A number of prizes and scholarships for academic excellence are awarded to students enrolled in the Faculty of Engineering. Prizes are awarded in respect of each academic year and are presented annually at a Faculty ceremony. These prizes are made available through the generosity of private individuals and organisations in the public and private sector.

Scholarships for commencing students are also available. Undergraduate scholarships are described below. Inquiries about postgraduate scholarships should be made with the Scholarships and Promotions Manager on telephone +61 2 9514 1521. All prizes described here are subject to an annual review. Existing prizes may be withdrawn without notice and new prizes added.

Prizes available to students in all faculties of the University are described in the UTS: Calendar.

Endowments

James N Kirby Chair of Manufacturing Engineering

In 1983, the James N Kirby Foundation commenced a series of donations to the Faculty of Engineering Development Fund towards the establishment of a Chair in an area relating to manufacturing industry. The capital fund to support the Chair was built up over some 12 years and is now expected to be capable of providing a substantial annual contribution in perpetuity.

Through the Foundation's generosity, the Council of UTS was able to establish the James N Kirby Chair of Manufacturing Engineering in 1988. The inaugural professor, Dr Frank Swinkels, was appointed in 1989 and took up duty in 1990. Dr Swinkels had previously been Director of the University's Centre for Industrial Technology.

Prizes

Aim Products Prize

This award was established in 2000 by donations from Aim Products Australia Pty Ltd.

The prize is awarded each semester to the student with the best performance in each of the following subjects: 48210 Engineering for Sustainability; 48510 Introduction to Electrical Engineering; 48520 Electronics and Circuits; and 48441 Introductory Digital Systems. The prize consists of a cash award of $250.

Association of Consulting Structural Engineers (ACSE) Design Award

(subject to final confirmation by ACSE and the Faculty Board in Engineering)

The award comprises work experience in three different overseas structural consulting firms over a six-week period with airfares paid and $6,000 living expenses provided. The selected student, upon return, will be required to submit a 1,000 word report to ACSE describing his or her experiences. The student will be selected from a group of students nominated by six universities in NSW. The nominee will be a final year student selected for his or her outstanding structural engineering design project. The project must be undertaken in the year in which the award is made and the nominated student must be intending to practise as a structural engineer after graduation.

Australian Industry Group John Heine Memorial Prizes¹

These prizes were formerly known as the MTIA John Heine Memorial Prizes and have been re-named because the Metal Trades Industry Association of Australia merged with the Australian Chamber of Manufacturers in 1998 to form the Australian Industry Group.

The MTIA established the John Heine Memorial Foundation in 1950 in memory of John Heine who did much to advance the cause of the metal trades industry. In 1971 the Foundation decided to give support and encouragement to students by awarding prizes annually to outstanding students in the undergraduate Mechanical Engineering major of the Bachelor of Engineering, Diploma in Engineering Practice, at the end of their first year at UTS, on the basis of the aggregate mark in all subjects studied in their second semester. The Foundation continues to offer these prizes through the Australian Industry Group. The prizes are in the form of cash awards to help students cover costs for books and equipment for use in connection with their early years of study at UTS. Currently, prizes are awarded to students in their first three years of study. There are nine prizes and each is a cash award of $400.

Dean's Award for Outstanding Academic Performance

This award is awarded on an annual basis after the completion of the Dean's list. Eligible students will be selected from the Dean's list for the award when they undertake a specified minimum number of credit points in the preceding year (typically 36 credit points, or half this number for students who commence mid-year) and achieve a weighted average mark (WAM) across all engineering subjects which is equal to, or greater than, a given threshold. The credit point minimum and the WAM threshold will be determined by the Dean on an annual basis. The award consists of a certificate and a letter of recommendation.

Eldred G Bishop Prize

This prize was established in 1974 to commemorate the leadership of Eldred George Bishop in improving the standard and quality of manufacturing engineering in Sydney. It is awarded to a student who is an Australian citizen, generally entering his or her final year of studies towards the Bachelor of Engineering degree in one of the following majors: Computer Systems Engineering; Electrical Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; or Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering. Selection is by invitation initially, followed by written application and an interview. No candidate may be considered for the prize more than once. The prize consists of a commemorative trophy and a cash award of $1,750.

Trevor Buchner Design Prize¹

This prize was established in 1988 from a Trust Fund set up in recognition of the contribution and distinguished service of Trevor Buchner, the first academic member of staff of the School of Civil Engineering. The prize is awarded annually to the student enrolled in the Civil, Civil and Environmental or Construction Engineering major, who achieves the highest aggregate mark, at the first attempt, in the subject 48349 Structural Analysis. The prize has a cash value of $200.

