3rd Annual IET Defence Professional Networking Event (PNE): Necessity is the Mother of Invention

? John Noonan 2018

The Institution of Engineering & Technology (IET) South Australia and Northern Territory (SA/NT) Local Network hosted its third annual Defence Professional Networking Event on Wednesday 14th November 2018. Master of Ceremonies for the event was Chair of the IET SA/NT Local Network John Noonan. Thanks to our sponsors, GHD, the IET Australian Forum and IET HQ in London for their support in running this event in 2018. The Adelaide Oval is always a wonderful venue and was enjoyed by the crowd of some 100 Defence Professionals from around Australia and a small number of International guests including one gentleman from South Korea's Shipyards, and our first ever ex Huntington Ingalls guest and current Naval Shipbuilding College Program Director Bill Docalovich.

Naval Shipbuilding College Program Director Bill Docalovich and John Noonan

The event hosted four speakers, from four different states including SA, ACT, Victoria and NSW. In 2018, Christopher Pyne has become Australia's Defence Minister. Christopher offered his apology for not being able to speak at the IET's 3rd Annual Defence PNE. Christopher was capably replaced as our regular keynote by SA's Chief Entrepreneur, founder of Nova Systems and former RAAF ARDU Test Pilot, Mr Jim Whalley. GHD provided two excellent speakers, Damian Drain, GHD's Defence Lead from Canberra, and Myles Coker, GHD's Melbourne based Manager of the Smart Seeds Program. The final speaker, Jason Errey of OEMG Global from Bellingen in NSW, introduced innovative technology developed in Australia to allow for the generation of 3D virtual ground models, or Digital Ground Twins for construction on/in both subsea and surface geology.

Part 1 of Jim Whalley's Address

Jim's theme was quite inspirational to all South Australians, indeed all Australians. That theme reinforced how Australian's are an entrepreneurial race. Australians can do anything if we just show some passion and focus. Sometimes it is in war time that the Defence Industry forces that passion and focus to surface.

Part 2 of Jim Whalley's Address and Part 1 of Damian Drain's Address

One of Jim's first slides and the opening of his presentation, drove home the message for all Australian's about Australia's ability to innovate in the area of Defence Manufacture, when pushed.

Jim Whalley flying a Boomerang

On 7 December 1941, the Pacific War broke out with a series of near-simultaneous surprise attacks that were launched by Japanese forces. These attacks included the Attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese Invasion of Thailand, the Battle of Malaya and the Battle of the Philippines. Australia quickly found itself in a precarious position. Within the space of a few months, Japan had conquered and seized control over vast areas of the Pacific and South East Asia. Upon the outbreak of war, Australia had two squadrons stationed in England and the Mediterranean theaters, with a further four squadrons in Malaysia. Two squadrons being equipped with Lockheed Hudson bombers, one with Wirraway general purpose aircraft, and another with aging Brewster F2A Buffalo fighters. There was a distinct absence of a strong Australian fighter force at that time.

On the 18th February 1942, the Australian War Cabinet authorised an order for 105 CA-12 aircraft. Shortly thereafter, the name Boomerang was selected for the aircraft. The CAC Boomerang was Australia's only ever designed and built fighter Aircraft that ever saw combat. The miraculous story of the Boomerang was that it was designed and built in 5 months at Fisherman's Bend in Melbourne. By the end of the war, a total of some 200 Boomerang fighter aircraft had been built in Australia by Australians for the young Royal Australian Air Force. Necessity truly is the mother of invention.

Jim's talk was an inspiring message of how an innovative Australian SME, Nova Systems, can grow a significant 600 person multi-national work force across Australia, the UK, the US, France, Germany, Norway, Singapore and New Zealand. The two part videos linked in this presentation make compelling viewing. Jim's role on the Board of Australian Naval Infrastructure (ANI) held special significance considering the venue. The new Submarine Shipyard to be constructed for the SEA 1000 Megaproject will have a shed tall enough for Adelaide Oval to fit beneath.

Part 2 of Damian Drain's Address and Part 1 of Myles Coker's Address

The second and third speakers, Damian Drain and Myles Coker, presented on the breadth of GHD's work in the Australian Defence Industry. A retired Australian Army Lieutenant Colonel from the Royal Australian Engineers, Damian presented eloquently on the diverse range of Defence projects making use of GHD's expertise. GHD is 90 years old in 2018. In that time GHD has had two consistent clients, Melbourne Water and the Australian Department of Defence. GHD is heavily involved in many Infrastructure Megaprojects with Defence in all areas. GHD's work includes Megaprojects covering Land, Sea, and Air. While preserving Defence and Commercial confidence, Damian was able to outline GHD's involvement in many of those key Megaprojects.

