International recognition for Newcastle engineering academic Thursday, 19 January 2017

A University of Newcastle professor has received international recognition for his research in and contribution to electrical engineering.

Professor Ninness has been awarded a Fellowship from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) for his work contributing to the advancement and application of engineering, specifically computational methods in system identification.

Reflecting on his career, Professor Ninness said “my career has been dedicated to the advancement of engineering”.

He believes he was always going to pursue a career in engineering.

“I have been tinkering around with electronics since I was about 12 years old. I distinctly remember my dad bringing home a kit to make your own radio and working on it with him in the garage”, Professor Ninness said.

He earned his Bachelor, Masters and PhD in Electrical Engineering at the University of Newcastle (UON), where he was appointed professor and most recently, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment.

His research includes dynamic system modelling, system identification, and signal processing for wireless communications and has authored over one hundred papers.

General Manager of Engineers Australia Newcastle, Helen Link said Professor Ninness and the University of Newcastle have been strong supporters of Engineers Australia for many years.

“Professor Ninness is an active contributor in the Newcastle engineering community and is committed to preparing tomorrow’s engineers for the future,” Ms Link said.

“He has been involved in a number of education forums hosted by Engineers Australia, Newcastle’s Education Sub-Committee. His contribution has always been greatly appreciated as we all work towards encouraging students into engineering”.

Professor Ninness is now focusing on the future of engineering education in Australia, developing new degrees at UON to address the rapidly-changing role of the engineer.

“In a world where technological developments are occurring at an incredible rate, it is imperative the engineers of tomorrow are equipped to service our rapidly-changing population which will throw up unprecedented challenges,” Professor Ninness said.

The revamped engineering degrees, that begin this year, have fresh and modern content, hands on team-based courses, and are more flexible to meet students’ needs for a diverse skill base.

“The new degrees will set students up for a long term and varied career,” Professor Ninness said.

The University has created a ‘4+1’ model in which students can obtain a Bachelor of Engineering in four years or stay on for an extra year and receive a Masters in Professional Engineering.

There will also be more electives on offer; four in the Bachelor and eight in the Masters, compared to the previous degrees, such as the Bachelor of Civil Engineering where there was no option for elective subjects.

“Now that we have designed the courses, it is time to put our words into action and start teaching”, Professor Ninness said.

“This year my energy will be focused on implementing the courses and ensuring the students are satisfied with quality of education they are receiving.

He will also be working towards securing practising engineers to deliver coursework so students can get that much needed industry exposure.

“I am proud to be a part of UON where we are embracing this future and am looking forward to meeting the incoming 2017 students and beginning this journey together”, Professor Ninness said.

Image: Professor Brett Ninness, Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, University of Newcastle.