Electric Energy Society of Australia

Since 1976 the Electric Energy Society of Australia has offered encouragement, by way of an annual cash award of $250, to Electrical Engineering students. The purpose of the prize is to attract the interest of students in pursuing a course which enables them to become engineers in the electric power distribution industry. The prize is awarded to a sandwich pattern or part-time student who achieves best performance in the subject 48550 Electrical Energy Technology.

Energy Australia Prize in Power Engineering

This prize was established in 1986 and is awarded annually to the student who completes the requirements of the Electrical Engineering degree course and who obtains the highest weighted average mark after completion of the Electrical Engineering degree and Energy Technology sub-major. The cash value of the prize is $250 and is subject to periodic review for the purpose of maintaining its real value.

The George J Haggarty Civil Engineering Prize¹

In 1981 the George J Haggarty Student Endowment Fund was established to commemorate the significant contribution made by the Foundation Head, School of Civil Engineering, to engineering education. From the Fund, the George J Haggarty Civil Engineering Prize is awarded annually to a student in the Civil, Civil and Environmental or Construction Engineering major who, at his or her first attempt, achieves the highest aggregate in the subject 48331 Mechanics of Solids. The prize is a cash award of $200.

The Institute of Instrumentation and Control, Australia Prize

This prize was established in 1992 by the Institute of Instrumentation and Control, Australia. The prize may be awarded each academic year but is not awarded unless a candidate reaches a level acceptable to the Faculty Board in Engineering. The prize is awarded to Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering students.

The recipient of the prize in Mechanical Engineering shall satisfy the following conditions: (i) he or she must have been a registered student in the Mechanical Engineering degree course during the year for which the award is made, and (ii) he or she must have achieved the best performance in the subject 48660 Dynamics and Control.

The recipient of the prize in Electrical Engineering shall satisfy the following conditions: (i) he or she must have been an enrolled student in the Electrical Engineering or Computer Systems Engineering major during the year for which the award is made, and (ii) he or she must have achieved the best performance in the subject 48560 Analogue and Digital Control.

Each prize is a cash award of $250.

The Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia NSW Division Medal

This prize was established in 1975. It is awarded annually to the student, in either part-time study or sandwich mode, with the best overall academic performance in the Civil or Civil and Environmental Engineering degree course and who is employed by a Local Government Authority at the time of completing the course. The recipient must have been employed by a Local Government Authority for at least three semesters during the period of his or her course. The award comprises $500 cash and a medal.

Institution of Electrical Engineers Prize

This prize is offered by the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) in the United Kingdom to institutions in which the degree programs have been mutually accredited by the IEAust and the IEE. It was established at UTS in 1991. The prize may be awarded in respect of each academic year but is not awarded if no candidate reaches a level acceptable to the Faculty Board in Engineering. The prize is awarded to a graduating Electrical Engineering student on the basis of outstanding performance in the final-year project. The prize consists of a certificate, a cash award of $250 and two years' free membership of the Institution of Electrical Engineers.

Institution of Electrical Engineers E C Parkinson Prize

The Sydney section of the Institution of Manufacturing Engineers donated a sum of money in 1964 to be used to establish a prize for the purpose of perpetuating the memory of the late E C Parkinson, a distinguished production engineer and, for many years, a senior executive of the AWA Company. Since 1970 the prize has been awarded to a student of the University. The prize is awarded annually to a graduating student with a Mechanical Engineering major, on the basis of the highest aggregate mark in the subjects studied in the student's last semester. Only students who undertake 18 credit points or more in their last semester are eligible. The prize is a certificate and a book allowance of $250.

Iplex Pipelines Award

Iplex Pipelines is one of Australia's largest manufacturers and distributors of pipes and pipe fittings made from plastic materials for infrastructure pipelines. The company is particularly concerned with improving engineering practices involving the use of these 'flexible' pipelines for civil and environmental engineering projects, including pipe hydraulics; pipe technology; soils and their interactions with pipes; construction activities related to pipe laying or trenching; and environmental aspects of construction or pipe-laying activities.

This award is presented annually to the student, or team of students, obtaining the highest mark in the subject Capstone Project for a project related to the company's main areas of interest. It may not be awarded in any given year if a suitable topic is not undertaken, or if an acceptable standard in a suitable topic is not achieved. The decision as to the suitability of topics is made by Iplex Pipelines, while the decision as to the standard achieved is made by UTS Faculty of Engineering staff.

The award consists of a cash prize of $1,000.

