The Sydney division of Engineers Australia is set to launch the Engineering Excellence Awards Sydney 2013 (EEAS) at the Powerhouse Museum this week.
It will be launched in conjunction with the opening of an interactive exhibit of last years' award winning entries.
More than 160 people representing all sections of the engineering industry are expected to attend the award program and exhibition launch which will be undertaken by Powerhouse Museum director, Dr Dawn Casey.
Dr Casey will acknowledge the contribution engineers make to society and highlight the profession as an interesting career path.
"This exhibition [showcasing the 2012 EEAS winners] is a great sample of the way in which we can communicate our message about the invaluable nature of the engineers' role to a wider public," Dr Casey said.
Professor Mary O'Kane, NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer applauded the award program as a great way to promote the profession.
"Australia needs more engineers, and even though we've had success, the universities tell me we need more applications. The awards are very good at helping get kids interested in doing engineering," she said.
"The awards are also very important in helping the public understand the incredible, pivotal importance of engineers and engineering, in making our society work and our economy stronger. It helps flush out those really great stories that we can share with the community."
Now in its 18th year of partnership with Engineers Australia, the Powerhouse Museum's exhibition of the 2012 Engineering Excellence Award winning projects include a scale model of the QANTAS Blast Fence Project by Woolacotts Consulting Engineers.
Woolacotts were contracted to provide a unique, highly specialised design for a brand new blast reflector fence at the Mascot Jetbase, the home of the new Airbus A380.
Scott Clemmett, structural engineer at Woolacotts said winning the award and being part of the exhibition was a terrific boost for the company's reputation and structural engineering in general.
"This award will help us attract the best young minds in the business," Clemmett said.
Other winning projects on display at the exhibition will include: Halo, a wind activated kinetic sculpture by Partridge, the Microrapid Integrated Rapid Blood Test Device by Atomo Diagnostics and Ide Group, 1 Bligh St Sydney by Arup, Enstruct Group and Cundall and the Bridge Deck Structural Health Monitoring System by the NSW Roads & Maritime Services and National ICT Australia.
Entries are now open for the Engineering Excellence Awards Sydney 2013. All winning entries from this year will have the chance to be featured in the 2014 Engineering Exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum.
