Engineering.

Presentation topic

Transport and public strategy – linking policy goals to action

The ubiquitous nature of transport affects our daily lives, both directly and indirectly.  Almost everything we do or every service we receive has a transport component embedded within it.

This presentation will look to the high order policy goals of productivity, prosperity and livability and strategies to address the complexities of determining public interest imperatives, dealing with multiple and competing interests, addressing reluctance to change, engaging with the community for acceptance and defining the transition path for implementation.

Without serious and courageous deliberation, we will suffer the fate of “more endeavour to generate more frustration” to the detriment of our societies’ future prosperity and the wellbeing of our citizens.

Presentation locations and dates

Canberra
Thursday 16th February 2012
12:00pm for a 12:30pm start (light lunch provided)
Engineers Australia Canberra Division
Engineering House, 11 National Circuit
Barton ACT 2600
REGISTER NOW (Canberra)

 

Port Macquarie
Friday 17th February 2012
6:00pm (dinner presentation)
Rydges Port Macquarie
1 Hay St, Port Macquarie
Cost: $50 members | $60 non-members | $35 young engineers
Presentation only cost: FREE members | $10 non-members
REGISTER NOW (Port Macquarie)

 

Melbourne
Monday 27th February 2012
5:30pm for 6:00pm start
Engineers Australia Victoria Division
Engineering House
Level 2
21 Bedford Street
North Melbourne VIC 3051
REGISTER NOW (Melbourne)
 

Hobart
Tuesday 28th February 2012
5:30pm for 6:00pm start
Engineers Australia Tasmania Division
Royal Engineers Building
2 Davey Street
Hobart TAS 7000
REGISTER NOW (Hobart)
 

Adelaide
Tuesday 6th March 2012
5:30pm for 6:00pm start
Engineers Australia South Australia Division
Level 11, 108 King William Street
Adelaide SA 5000
REGISTER NOW (Adelaide)
 

Darwin
Thursday 8th March 2012
5:30pm
Engineers Australia Northern Division
14 Shepherd Street
Darwin NT 0800
REGISTER NOW (Darwin)
 

Newcastle
Tuesday 27th March 2012
7:15am for a 7:30am start (breakfast presentation)
The Newcastle Club
40 Newcomen Street, Newcastle
Cost: $25 members | $35 non-members | $20 YEN members
Dress code applies: Business attire
REGISTER NOW (Newcastle)

 

Sydney
Wednesday 28th March 2012
5:30pm for 6:00pm start
Engineers Australia Sydney Division
Level 3
8 Thomas Street
Chatswood NSW 2067
REGISTER NOW (Sydney)
 

Perth
Monday 2nd April 2012
5:30pm for 6:00pm start
Engineers Australia WA Division
712 Murray Street
West Perth WA 6005
  REGISTER NOW (Perth)
 

Brisbane
Tuesday 3rd April 2012
5:30pm for 6:00pm start
Transport and Main Roads Conference Centre
477 Boundary Street
Spring Hill Qld 4000
REGISTER NOW (Brisbane)
 

Kalgoorlie
Wednesday 11th April 2012
6:50am for 7:00am start (breakfast presentation)
Quality Inn Railway Motel and Function Centre
51 Forrest Street
Kalgoorlie, WA 6430
Cost: $20 member | $25 non member | $15 students

REGISTER NOW (Kalgoorlie)

More Information

Currently Touring

  • Mr Paul Blanchfield
  • Mr Doug Arbuckle
  • Mr Greg Martin

Upcoming Speakers

Details of the 2011-2012 Eminent Speaker Series Speakers will be notified in early July 2011.

2011-2012 Series Supporting Partners

 

 


 

 

Enquiries

Megan Sam
Eminent Speaker Program Coordinator
eminentspeakerseries@engineersaustralia.org.au
P: 02 6270 6584

Past Speakers