Jack Kaganer Prize¹

This prize was established in 1991 by donations from the family and friends of the late Jack Kaganer to commemorate his long and distinguished service to what was then the School of Civil Engineering of NSWIT. Jack Kaganer was the second member of staff to join the School of Civil Engineering and played an important role in its development until his retirement at the end of 1984. The prize is awarded annually to a student registered in either the Civil, Civil and Environmental or Construction Engineering major during the year in which the award is made, and who achieves, at his or her first attempt, the highest aggregate in the subject 48359 Structural Design 1. The prize is a cash award of $250.

C R Kennedy Prize

This prize was established in 1986 as the Leica Instruments Prize. In 2000 it was re-named the C R Kennedy Prize and is awarded to the student who obtains the highest mark in the Surveying Practical Test. If the Practical Test is not conducted in either semester of the year for which the award is made, the prize is awarded to the student who has obtained the highest aggregate mark in the subject 48320 Surveying. The prize is an instrument chosen by the company.

NAWIC Award

This award was established in 2004 to recognise the achievement of a female graduand in a construction-related course at UTS (i.e. the Bachelor of Engineering in Construction Engineering, Civil Engineering or Civil and Environmental Engineering, Diploma in Engineering Practice; Bachelor of Architecture; Bachelor of Construction; Bachelor of Building in Construction Management; or Bachelor of Building in Construction Economics) as a field which is non-traditional for women. The award supports one of the key objectives of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) to improve the participation and advancement of women in construction. This award is presented to the female graduand who has obtained a high academic standard in her course, submitted a current CV and submitted the most outstanding original essay on a prescribed topic. The award consists of a cash prize of $2,000 and a certificate.

Pioneer Construction Materials Prize

This prize was established in 1987 by Pioneer Concrete (NSW) Pty Ltd. It is awarded annually to the student enrolled in the Civil, Civil and Environmental or Construction Engineering major who achieves, at his or her first attempt, the highest aggregate in the subject 48352 Construction Materials. The prize has a cash value of $500.

RS Components Pty Ltd Prize

This prize was established in 1996 by RS Components Pty Ltd, an organisation which firmly believes in the principles of a strong technical education. The prize is awarded to a final-year student in Electrical Engineering who has achieved the highest level of academic excellence or who has conducted the best final-year project. The prize consists of an instrument or a combination of instruments to the value of $500, and a commemorative certificate from the company.

Society of Manufacturing Engineers (Stage 8) Prize¹

The Society of Manufacturing Engineers has supported this prize since the early 1970s. It is awarded annually to the student enrolled in the Mechanical Engineering or Manufacturing Engineering degree course who obtains the highest mark in the subject 48012 Capstone Project (12cp) for a thesis on a manufacturing engineering topic. The prize is a cash award of $250 together with one year's free membership of the Society and a framed certificate.

Richard Whitfeld Prize for Industrial Experience

This prize was established in 1992 by the Computer Systems Engineering Forum. In 1997 it was re-named in honour of the late Richard Whitfeld, an eminent figure in the computer industry and an active contributor to the work of the Faculty.

The prize may be awarded each academic year but is not awarded if no candidate reaches a level acceptable to the Faculty Board in Engineering. The recipient shall satisfy the following conditions: (i) he or she must have been an enrolled student in the Computer Systems Engineering major during the entire calendar year for which the award is made, and (ii) he or she must have the highest mark in the subject 48142 Engineering Practice Review 2.

In selecting the prize winner, account is taken of industrial experience log books, reports, submissions from employers and any other relevant material. The criteria include appropriateness of experience, engineering excellence, technical ability, communication skills, quality of report and degree of innovation shown during the work experience. The prize is in the form of a certificate and a cash award of $500.

Zonta Club of Sydney Breakfast Award

This award was established in 2003 to provide financial support to a female student enrolled in engineering as a discipline that is non-traditional for women. The award supports one of the key objectives of Zonta International to improve the economic and educational status of women around the world.

This award is presented to the first-year female student who has obtained a high academic standard in her first-year subjects, demonstrated her commitment to supporting women in engineering and submitted the most outstanding essay on her experience of engineering, and ideas about how to increase the participation of women. The award winner receives $1,000 and a certificate.

Dean's Capstone Presentation Award and Alan Chappel Engineering Innovation Prize

These prizes are awarded to the student who gives the best oral presentation from a group of candidates chosen from each of the Capstone Project majors and to the student whose work is judged as the most significant engineering innovation from the Capstone Projects respectively. Each engineering major selects and nominates one candidate who has achieved at least a Distinction for their Capstone Student presentation in their individual major. The selected students are required to give an additional 15-minute presentation at the IAN/Dean's Capstone Presentation Award event, attended by industry representatives and UTS staff. The prizes are judged by a panel of independent non-academics. The Dean's prize consists of an engraved plaque, Dean's Prize Certificate and $500 cash; the Alan Chappel Engineering Innovation prize consists of a certificate and $500 cash.

