Reducing drag allows vehicles to go further, faster, while saving money, improving performance and lowering their environmental footprint.
Recently, mechanical engineering students from the MQ Speed student group fast‑tracked their own careers when their custom‑built vehicle smashed two women’s world speed records at the 2024 World Human Powered Speed Challenge in Nevada. Guided by a former Formula 1 race engineer and Macquarie researcher, they used on site tools to create a vehicle so aerodynamic that, powered solely by a pair of human legs, it reached almost 100km/h.
Macquarie has long recognised that students gain invaluable experience when they’re part of a real world project with live deadlines. The University is the home of FIRST Robotics in Australia, as well as MQ Orbital (our student led space program) and MQ Automotive. The projects undertaken by these student clubs and societies, combined with our practical approach to learning, ensure you will graduate with career defining skills and experiences.
Macquarie University’s engineering program – offering specialties in electrical and electronic, mechanical, civil and environmental, mechatronic or software engineering – uniquely combines a solid foundation in theoretical knowledge with practical skills acquisition and industry experience.
And because we know that creativity is the driving force underpinning engineering advances, our unique curriculum allows you to combine other areas of interest, enriching your university experience – and providing the spark that could launch your career to exciting heights.
ENGINEERING THE FUTURE Macquarie University is introducing a dramatic shift in engineering education. The University’s new Engineering and Australian Astronomical Optics (AAO) building, opening in 2025, features innovative ‘mega labs’, real world project collaboration and a focus on hands on learning.
Specialist spaces within the new building include a drone lab; civil engineering labs, with spaces for concrete testing, geotechnical labs and fluid labs; a renewable energy and smart grid lab; a wifi/future communications lab; rapid prototyping facilities; dedicated virtual reality spaces; spaces for FIRST robotics, MQ Speed (see left) and the MQ Orbital satellite building team; student presentation zones and a fully equipped mechanical engineering workshop.
Learning within the new spaces will be supported by a transformational engineering curriculum that creates the engineers of the future. Students will use industry , problem and project‑based learning, underpinned by technical content, to develop transferrable skills and extensive experience in multi‑disciplinary and cross‑functional teamwork.
What’s inside?
Change the world
P6 A–Z of engineering careers
Engineering solves problems! Here’s a handy guide to all your options
P8 inspiredEngineeringlife hacks
Make your day-to-day easier by thinking like an engineer
P10 Join the club Your guide to uni extracurriculars
P11 Building a better world for all
STEM + X =
Combine Engineering (STEM) with your passion (+X). It’ll help you discover your dream career!
Why engineering?
Engineering + …
P12
Humanitarian
Build a fairer world
P16 Creativity
Solve surprising challenges
P20 Biomedical
Engineering better health
P24 Critical minerals
Ingredients for our tech-led future
Engineer solutions for people and the planet
If you’d love to make a real and tangible difference, choose engineering
As an engineer, you can change the world. I’ve been part of Engineers Without Borders (EWB) Australia for more than 10 years, and I’ve seen firsthand the difference engineering makes.
At EWB, we’re committed to creating a world where tech benefits all. We work with local people to create sustainable solutions to community challenges. And every year, 10,000 first-year engineering students gain experience through the EWB Challenge.
One of the projects I’m most proud of was building a pipeline to supply fresh water to Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste, after the original pipe was destroyed. Now, families don’t have to carry water for miles. Instead, water is delivered right to their doors.
Another of our projects improved sanitation for people in regional Cambodia, some of whom had never heard of a toilet. We developed and delivered safe, sustainable sanitation solutions using tech suited to the local conditions. In doing so, we transformed lives and helped preserve our planet.
At the high-tech extreme of the spectrum, I’ve also led a multi-million-dollar project to use cutting-edge flood automation to reduce flood risk. There are so many engineering
Blakey, OAM Civil Engineer
Thanks to our work, 60,000 people have a reliable and resilient water supply”
careers to choose from and you can pick projects that align with your values.
If you love solving problems, thinking up practical solutions and making a difference, you have a wealth of satisfying options ahead of you in engineering.
This magazine will show you what it’s like to engineer solutions with – and for – people and the planet. Let’s make a difference together.
Gavin Blakey, OAM Volunteer Engineers
Bachelor of Engineering (Honours), James Cook University
Principal engineer, Brisbane City Council
Country manager, Cambodia and Vietnam, Engineers Without Borders Australia
Without Borders Australia
Gavin
A–Z
OF ENGINEERING CAREERS
Is ‘E’ your favourite letter in STEM?
Check out some of the careers you could land in!
Ais for agricultural engineer
Mix engineering and agriculture to improve farming efficiency, sustainability and safety.
Bis for biomedical engineer
Use your knowledge of medical science and engineering to come up with solutions that improve patients’ lives.
Cis for combat engineer
Increase the survivability and mobility of armed forces through data and engineering skills.
Fis for flight test engineer
Assess the handling, performance or systems of different aircraft.
Gis for geotechnical engineer
Specialise in the interaction between soil, rock and groundwater with engineered structures.
Meet Veronica, a combat engineer in the Army
Dis for design engineer
Create detailed plans for everything from buildings and bridges to machines, systems and everyday objects.
Eis for electrical engineer
Design and develop systems that use electricity, electronics and electromagnetism.
His for engineerhumanitarian
Use engineering know-how to improve the lives of disadvantaged people and communities. Read more on page 12!
Iis for engineerinstrumentation
Design and develop unique spacecraft instruments, like circuit boards and sensors.
Jis for jet engineer
Aka an aeronautical engineer! Build, maintain and operate aircraft and aerospace vehicles.
Check out Harrison’s aerospace engineer CV!
Kis for engineerkinetic
Investigate motion and force to come up with ways to convert these into energy.
Lis for engineerlaboratory
Design, build and maintain lab facilities and equipment in fields like biomedicine and chemical engineering.
Mis for engineermechanical
Analyse, make and maintain machines, including renewable energy systems.
Nis for engineernuclear
Sis for site engineer
Oversee infrastructure projects like buildings, roads and bridges to ensure plans are carried out correctly and safely.
Tis for telecommunications engineer
Develop systems that transmit data signals across telecommunications networks.
Uis for underground building engineer
Build machines that use the nuclear properties of matter, and the different kinds of energy that can be released from atoms, to do useful things.
Ois for engineeroptical
Develop different optics used in spacecraft, satellites, sensing X-Rays and infrared rays.
Aka a tunnel engineer! Work on the design, construction, maintenance and safety of tunnels.
Vis for vehicle engineer
Design and test brake systems, engines, fuel tech and transmissions on spacecraft, robots and rockets.
Wis for water engineer
Pis for prosthetic engineer
Use mechanical and electrical engineering skills to create artificial limbs and devices. Check out page 11 to learn why discovering engineering was a game-changer for Luke, a prosthetic engineer.
Qis for quantum engineer
Design, build and optimise quantum tech using the principles of quantum mechanics and engineering.
Ris for rollercoaster engineer
Experts in the design, construction and maintenance of roller-coasters.
Learn more on page 17!
Plan, design and manage projects relating to water, like clean water supplies and preventing flood damage.
Xis for your ‘X’
Combine engineering with your passion or hobby (your ‘X’) to discover your dream career. This could be engineering + nature (environmental engineering), engineering + music (sound engineering) or even engineering + soccer (sports engineering).
Yis for yard engineer
Move trains between tracks to keep them organised and on schedule. This career is likely to boom with the rise of solar trains. (Did you know we have the world’s first solar train right here in Australia?)
Zis for zero engineeremissions
Or a renewable energy engineer! Find ways to use renewable energy sources like solar, wind, hydro and biomass. – Louise Meers
Engineeringinspired life hacks
Engineers are known for their ability to iterate, automate and optimise. Apply a little of this thinking to make your everyday life easier!
Test and tweak
Engineers don’t expect to get everything perfect on the first try, and you shouldn’t either. It’s ok to test ideas, then tweak them. Not just once! This can happen over and over.
For example, if you’re struggling with study techniques, you can try flashcards, drawing diagrams, or studying with friends. If none of those are right, it’s no big deal – try a different approach like listening to podcasts, watching videos or reading books.
Then it’s time to tweak even more! You might like certain podcasts or books better than others. It’s all about iteration.
Automate boring stuff
Why do the same boring thing over and over? Yawn! Engineers find ways to automate tasks and you can too.
Set up shortcuts on your devices to find commonly used programs and apps, use filters and rules to sort your emails, set reminders to stretch and drink water. More automation = less stress.
Optimise your schedule
Engineers know optimisation is all about getting the best results for any given problem. You can take a look at your diary to optimise your ability to study.
Schedule your trickiest homework for when you’re likely to be most awake and focused, and save less complex tasks like tidying up for lower-energy times. – JasmineFellows
JOIN THE CLUB
As a kid, Nusrat was particularly drawn to physics, admiring the field for its logic, laws and numbers, and how they were applied.
“It was that curiosity in how the world worked that made me choose engineering,” says the now Sydney-based grad.
Originally from Bangladesh, Nusrat relocated to Australia after high school. Already sold on engineering, she fell in love with Macquarie University’s grounds and state-of-the-art mechatronics facility.
“It really stood out as a uni with a rich legacy in STEM fields,” she says.
Campus life
Enrolling in Macquarie’s Bachelor of Engineering (Mechatronics, Robotics and Automation) proved a perfect fit, as did the string of extracurriculars Nusrat signed up for. She was involved in mentoring, joined the debating club, participated in Macquarie’s FIRST Robotics program and was a student rep for the uni’s Faculty of Science and Engineering.
When she wasn’t hitting up lectures and sitting exams? She became Macquarie’s Engineers Australia student ambassador too!
“Doing these extracurricular activities really helped my networking skills,” Nusrat stresses. “It’s in fact how I landed my internship and graduate job.”
On track
As a third year, Nusrat signed up for the Macquarie Analogue Devices (MAD) Lab, where she gained experience in instrument calibration and measuring high-frequency data.
This eventually led to her honours thesis, which involved studying circuit design, hardware and testing.
Earlier this year, Nusrat landed her first big engineering gig, as a graduate engineer at Downer. She spends 9-to-5 supporting the maintenance and reliability of passenger fleets in Sydney, and is responsible for train communications and surveillance sub-systems.
And yes, in true do-it-all fashion, she also juggles voluntary positions at Engineers Australia and Young Transport Professionals.
Her advice to curious undergrads? “Saying yes to opportunities can take us a long way!” – Cassie Steel
Macquarie really stood out as a uni with a rich legacy in STEM fields”
Engineering graduate Nusrat Binte Nijam peppered her pathway with a string of extracurriculars
BUILDING A BETTER WORLD FOR ALL
By choosing a career in engineering, you could help all kinds of people
Engineers plan and design the world around us, including our offices, roads and even the apps we use. That world has traditionally catered to the average person, but as an engineer, you could use your skills to help make inclusivity the norm. Engineers need not only maths and physics to get the job done, but design skills too. By using design thinking, they ensure that whatever they’re planning will be functional and usable for individuals with disabilities, the elderly and those from diverse backgrounds. Inclusive engineering is all about building a world that actually works for everyone. It’s a smarter, fairer and, honestly, way more interesting way to design! – Samantha Wheeler
Did you know?
According to the World Health Organization, 2.5 billion people globally need access to assistive technology.
What can a career in engineeringinclusive look like?
Civil engineers
In Australia, the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 ensures there are legal obligations to consider accessibility when building new homes, buildings and roads. Imagine a civil engineer working on a new train station. They’re not just building a platform, they’re figuring out the best spots for ramps, ensuring level platform access to the train, and strategically placing those brightly circled tactile ground surface indicators (TGSIs) to warn people with vision impairments.
Software engineers
You know how frustrating it can be when a website is too complicated to use? Inclusive software engineers create websites and apps that are accessible for everyone. This means following the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, ensuring the site has an easy interface, works with screen readers and has proper keyboard navigation.
