News & Events
Balloon-powered carts fly in the south lawn
March 2010
Balloon-powered carts designed by mechanical engineering students were on display yesterday as part of a speed time trial beside the south lawn.
As part of the subject Engineering Design and Processes 1, students were asked to construct a self-contained cart propelled by the air expelled from one or more balloons which was then raced against the entries from other groups in an individual speed trial.
The project aim was to stretch the imagination of students in appreciating and harnessing the energy potential of a working fluid (such as air) under pressure, to produce motion.
Overseen by subject coordinator Dr Colin Burvill winners were identified in two categories – Performance, and Design Robustness, Ingenuity & Elegance. Entries ranged from the balsa-wood contsructions to pvc-tube chassis, and carts featuring compact-disc wheels. While a couple of entries captured the prizes on offer, others simply captured the imagination. Overall though the event was judged a success.
More photos on Flickr
Project funding for Mechatronics, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering students
March 2010
Melbourne School of Engineering received $376,000 funding from DEEWR as part of the sixth round of the EU/Australia Joint Cooperation in Higher Education and Training projects. This will allow students undertaking Mechatronics, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering at the University of Melbourne and local partner universities (RMIT and Curtin) to receive scholarships of $7000 to undertake their final year projects over four months at one of three European Universities (Technical University of Munich, Germany; University of Vigo, Spain; University of Lodz, Poland).
With engineering increasingly become a globally mobile profession, this will give students the opportunity to work in international teams, exposure to the European mechatronics industry as well as the experience of a lifetime. This program is a significant differentiator for the Melbourne engineering course, and is a further example of the possible opportunities for students in the School of Engineering.
Part of the funding will also be used to prepare a Mechatronics subject that builds on the distributed expertise across the six partner universities. Students interested in applying for the program over the period 2010-2012, should view the following: Intercultural Excellence in Mechatronic Engineering Education
Tall Poppy award to Chris Manzie
September 2009
A Mechanical Engineering lecturer has won a nationally celebrated Tall Poppy Science Award for 2009.
Dr Chris Manzie was presented with the award on September 17.
The Young Tall Poppy Science Awards were created in 1998 by the Australian Institute of Policy and Science. The awards recognise and celebrate Australian intellectual and scientific excellence and promote science as a career for younger Australians.
Melbourne School of Engineering's focus on fostering leadership skills and industry collaborations - both in Australia and internationally - contributed significantly to the achievement of this award.
Dr Manzie, Senior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering, has worked across a broad range of research areas. His principal focus is control-system design for automotive and mechatronic systems. He has collaborated with industry partners including Ford Australia, BAE Systems, ANCA Motion and Pacifica Group.
He established the School's annual Meridian Exhibition, which creates bridges between tomorrow's potential engineers and their possible industry employers. The exhibition showcases the work of final-year students to industry and also gives school students and parents the opportunity to talk to current Engineering students.
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Building a better, safer community University Newsroom, 27 Oct 2009 Predicting the time and location of a bushfire is set to become more accurate thanks to research carried out by a group of final year students from the Department of MechanicalEngineering> at the University of Melbourne. |
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Robogals break World Record HeraldSun 30 September 2009 Robogals, led by Mechatronics student Marita Cheng, broke the World Record for robot dancing, on campus yesterday. The event helped raise awareness of Robogals. More information, Robogals website |
Engineers create hydrogen hope for engines
August 2009
A research team at the Melbourne School of Engineering led by Dr Michael Brear has launched a prototype hydrogen fuelled engine in a step towards the future of the automotive industry.
- Read the Geelong Advertiser newspaper article: Hydrogen hope for Ford engine
- See the video: Driving clean energy all the way to zero emissions
Technology to assist Drowsy Drivers
The Voice 11 May 2009
Professor Saman Halgamuge is interviewed about a research project investigating the development of a driver fatigue detection device, which will provide an almost 100 per cent accurate reading of how sleepy someone is behind the wheel Read the article on the Voice website
Queen's Birthday Honour for Professor Peter Joubert
June 2009
Emeritus Professor Peter Joubert has again been recognised for his achievements, recently having been made a Member of the Order of Australia.