Part 2 of Myles Coker's Address plus Q&A on GHD's Smart Seeds

Myles Coker manages a Program within GHD called Smart Seeds. Smart Seeds is a design-led innovation program which commenced in 2012, empowering emerging leaders to co-create integrated solutions to complex challenges. Smart Seeds is a grass roots program designed to breakdown silos and is energising people to mobilise and engage the various industries and sectors within GHD. Powered by GHD with partners, Smart Seeds nurtures the collective creativity and entrepreneurial mindsets of emerging leaders to co-create lasting community benefit. The Smart Seeds Innovation Framework is based on the principles of design thinking.

GHD will be kicking off its first Smart Seeds workshop in Adelaide over breakfast on 5th December 2018 with a Challenge Workshop, championed by Clint Spencer of GHD's Adelaide Office. In the first instance, GHD is seeking to engage with participants who are Executives and Industry Leaders to define the bounds of the challenges for the Adelaide Smart Seeds Program. Following on in March/April 2019, GHD would like to form 6 diverse teams of 6 young professionals to pick up the challenges identified by the Executives, facilitated by GHD through the ideation phase.

The concept is that the Executives and Leaders who define the challenges should then bookend the process by reviewing the work facilitated by GHD with the 6 teams of 6 young professionals to consider the outcomes, and ways of implementing those outcomes collaboratively. For more information on the Adelaide Smart Seeds program, Myles Coker and Clint Spencer are the best contacts to speak with for those Executive Leaders in Adelaide wishing to engage in the December 5th Smart Seeds Challenge Workshop.

Part 1 of Jason Errey's Address

The IET's fourth and final speaker, Jason Errey of OEMG Global based in Bellingen NSW, introduced the audience to the world's only 3D Digital Ground modelling technology, AQUARES. OEMG Global's purpose is to revolutionise and continuously improve ground modelling technology and processes, underpinned by the knowledge that an accurate understanding of geological conditions is absolutely critical to the success of any infrastructure project. OEMG Global demonstrates that when high quality, accurate, innovative, integrated digital ground models are implemented early in a project, it creates enormous opportunities and mitigates risk. It empowers decision makers, and it ensures a win-win for stakeholders. OEMG Global provides sustainable development with substantial economic savings, prevention of environmental harm and significantly improved social outcomes.

OEMG Global's technology is innovative and unique on a global basis. There is no other solution in the market that competes with Aquares. Most Australian Port Asset Owners remain skeptical of Aquares. Yet the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has secured contracts with OEMG Global to provide Digital Ground Models of a number of US Ports using Aquares. USACE recognised Aquares is the only tool that allows them to produce the Digital Twin of a Port. A Port Digital Twin enables the Port Asset Manager to plan the management and upgrade of its Asset in a way that has never before been possible.

Part 2 of Jason Errey's Address

In 2018 OEMG Global won a series of prizes for its ground modelling work at the Port of Eden close to the NSW border with Victoria. OEMG’s IDGM (Integrated Digital Ground Model) was effectively integrated into the design process for the Port of Eden. The Aquares system discovered complex, vertical geological structures that other geophysical systems failed to visualise. After peer review, just 15 boreholes were required to validate the geophysical IDGM. The IDGM created was then able to reduce estimated project piling costs by $1 Million by designing structures to favourable geologies. In addition, $3 Million in potential dredging overruns were identified, compared to what was forecast with previously available data. The IDGM allowed redesign of dredge areas in order to avoid these overruns, allowing for an additional $3 Million savings in project costs. Thus, the IDGM process proved to be cost effective, significantly reduced risk and improved the design process.

The Port of Eden Digital Ground Twin

Including the IDGM early in the design process, allowed significant prevention of environmental harm, by ensuring the creation of a design that was favourable to the geological and environmental setting. Dredging for the project was completed on-time, budget and quantity with actual geology confirmed to align with the IDGM. In addition, cost saving estimates attributed to the IDGM have been revised upwards in the order of well over $5 Million.

In 2018 OEMG Global won a series of prizes for its IDGM work at the Port of Eden. The three awards for OEMG's work at Port of Eden were (i) The 2018 PIANC Working with Nature Award, (ii) The 2018 Most Innovative Consulting Engineer Award from Engineers Australia, and (iii) The 2018 Regional Innovation Award from the NSW Business Council.

A Brief History of the IET

The IET operates a global Engineering Association from its headquarters at Savoy Place in London. With some 168,000 members worldwide, the Institution of Engineering and Technology is one of the premier societies for professional engineers and technologists. IET covers the science, engineering, support, and technology disciplines of production, civil, structural, biomedical, communications, electronics, computing, software, control systems, information technology, telecommunications, power engineering, and manufacturing. The IET's history is founded in the global evolution of Engineering, Manufacturing and Technological Associations that goes back as far as the 19th Century.