Biomedical engineers
These engineers look at designing better prosthetics that are easier to control, developing assistive devices that help people communicate, or creating accessible medical equipment. Their work is all about using engineering to break down barriers and improve quality of life for individuals with a wide range of needs.
The accessible engineer
Luke August uses Indigenous knowledge to create more inclusive prosthetics for Māori amputees
Luke never wanted to sit in an office working on buildings or roads. Rather, he got into engineering to help people.
“Being both Indigenous and an engineer, I try to blend the two worlds that haven’t been able to coexist in the past,” he says.
Luke’s thesis looks at improving the quality of life for Māori upper limb amputees. For his research, he interviews amputees to better understand what assistive technology looks like for them.
“I think engineers get really caught up in designing stuff and not actually talking to the people who are going to use it. There’s no point designing the coolest thing in the world if it serves no purpose.”
He believes inclusive engineering is making headway. “It’s about making technology accessible for anyone, whether that be for able-bodied or disabled individuals, but also ensuring we’re creating tech for our older generations who may not be as tech-savvy.”
– Samantha Wheeler
Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering), University of Canterbury
Intern, EEG and EMG prosthetic hand development, Puhoro STEMM Academy
Master of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering), The University of Waikato PhD candidate, The University of Waikato
Read Luke’S Story
Want to support the world with science? Try engineering!humanitarian
Humanitarian engineers use their skills to tackle real-world challenges, building a better world, one project at a time
Have you ever wanted to help make a difference in the world but didn’t know how? Or maybe you like building but want to explore something other than bridges and robots? If so, humanitarian engineering may be your perfect match – you’ll tackle real-world problems and help those in need! – Saskia
Horgan-Catchpole
Get started!
The term ‘humanitarian engineering’ was hardly used before the early 2000s, when Engineers Without Borders was founded and the Colorado School of Mines offered what was likely the first minor in humanitarian engineering. Since then, the world has faced many crises, and humanitarian engineering is in high demand! Today, there are a lot more places to study this pathway, including in Australia.
Where could a humanitarian engineering career take you?
(Hint: pretty much anywhere)
Civil engineer
Design water systems, roads and housing after natural disasters.
Environmental engineer
Tackle pollution and build sustainable projects.
Biomedical engineer
Create healthcare tech for tough environments.
Water and habitat engineer
Provide clean water and safe housing.
Electrical engineer
Build power and telecom systems in remote areas.
Other awesome pathways include project management, disaster response, research and data analysis – all critical parts of the humanitarian engineering puzzle. If you want to save lives, protect the planet and build a better future, humanitarian engineering could be your path!
What makes it awesome?
✔ Social impact focus: Every project aims to boost health, safety and wellbeing.
✔ Sustainability first: Eco-friendly designs that work long-term.
✔ Teamwork with communities: Projects with people, not for them.
✔ Smart tech choices: Simple, affordable solutions that fit the local environment.
✔ All kinds of disciplines: Civil, mechanical, environmental, biomedical – you name it!
Real-world impact
Common projects undertaken by humanitarian engineers include creating sustainable water treatment systems, improving access to medical equipment, designing housing and implementing renewable energy solutions. Since it’s such a broad field, there are countless other ways they make a difference. Take a look at the real-world impact of these notable projects…
The Peru Project: In Peru, certain communities relied on deep aquifer wells with lethal concentrations of arsenic for their drinking water.
So, what is engineering?humanitarian
In short, it’s engineering that makes life better with smart, simple and sustainable ideas. It’s less about flashy robots and hoverboards, and more about practical solutions for communities struggling with poverty, climate disasters and health crises. Humanitarian engineering sits across all engineering disciplines and spans many career pathways, meaning no matter your interest, there’s a job for you!
Engineers Without Borders at UC Berkeley partnered with locals to provide safer drinking water. They installed rainwater catchment systems on school gutters with debris filters, and designed a chlorine disinfection system. They also launched an education program to raise awareness about arsenic’s dangers.
GRoWES (Global Research on WaSH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) to Eliminate childhood Stunting): GRoWES tackled childhood stunting in communities across Guatemala, Brazil and South Africa. A team of engineers, nurses and sanitarians addressed food security, water access and hygiene to support healthy child growth – with a name that fit their mission perfectly!
ENGINEERING + HUMANITARIAN + STUDY
Bachelor of Engineering (Humanitarian Engineering) (Honours), UNSW Sydney
Bachelor of Engineering (Honours), Charles Sturt University
Bachelor of Engineering (Honours), Macquarie University
Bachelor of Engineering
, Australian National University
Course in Humanitarian Engineering, The University of Adelaide
ENGINEERING + HUMANITARIAN + JOBS
Civil engineer
$62K–$122K
Environmental engineer
$62K–$150K
Biomedical engineer
$75K–$85K
Water resources engineer
$65K–$119K
Electrical engineer
$62K–$128K
CAREER ON COUNTRY
Josh MacLeod is using his engineering skills to break down barriers for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth
It wasn’t until a supportive teacher encouraged Josh, a proud Dharug Burubirangal student, to apply for an Indigenous engineering summer school that Josh considered a career in STEM.
“I’d always been discouraged from going to uni,” he says. “But [through the program] I met so many professionals that shared their journeys and really inspired me.”
Josh asked the University of Wollongong’s Indigenous unit, Woolyungah, about starting uni via an alternative pathway, and was accepted.
Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical) (Honours), University of Wollongong
Co-founder, Kind Hearts Illawarra
meg cummins Environmental engineer
josh macleod stem programpathwaysmanager
Now, he’s managing STEM programs that support school-aged kids at Engineers Without Borders Australia.
“The highlight for me is getting to travel across Australia, listening and learning from Elders. And watching students’ faces as they fall in love with STEM.” – Cassie Steel
Certificate II Indigenous Languages
Electrical engineer, WSP Australia STEM pathways program manager, Engineers Without Borders Australia
ProjectTransgridmanager,
I’d always wanted to make a difference”
GLOBAL CHANGE
Meg Cummins’ passion for humanitarian engineering has taken her around the world
Meg kick-started her humanitarian pathway when she volunteered at an orangutan rehabilitation centre in Borneo.
“I’d always wanted to make a difference,” Meg says. “I realised engineering would be that for me.”
After graduating with a Bachelor of Engineering, Meg scored a grad role at industry giant Aurecon and soon began coordinating a pro bono collaboration with Engineers Without Borders Australia. She was so taken by the work that she put her grad gig on hold to volunteer in Cambodia.
“It completely changed my world,” she says of her 12-month sabbatical making sure flood-threatened communities had access to clean drinking water, sanitation and toilets.
“If communities don’t have access to clean water or toilets, then everything becomes difficult,” she stresses. “We need to make sure we’re providing solutions to everyone, everywhere.” – Cassie Steel
(Dharug Dhalang)
Water engineer, Aurecon Environmental engineer mentor, Engineers Without Borders Australia
Bachelor of Engineering (Civil and Environmental) (Honours), University of Wollongong
Emmeline’s path to engineering
Get a head start with real-world learning at Charles Sturt
Emmeline Rocks wanted more than just lectures and textbooks. At Charles Sturt University, she discovered a hands-on engineering program, strong industry connections, and a structure that helped her grow personally and professionally.
“It was the course structure that really drew me in – it’s unique compared to other universities,” Emmeline explains. “The mix of on-campus learning and practical industry experience made a real difference.”
Charles Sturt’s program includes paid cadetships, providing Emmeline the chance to work on major projects while studying.
“These experiences gave me insights I wouldn’t have gained in a classroom and connected me with industry,” she says. “Because of my cadetships, I had the confidence and knowledge to step into a project management role not long after finishing my degree.”
Emmeline’s journey shows that Charles Sturt can offer engineering students a head start in the field.
What’s more is that 25 x $20,000 Transgrid engineering scholarships are available each year to support your studies.
