Tissue engineering of a morphologically and functionally intact humanized bone organ for bone metastasis research

The aim of this thesis was to establish an individualized, patient-specific diagnostic and therapeutic preclinical disease model for bone metastasis research. Tissue engineering of humanized bone within mice allowed the development of a humanized immune system in the host animal. This novel platform makes it possible to analyze the growth of human cancer cells in human bone in the presence of human immune cells.

Design of a lightweight, modular robotic vehicle for the sustainable intensification of broadacre agriculture

This thesis presents the design process and the prototyping of a lightweight, modular robotic vehicle for the sustainable intensification of broadacre agriculture. Achieved by the joint operation of multiple autonomous vehicles to improve energy consumption, reduce labour, and increase efficiency in the application of inputs for the management of crops. The Small Robotic Farm Vehicle (SRFV) is a lightweight and energy efficient robotic vehicle with a configurable, modular design. It is capable of undertaking a range of agricultural tasks, including fertilising and weed management through mechanical intervention and precision spraying, whilst being more than an order of magnitude lower in weight than existing broadacre agricultural equipment.

Versatile single-layer sodium phosphidostannate(II): Strain-tunable electronic structure, excellent mechanical flexibility, and an ideal gap for photovoltaics

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to study the structural, mechanical, electrical, optical properties, and strain effects in single-layer sodium phosphidostannate(II) (NaSnP). We find the exfoliation of single-layer NaSnP from bulk form is highly feasible because the cleavage energy is comparable to graphite and MoS2. In addition, the breaking strain of the NaSnP monolayer is comparable to other widely studied 2D materials, indicating excellent mechanical flexibility of 2D NaSnP. Using the hybrid functional method, the calculated band gap of single-layer NaSnP is close to the ideal band gap of solar cell materials (1.5 eV), demonstrating great potential in future photovoltaic application. Furthermore, strain effect study shows that a moderate compression (2%) can trigger indirect-to-direct gap transition, which would enhance the ability of light absorption for the NaSnP monolayer. With sufficient compression (8%), the single-layer NaSnP can be tuned from semiconductor to metal, suggesting great applications in nanoelectronic devices based on strain engineering techniques.

Sensors and control for mining robotics

This paper discusses some of the sensing technologies and control approaches available for guiding robot manipulators for a class of underground mining tasks including drilling jumbos, bolting arms, shotcreters or explosive chargers. Data acquired with such sensors, in the laboratory and underground, is presented.

Engaging a multiple-track approach to building capacity for 21st Century engineering, opportunities and challenges for rapid curriculum renewal

‘Complexity’ is a term that is increasingly prevalent in conversations about building capacity for 21st Century professional engineers. Society is grappling with the urgent and challenging reality of accommodating seven billion people, meeting needs and innovating lifestyle improvements in ways that do not destroy atmospheric, biological and oceanic systems critical to life. Over the last two decades in particular, engineering educators have been active in attempting to build capacity amongst professionals to deliver ‘sustainable development’ in this rapidly changing global context. However curriculum literature clearly points to a lack of significant progress, with efforts best described as ad hoc and highly varied. Given the limited timeframes for action to curb environmental degradation proposed by scientists and intergovernmental agencies, the authors of this paper propose it is imperative that curriculum renewal towards education for sustainable development proceeds rapidly, systemically, and in a transformational manner. Within this context, the paper discusses the need to consider a multiple track approach to building capacity for 21st Century engineering, including priorities and timeframes for undergraduate and postgraduate curriculum renewal. The paper begins with a contextual discussion of the term complexity and how it relates to life in the 21st Century. The authors then present a whole of system approach for planning and implementing rapid curriculum renewal that addresses the critical roles of several generations of engineering professionals over the next three decades. The paper concludes with observations regarding engaging with this approach in the context of emerging accreditation requirements and existing curriculum renewal frameworks.

4.2.5 Environmental engineering

Th is landmark report on engineering and development is the fi rst of its kind to be produced by UNESCO, or indeed by any international organization. Containing highly informative and insightful contributions from 120 experts from all over the world, the report gives a new perspective on the very great importance of the engineer’s role in development. Advances in engineering have been central to human progress ever since the invention of the wheel. In the past hundred and fi fty years in particular, engineering and technology have transformed the world we live in, contributing to signifi cantly longer life expectancy and enhanced quality of life for large numbers of the world’s population. Yet improved healthcare, housing, nutrition, transport, communications, and the many other benefi ts engineering brings are distributed unevenly throughout the world. Millions of people do not have clean drinking water and proper sanitation, they do not have access to a medical centre, they may travel many miles on foot along unmade tracks every day to get to work or school...

Sustainability into the engineering curriculum

Higher education institutions have made some progress towards Engineering Education for Sustainable Development (EESD). There is however a ‘time lag dilemma’ facing engineering educators, where the pace of traditional curriculum renewal may not be sufficient to keep up with potential market,regulatory and institutional shifts.

Re-engineering higher education for energy efficiency solutions

Emerging 21st century challenges require higher education institutions (HEIs) to play a key role in developing graduates and professionals, particularly in engineering and design, who can forge sustainable solutions. The trouble is there’s currently a significant lag in the preparedness of HEIs to provide the stream of professionals needed. Addressing energy efficiency competencies is one critical area.

A summary of the 'Engineering Education for Sustainable Development:Toolkit of Information & Teaching Material'

This paper reflects on the critical need for an urgent transformation of higher education curriculum globally, to equip society with professionals who can address our 21st Century sustainable living challenges. Specifically it discusses a toolkit called the ‘Engineering Sustainable Solutions Program’, which is a freely available, rigorously reviewed and robust content resource for higher education institutions to access content on innovations and opportunities in the process of evolving the curriculum...

A taste of best practice in engineering sustainable solutions

This paper asks the question to what scale and speed does society need to reduce its ecological footprint and improve resource productivity to prevent further overshoot and return within the ecological limits of the earth’s ecological life support systems? How fast do these changes need to be achieved? The paper shows that now a large range of studies find that engineering sustainable solutions need to be roughly an order or magnitude resource productivity improvement (sometimes called a Factor of 10, or a 90% reduction) by 2050 to achieve real and lasting ecological sustainability. This marks a significant challenge for engineers – indeed all designers and architects, where best practice in engineering sustainable solutions will need to achieve large resource productivity targets. The paper brings together examples of best practice in achieving these large targets from around the world. The paper also highlights key resources and texts for engineers who wish to learn how to do it. But engineers need to be realistic and patient. Significant barriers exist to achieving Factor 4-10 such as the fact that infrastructure and technology rollover and replacement is often slow. This slow rollover of the built environment and technology is the context within which most engineers work, making the goal of achieving Factor 10 all the more challenging. However, the paper demonstrates that by using best practice in engineering sustainable solutions and by addressing the necessary market, information and institutional failures it is possible to achieve Factor 10 over the next 50 years. This paper draws on recent publications by The Natural Edge Project (TNEP) and partners, including Hargroves, K. Smith, M. (Eds) (2005) The Natural Advantage of Nations: Business Opportunities, Innovation and Governance for the 21st Century, and the TNEP Engineering Sustainable Solutions Program - Critical Literacies for Engineers Portfolio. Both projects have the significant support of Engineers Australia. its College of Environmental Engineers and the Society of Sustainability and Environmental Engineering.

Tuning the resonance properties of 2D carbon nanotube networks towards a mechanical resonator

The capabilities of the mechanical resonator-based nanosensors in detecting ultra-small mass or force shifts have driven a continuing exploration of the palette of nanomaterials for such application purposes. Based on large-scale molecular dynamics simulations, we have assessed the applicability of a new class of carbon nanomaterials for nanoresonator usage, i.e. the single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) network. It is found that SWNT networks inherit excellent mechanical properties from the constituent SWNTs, possessing a high natural frequency. However, although a high quality factor is suggested from the simulation results, it is hard to obtain an unambiguous Q-factor due to the existence of vibration modes in addition to the dominant mode. The nonlinearities resulting from these extra vibration modes are found to exist uniformly under various testing conditions including different initial actuations and temperatures. Further testing shows that these modes can be effectively suppressed through the introduction of axial strain, leading to an extremely high quality factor in the order of 109 estimated from the SWNT network with 2% tensile strain. Additional studies indicate that the carbon rings connecting the SWNTs can also be used to alter the vibrational properties of the resulting network. This study suggests that the SWNT network can be a good candidate for applications as nanoresonators.

Is there a difference between supervising international and domestic graduate students in Engineering and IT?

This paper explores a key issue identified in two studies of factors influencing the success of international and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) higher degree research graduate students. The studies include “A model for research supervision of international students in engineering and information technology disciplines” (MRS), which focused on identifying factors that influence successful supervision of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) and international higher degree research (HDR or graduate) students in Engineering and IT disciplines in three Australian universities, and “Culture, language and the whole graduate experience: Exploring best practices in international graduate supervision” (BPS), which focussed on exploring perceptions regarding best practices in graduate supervision by diverse stakeholders across Australia. Findings suggest most supervisors do not differentiate between international (or CALD) graduate students and non-CALD(domestic) students in terms of factors influence success in graduate studies.

Consultation: Energy efficiency and engineering education

This report provides the Commonwealth Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism (RET) with a summary of consultation undertaken with representatives from industry and academia around Australia regarding mainstreaming energy efficiency within engineering education. Specifically, the report documents the purpose of the consultation process, key messages and emerging themes, industry-perceived gaps in energy efficiency related knowledge and skills, and academic considerations regarding graduate attributes and learning pathways to close these gaps. This information complements previous reports by presenting the current thoughts and ideas of more than 100 engineering academic and practising professionals who are actively involved in building capacity through the education system or implementing energy efficiency improvements in companies/the workplace. Furthermore, the report describes the emergence of a potential ‘community of practice’ in energy efficiency capacity building that arose during the project.