IET Headquarters, London, Savoy Place

IET's origins stem from the founding of the Society of Telegraph Engineers (STE) in London on 17th May 1871. On the 1st of January 1889, the STE formally changed its name to the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE). The IEE's membership more than tripled from 2,064 to 7,045 between the years 1895 and 1914 illustrating the growth of electrical activity around the globe. Following the merger of the Institution of Manufacturing Engineers (IME) with the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) in 1991, the IEE became the authority responsible for awarding Prizes like the James N Kirby Award. The SA/NT Local Network in 2017 formally awarded the latest James N Kirby Award winner, South Australia's own Rod Hook. The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) was formed in 2006 by the joining together of the IEE and the Institution of Incorporated Engineers (IIE).

IET in 2017 welcomes members from all disciplines of the Engineering Supply Chain. Members are encouraged from Engineers of all disciplines, Architects, Technologists of all disciplines, Quantity Surveyors, Surveyors, and other related Professions are encouraged to join.

The IET distinguishes itself from other Engineering Organisations in a number of ways. IET's breadth of membership, proactivity with its members and the services it provides are all features of the IET Local Network here in South Australia and the Northern Territory. Awarding prizes to members of the community, like the James N Kirby Award, is one example of the IET's proactivity. Another example is the Professional Networking events held for young Professionals, most recently the Oil and Gas PNE. Former Santos CEO David Knox joined with colleagues Nick Lagonik and John McArthur to speak about Engineering jobs in Oil and Gas. One of the most prestigious and engaging Engineering competitions for young professionals in South Australia and the Northern Territory and on a global scale is the IET's Present Around The World Competition.

If you wish to attend or participate in these types of Professional Engineering and Technology events in future, you are strongly encouraged to join the IET and make yourself known to the IET SA/NT Local Network.

As always, events like this one could not have been a success without the work of so many people, in this case volunteers from both IET and GHD, including speakers Damian Drain and Myles Coker, as well as our wonderful speakers from Nova Systems Jim Whalley and OEMG Global Jason Errey.

List of Thanks

From the IET SA/NT Local Network, an enormous effort was put in by some key people in preparation for the day. Gary Neave coordinated keynote speaker and venue. Chris Stoker coordinated ticketing and social media marketing. David Alm coordinated sponsorship and GHD marketing support. Gail Jackman coordinated administration of the day and Marketing students to assist in the smooth running of the day. Clinton Sewell, the person who pays the bills as SA/NT Treasurer and Australia Forum Treasurer. Emilio de Stefano, a past Chair of the IET SA/NT LN and great supporter and marketer of the event. Rob Pitelen for his support as immediate past Chair of the IET SA/NT LN and member of the IET's Asia Pacific coordinating body the CCAP. These individuals in particular have all contributed an enormous effort over many months of preparation. Thanks also to the entire SA/NT Local Network Board for their support leading up to and participation on the day, without which the event could not be as successful as it was.

As the Gold Sponsor, GHD and particularly Natalie Taylor have also provided magnificent support in preparation for the smooth running of the day. Thanks also to the two young marketing students who participated in making the day such a success courtesy of Gail Jackman's leadership.

John Noonan, Chairman, IET SA/NT Local Network, Secretary Australian Forum

IET SA/NT Local Network Event Articles: ? How Pumped Hydro is needed for the Future Australian NEM. IET and IEEE Power Engineering Society (PES) Day Webinar ? 2019 4th Annual IET Defence Professional Networking Event (PNE): Transitioning from SEA4000 AWD to SEA5000 Hunter Class Frigate Construction ? 2019 Student Paper Round of the PATW ? 2019 2nd Annual IET Energy Dinner - Green and Sustainable Energy ? 2019 Women in Engineering, Technology, Innovation & Entrepreneurship Event (WiETIE) ? 2019 SA/NT Present Around The World (PATW) Young Professionals Heat 1 ? 2018 3rd Annual Defence PNE: Necessity is the Mother of Invention ? 2018 SA/NT Present Around The World Competition ? 2018 Energy Dinner - Future of Energy in SA - Keynote Speaker Richard Turner ? Developing the Australian Defence Industry 4.0 Workforce in 2017 with the Minister of Defence Industry, the Honourable Christopher Pyne MP ? 2017 Lucid Consulting BIM Event ? 2016 Defence Networking Event with Christopher Pyne ? 2017 SA/NT Present Around The World (PATW) Competition ? 2017 James N Kirby Award Dinner ? 2017 Flinders University Engineering Award ? 2017 University of SA Engineering Award ? 2017 Engineering Jobs in South Australia ? 2017 University of Adelaide Engineering BBQ ? 2017 YP Oil and Gas Networking Event ? 2017 SHC Careers Night ? 2015 SA/NT Present Around The World Competition ?