Scholarships

Engineering Cooperative Scholarship Program

Availability

Engineering Cooperative Scholarships are awarded in 2005 to students who are successful candidates at the 2004 NSW Higher School Certificate examinations (or equivalent) and who are either Australian citizens or permanent Australian residents. Awards are made only to men and women who satisfy the requirements for admission to the Bachelor of Engineering, Diploma in Engineering Practice.

Scholarships are not normally available for combined or double degree programs except for the Engineering and International Studies Cooperative Scholarship (see below).

Sponsors

The scholarships are made possible by gifts made to the University by industry sponsors who are engaged in a variety of engineering endeavours. A tax-free stipend of $10,000 per annum is provided to students in their first year whose performance in their undergraduate studies is satisfactory under the conditions of award of the Engineering Cooperative Scholarships Program.

In 2005, the Faculty acknowledges the commitment and generous sponsorship of the Engineering Cooperative Scholarship Program by the following organisations and donors:

ADI Limited
Alcatel Australia Limited
Barclay Mowlem Construction Ltd
Bishop Innovation Ltd
CISCO Systems Australia Pty Ltd
Insearch Limited
Institute for International Studies
Institute of Public Works Engineers Australia Ltd
Keycorp Ltd
Linden Little Memorial
NDC
Raytheon Australia Pty Ltd
Rail Infrastructure Corporation
Robert Bird & Partners Ltd
Sydney Water
TransGrid

Duration and payments

The scholarships are designed to provide students with financial support at the start of their course. Most scholarships operate only during the first academic year of each scholar's course; however, the Linden Little Scholarship is for two years.

An initial payment of 10 per cent of the total annual stipend is made at the time of enrolment. Subsequent payments are scheduled at the end of Autumn and Spring semesters subject to satisfactory performance (Credit average or above).

Engineering internship opportunities

During their second academic year, scholars may be given the opportunity to undertake one period of work experience with the sponsor of their scholarship.

Personal requirements

Scholars are selected jointly by the University and scholarship sponsors on the basis of a combination of academic achievements and personal attributes relevant to a career in professional engineering, such as an interest in engineering, communications skills, leadership and creativity.

Academic requirements

Competition for scholarships is strong and a UAI that is approximately in the order of the high 90s is required for success. However, at the time of application (end of September) students will only have an estimate of their UAI potential. All interested students with good academic results are encouraged to apply. It is also a requirement that the professional engineering interests of each scholar be in the field of activity of the sponsor of the scholarship.

Applications and interviews

Application forms are available from high school careers advisers in August each year. The closing date is the last Thursday in September. Applicants who are short-listed are required to attend an interview. Interviews are generally held on the last Tuesday in November. Interviews cannot be re-scheduled.

Conditions of award

Conditions of award applying to individual scholarships are consistent with this information, and are advised when the offer is made.

The Engineering and International Studies Cooperative Scholarship

The Engineering and International Studies Cooperative Scholarship was established in 2002. The scholarship is awarded on merit to a high-achieving current school leaver commencing studies in the Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Arts in International Studies, Diploma in Engineering Practice. Merit-ranking of applicants is in accordance with the University's selection criteria for entry to cooperative scholarships. Applicants must be either Australian citizens or permanent residents. The value of the scholarship is $10,000 for the year, subject to satisfactory progress.

The Linden Little Memorial Scholarship

The Linden Little Memorial Scholarship was established in 2001. The scholarship is awarded on merit to a high achieving current school leaver from among applicants recognised by UTS as disadvantaged. Merit-ranking of applicants is in accordance with the University's selection criteria for entry to cooperative scholarships. Applicants must be either Australian citizens or permanent residents. Disadvantage is established with reference to the University's indicators of socioeconomic, physical or educational hardship. Educational hardship may apply to applicants from country schools. The value of the scholarship is $10,000 and will be awarded to a commencing student for a period of two years, subject to satisfactory progress.

The George J Haggarty Civil Engineering Scholarship

This scholarship was established in 1981 from funds made available from the George J Haggarty Student Endowment Fund. The George J Haggarty Civil Engineering Scholarship is aimed primarily at country-based students who are about to start a sandwich course. Preference is given to country students wishing to enter the area of Local Government engineering who have little other opportunity of alternative study programs or venues. The scholarship is offered occasionally as funds permit and is between $1,000 and $1,200.

Inquiries

For further information on endowments, prizes and scholarships administered by the Faculty of Engineering, contact the Engineering Outreach Office (CB02.4.16) on: