Archived News for Engineering Professionals - December, 2013
Australia punches well above its weight in terms of research outcomes, a habit highlighted by the release of the Ten of the Best Research Projects 2013 report.
Graduates' year spared with AusAID reshuffle
About forty young graduates had their public service careers ended before they could begin, but now may get another start.
Hearing calls NBN Co to come clean, Ziggy plays quiet card
Greens Senator Scott Ludlam has accused NBN Co. of little more than “brazen guesswork” in its estimates of key financial data for the re-booted network.
ANU graduates to next level of brain repair research
This time of year means graduation for many students, and in the case of an honours graduand from ANU, brings the chance to change the world some more.
More join call for court over Ipswich flooding
Hundreds have gathered to add their names to a list of thousands in a planned class action suit against the Queensland Government.
Audit app update brings more safety to mobiles
An Australian company has released the latest version of a smartphone app to help all kinds of workplace safety auditing.
Bone pen draws on healing repairs
A new device under development in Victoria will enable surgeons to fix broken bones by drawing on them.
Light way to split H20 could yield super-fuel
Researchers are working on a way to split water into hydrogen and oxygen using some special nanoparticles and light.
Local group out-designs dusty dumps
An engineering firm in New South Wales is testing its new dust-suppressing dump truck, which is aimed at reducing the amount of harmful and valuable material flying loose from the back of loads.
New look at old structure for future possibilities
Recent investigations have shown the incredible potential of an extremely common material, suggesting simple cellulose may have a strong future.
Old mistakes patched-over with big road spend
The Federal Government has announced just under $1 billion in funds for road projects it says were left in planning purgatory by Labor.
Sound barrier could break bugs' reign on screens
Windscreen wipers are alright, but in the future we may be annihilating the rain with a force field of high-intensity sound.
Sydney team adds time dimension to crystal facets
Recent developments in nanophotonics are being used by Macquarie University researchers to create a new generation of programmed crystals.
Tenders up for big Sydney freight build
Bids are being lodged and bets hedged to see who will bag the contracts for a $1 billion freight hub in Sydney's west.
Train stops could see rail giant take impairments
Aurizon has opened itself to nearly $200 million worth of asset impairments after a decision to slash the number of trains, wagons and workers at the company.
Oxford says changing tide in mining could leave Australia stuck
Global shifts are underway which could lead foreign investors to pull up stumps from Australia, stranding a number of projects and leading to the possibility of “mothballed or abandoned” local coal mines.
Well-rounded design brings new players to game
A video game controller that allows people with limited use of their hands to play the latest games has won a design award in South Australia.
Planned move sees AECOM old guard step aside
A planned succession will see some seat-swapping at the pointy end of global engineering giant AECOM, with the President becoming chief and the chief becoming chairman.
Huge passing shot of Earth makes all seem tiny
An astral drive-by has provided new footage of something we all take for granted – the orbit of the moon around Earth.
Measuring force for cellular shoving match
In the growing embryo, cells jostle for space by tugging and nudging their neighbours, and now there is a way to measure the tiny forces they exert on each other in the struggle for life.