Announced in the Queen's Birthday Honours, the citation for Professor Joubert's Australian Honour, was "for service to engineering through research in the field of fluid dynamics, particularly in relation to submarine design and education".
This comes on top of an OAM in 1996, a Centenary Medal and the AGM Michell Medal from the College of Mechanical Engineers in 2001, and an Honourary Doctorate from the University in 2005.
First appointed as a lecturer in mechanical engineering at the University of Melbourne in 1953, Professor Joubert is these days regarded as one of the elder statesmen of academia in Australia. Specialising in fluid mechanics, he visited MIT as a Fulbright scholar in 1954 where he built and tested high-speed catamarans in a towing tank. He became a well-known yacht designer and raced in the Sydney to Hobart race 27 times, surviving the massive storms of 1998 when his yacht turned upside down before being righted. In more recent years, he has advised the Australian Government on how to overcome design problems associated with the Collins class submarine. He continues this activity designing better shapes for the Collins replacement.
Professor Joubert was a World War II fighter pilot and while on active duty in New Guinea, he personally experienced how important seat belts can be in saving lives. He went on to be a leading road safety researcher and was a major player in the introduction of compulsory seat belts in Victoria in 1970 - the first state in the world to do so.
Retiring from full-time lecturing in 1989, Professor Joubert continues to play an invaluable research and advisory role with the Melbourne School of Engineering. Sincere congratulations go to him for another well-deserved honour and recognition of his academic and engineering achievements.
5 November 2008 Car Launch Night
The 2008 MUR Motorsports vehicle was formally launched at our annual Car Launch Night. The event was held once again in the impressive Bio21 atrium, with over 150 attendees comprising of family, friends, sponsors, academic staff and alumni. The night began with formal presentations by each of the sub-teams, followed by the presentation of team photos and gifts to sponsors and academic supervisors of the 2008 team. The formalities concluded with the official unveiling of the vehicle, jointly performed by Deputy Dean of Engineering Prof. Peter Scales, Department Head of Mechanical Engineering Prof. Doreen Thomas, and Project Supervisors Prof. Harry Watson and Dr. Daniel Riley.
It was a proud night for all involved with the project. Focus will now shift to thorough testing and tuning of the car to ensure optimal readiness for the 2008 competition in three weeks' time.
Formula SAE Racing Team
The Formula SAE racing team is featured in the latest episode of Visions: Episode 15, visions.unimelb.edu.au.
Ever wanted to build your very own formula style racing car? In Episode 15 of Visions we go behind the scenes with a group of 30 final year engineering students who are doing just that: watch the video
The Melbourne University Motorsport Website has detailed information on this years team, car and the competition itself.
Departmental newsletter
Previous news & events
- Meridian07: Showcase of final year projects | 10 October
- International award for small engine PhD research
Formula SAE Racing Team
The Formula SAE racing team is featured in the latest episode of Visions: Episode 15, visions.unimelb.edu.au.
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Ever wanted to build your very own formula style racing car? In Episode 15 of Visions we go behind the scenes with a group of 30 final year engineering students who are doing just that: watch the video The Melbourne University Motorsport Website has detailed information on this years team, car and the competition itself. |
Meridian
Showcase of final year projects
Meridian is an exhibition showcasing the ingenuity and intelligence of the final year Mechanical and Mechatronics engineering students at the University of Melbourne.
The event exhibits advance research and project work undertaken by the students in collaboration with industry and academic staff at the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering. The event also bridges the gap between the industries and university, maximizing the sponsors' exposure to Australia's finest students and increasing students' marketability.
Meridian exhibition is also an event to encourage engineering to secondary schools students by providing presentations, laboratory tours and design competitions giving them the chance to taste the experience of studying Mechanical and Mechatronics engineering at the university.