The school’s Industry Advisory Board is an integral part of its management structure and provides a link with a key stakeholder group. Its purpose is to:

  1. contribute to the strategic direction for teaching and research by reviewing and providing industry input to undergraduate course content, research directions, recruitment and staffing, and to provide support for student recruitment and scholarships.
  2. provide an external stakeholder voice with Government to influence investment and priorities with regard to facilities and equipment and research grant programs.
  3. act as an industry network that the school can use to test ideas and seek advice.

 

Industry Advisory Board members


Cathy Inglis AM, Group CEO, Think Brick, Concrete Masonry Association & Roofing Tile Associations Australia

An experienced Materials Engineer and technical expert with 30 years in the building industry and building product manufacturing with a focus on research, product development and product compliance.

Cathy has worked in key leadership roles in management and business development with responsibility for the research of new products, technical matters and leading innovation to improve operational energy efficiency and create sustainable building products.

Cathy is on the National Board of the Housing Industry Association and was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia for services to the building and construction industry in 2020.

Adam Berkovich, Senior Manager, Smelting Technical Support and Production Systems l Aluminium, Rio Tinto

Adam has 20 years of experience in the Aluminium industry focussing on operational processes, operational strategy, technology development and deployment.  Throughout his career, Adam has held a number of technical and technical leadership roles and is currently Senior Manager Smelting Technical Support and Production Systems.  Adam leads a team of about 40 professional engineers and technical specialists.  They are accountable for providing technical, operational, process control and operational technologies and systems services to Rio Tinto’s Pacific Operations Aluminium smelters in Australia and New Zealand.

Adam holds a Bachelors degree (with honours) in Applied Science and Doctorate in Science from the University of Technology, Sydney.  Additionally, Adam has extensive experience in minerals and materials processing gained through Postdoctoral Fellowships and working in research and development institutions in the USA.  Adam has been a member of the School of Materials and Engineering Industry Advisory Board since 2010.

Edward Humphries, Director, Applied Materials Technology Group, The Weir Group
Steven Kennedy,Vice President, Global Global Manufacturing and Logistics, Cochlear Limited

Steven Kennedy has worked with Cochlear for more than 20 years, through a range of roles covering R&D, Quality, Regulatory and Manufacturing. In his current role as Vice President of Global Manufacturing and Logistics, he is responsible for the manufacture and delivery of Cochlear’s products through their global supply network, covering six manufacturing sites across four countries. Steven holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Ceramic) through UNSW, as well as Master of Statistics through Newcastle Uni and Master of Commerce through Deakin. 

Professor Lyndon Edwards, ANSTO Emeritus Fellow and Independent Consultant Nuclear Engineer, ANSTO

Prof Lyndon Edwards is Consulting Engineer following 16 years in leadership positions at ANSTO most recently as national Director Australian Gen IV Reactor Research. Prior to 2016 he was Head of the Institute of Materials Engineering at ANSTO for 10 years.  Previously a UK academic he held a Personal Chair in Structural Integrity at the Open University.  With over 300 publications his research interests have focussed on the structural integrity of nuclear power plant, advanced aircraft structures, and defence platforms. He is internationally recognised as an expert on residual stress and a leading proponent of stress measurement using neutron diffraction.

Sean Windred, Materials Lead - Sydney, BG&E

Sean is currently the Materials Lead, Sydney at BG&E and is a Materials and Durability specialist with 12 years’ experience in the design and construction of major building and infrastructure projects

Sean specialises in the structural evaluation of existing structures, condition assessments, durability planning, and construction materials. With a strong background in durability modelling and concrete technology, Sean is able to ensure long term performance and Project compliance. In addition to this, Sean has acted as both internal verifier and expert witness on a range of construction projects.

He has been involved in a range of major projects including bridge, rail, tunnel and station structures. His involvement ranges from concept design through to detailed design and construction providing a comprehensive understanding of the Project Life cycle.

His comprehensive understanding of Materials Science and construction methodologies allows him to deliver practical, cost-effective solutions which enhance the durability and resilience of built environments.

Sean currently sits on the industry advisory board at UNSW for the School of Materials Engineering, has been a representative in the development of Australian standards including AS3582.4, use of manufactured pozzolans as a SCM and has published and presented numerous papers at conferences relating to construction materials and durability.

George Melhem, Managing Director, Perfect Engineering

George Nadim Melhem is currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in the School of Materials Science and Engineering, holding a Bachelor of Metallurgical Engineering (Honours), Master of Materials Science/Engineering by research and PhD from UNSW, and conducts research there. Professor Melhem has been a Board member for the past decade, published a book and several papers in international journals on Aerospace materials including chapters in Encyclopaedias, a key contributor to commercial aircraft in aerospace materials science, structural engineering, tooling and ground support equipment. Solving/designing for government sectors complex civil and structural applications in major infrastructures through his own engineering company Perfect Engineering Pty Ltd. He currently holds in the 4 disciplines (Aerospace, Civil, Mechanical, and Structural Engineering) within Engineers Australia and the Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland the following post nominals; FIEAust, RPEQ, CPEng, NER, APEC, is on the Register of International Professional Engineers (IntPE (Aus)) and is MIE. 

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Michael Gow, Innovation Manager, CSR Limited

B.E. (Ceramics) Hons 1st Class, UNSW

MBA, Deakin

After graduating via the Coop Scholarship Program in Ceramic Engineering in 1999 from UNSW Michael has over 25 years of experience in the building products manufacturing industry with Boral, PGH Bricks and CSR, working across roles in Process Engineering, Operations Management, Business Improvement, and Innovation.

Jason Hodges, Open Innovation & IP Manager, BlueScope Steel Australia

Jason supports BlueScope’s innovation teams to identify, engage and collaborate with third parties to support delivery of BlueScope’s innovation goals, and in parallel develops and executes IP strategy to capture and protect Intellectual Assets.  His professional experience includes manufacturing and technical responsibilities in Australia and Asia, and leadership of core teams in major product commercialisation activities.  Motivated by joining discrete elements to create new opportunities, Jason seeks links in adjacent value-chains that can assist BlueScope to deliver new solutions to its customers.

Head of School
School of Materials Science & Engineering, UNSW Sydney

+61 2 9385 4453

m.ferry@unsw.edu.au

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Deputy Head of School, Director of Teaching
School of Materials Science & Engineering, UNSW Sydney

+61 2 9385 4437

o.standard@unsw.edu.au

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School Manager
School of Materials Science & Engineering, UNSW Sydney

+61 2 9065 9504

lucy.zhang@unsw.edu.au