On Monday evening, Engineers Australia recognised those who have made an outstanding contribution to the Australian engineering professional through the National Awards. Check out the winners below.

Peter Nicol Russell Career Achievement Memorial Medal (PNR)

Professor Mary O’Kane AC HonFIEAust CPEng 

Professor Mary O’Kane is the NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer and also a company director and Executive Chairman of O’Kane Associates, a Sydney-based consulting practice specialising in major reviews.

Her research was in the field of continuous speech recognition and she is a leading figure in Australian Artificial Intelligence, ICT and Engineering more generally. Her work has been recognised by various awards including the ATERB Medal in 1990, the Centenary Medal in 2001, the Pearcey Medal for Lifetime Achievement in ICT in 2014, the inaugural Ada Lovelace Medal for an Outstanding Woman Engineer in 2016 and the Erna Hamburger Prize in 2017.

Professor O’Kane was Australia’s first female Engineering Dean, appointed in 1988 at the University of Canberra. She was Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) (1994-6) and then Vice-Chancellor of the University of Adelaide (1996-2001). In this period she was also the inaugural Chair of the Group of Eight. She is a former Chair of the board of the Australian Centre for Renewable Energy and the Board of the Development Gateway, a former member of the Commonwealth’s Review of the National Innovation System, Australian Research Council and the Co-operative Research Centres (CRC) Committee, the board of FH Faulding & Co Ltd and the board of CSIRO. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and an Honorary Fellow of Engineers Australia.

As NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer she provides the Government with advice on policy matters requiring research, science and engineering input. In September 2014, after extensive investigation and with intense public interest, she published her final report for the Independent Review of Coal Seam Gas Activities in New South Wales, an influential baseline for future government policy decision-making involving engineering and science.

In 2016 Professor O’Kane was made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for ‘eminent service to science and engineering, as a contributor to national policy development and governance, to the promotion of technology research and future energy supply, to higher education, and as a role model for young scientists’.
 

The Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal is Engineers Australia’s most prestigious award and it can only be conferred by the Engineers Australia Board on recommendation of the Honours and Awards Committee.

Recipients of the Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal represent the highest technical, professional and community service standards in engineering.

2017 Professional Engineer of the Year

Phillip Campbell OAM FIEAust CPEng EngExec NER APEC Engineer IntPE(Aus)

Phillip Campbell has 40 years experience leading engineering teams, and is the Acting Executive General Manager Enterprise Services for Australian Rail Track Corporation.

Phillip holds a BEng (Mech), an MSc in structural design and a Graduate Diploma in Railway Operations. He is an FIEAust and a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. He is the Executive Chair of the Railway Technical Society of Australasia. Phillip holds CPEng and is registered on the National Engineering Register (NER), holds current RPEQ, and is also registered as a Chartered Professional Engineer by the Engineering Council, UK. Phillip was President of the South Australia Division Committee in 2005. He was Chair of the Australian Joint Board for Aerospace Engineering and continues to serve on the Advisory Committee of the Sir Keith and Sir Ross Smith Fund. He was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 2013 for services to engineering.

2017 Young Professional Engineer of the Year

Stephen Bornstein MIEAust CPEng NER

Stephen Bornstein is currently a capability engineer at Airbus.

He studied Aerospace Engineering at Monash University and worked at BAE and Rocket Lab before Airbus. Within BAE Systems he worked on the Nulka Active Missile Decoy and the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile providing mechanical and systems solutions to enhance Australia's defence capability. At Rocket Lab he was a senior vehicle engineer developing the electron space launch vehicle.

In his spare time he volunteers with STEM programs, teaching kids about engineering. He also built a cockpit simulator for the Royal Flying Doctors Service and a drone to stop poaching in Africa. 

2017 President’s Prize Winner

Ron Watts FAHRI GAICD

As Executive General Manager, Professional Standards & Practice at Engineers Australia, Ron Watts leads the planning and development of professional engineering standards and practice which enhances the education and professional development of the engineering team. Ron has been instrumental in applying a customer lens on our products and processes, the development of innovative new initiatives, streamlining internal processes and many more. 

During the period of February 2017 – July 2017 Ron Watts acted as Engineers Australia’s Chief Operating Officer and greatly contributed to the integrity and leadership in various areas of the organisation.

Ron’s expertise and experience is very broad and covers areas such as human resources policy, strategy development, human resources operational management, quality and change management, strategic planning, enterprise bargaining planning and negotiations.  Ron’s career of more than 30 years has seen him work at highly regarded organisations such as the Australian National University, Deakin University, Australia Post and others.