Build your engineering career today study.csu.edu.au/engineering-honours
Kickstart your engineering career with more paid industry cadetship experience than any other uni in Australia!
Ready to discover an engineering career that ticks all your boxes? It all starts with our unique Bachelor of Engineering (Honours).*
• Become a civil, electrical or mechanical engineer.
Want to unearth a future in engineering? Build a career that will improve communities with the university where 100 per cent of engineering grads get jobs – and earn a starting salary 35 per cent higher than engineering grads from any other university.*
• Gain real-world experience with two years of paid industry cadetships.
• Get paid while you study with industry cadetships.
• Experience real-world, project-based learning.
• Learn from engineering experts and practicing engineers – and build strong industry connections.
• Connect with industry and be taught by practising engineers.
• Work on real engineering projects and grow your professional network.
• Choose from our range of engineering courses to find your perfect fit.
• Score a $20,000 Transgrid engineering scholarship – we have 25 up for grabs each year!
Take your first step study.csu.edu.au/engineering-honours
Best of all, you could score a Transgrid engineering scholarship worth $20,000 – there are 25 on offer each year. Learn more csu.edu.au/engineering
*Quality
Engineering meets the arts
Engineers build the coolest stuff – find out how they mix engineering and creativity
Does figuring out how to make aliens move in movies like Avatar sound like a fun job? What about designing gloves that let you feel textures in video games? As an engineer, you’ll have the chance to create awesome projects just like these.
Without creative engineers, we wouldn’t have half the amazing things we use in the arts industry, including special effects in movies, virtual reality (VR), large sculptures and roller-coasters. Engineers build sound systems for your favourite artist’s concerts, design wearable tech and even power the light shows on the Sydney Opera House!
Whether it’s museums, music or theatre, engineers are the brains behind the magic. If you’re into tech and creativity, engineering might be for you. – Saskia Horgan-Catchpole
Metaverse Engineer
Be a metaverse engineer
Delve into the next generation of the web: the metaverse! Jobs in the metaverse include blockchain engineers, VR and augmented reality (AR) developers and programmers, and AI specialists working in machine learning. Download our free job kit to meet real-life mentors and get career tips.
Lights, camera, action... engineer!
Entertainment or media engineer
Design motion capture systems, CGI tools and special effects for film and TV.
Audio or acoustics engineer
Shape soundscapes for concerts, theatre, and VR with precision audio tech.
Theme park or ride systems engineer
Engineer animatronicsroller-coasters, and art theatre lighting.
Interactive or game technology engineer
Build the tech behind video games, VR and interactive digital art.
Go for a ride
Welcome to roller-coaster engineering
Yep, this is absolutely a real thing. Roller-coaster engineers design and build roller-coasters, as well as Ferris wheels and carousels.
As a roller-coaster engineer, it would be your job to design rides that are safe, as well as overseeing the construction, testing and maintenance of your creation. This involves a range of engineering fields, including mechanical, electrical and structural.
This career will also allow you to flex your creativity. Theme park visitors are always looking for new and innovative rides, so you can make it your mission to wow them with extreme and surprising features!
Below, we point out how engineering principles and creativity are used in the process. – Louise Meers
drops lifts
The engineer needs to consider the lift type, like chains, cables or powered linear accelerators. This is how roller-coaster carts move along the upward-sloping section of the track to get to the highest point of the ride.
safety
Elements like restraints, braking systems and sensors all need to be incorporated into a ride’s design. A roller-coaster engineer also needs to consider the materials used to construct the ride, as well as passenger weight and height.
A roller-coaster engineer works out the height of each of the drops on the roller-coaster. This helps determine the speed of the ride, which is good to consider if you’re creating an extreme ride or something more relaxed!
tracks
The engineer’s track design is laid out on a blueprint. This includes the ride’s shape, loops and inversions, as these all affect the G-force felt by the riders (aka how intense the ride will be). It also includes elements like cart design.
ENGINEERING + CREATIVITY + STUDY
Bachelor of Games and Interactive Environments (Software Technologies), QUT
Diploma of Music (Sound Production), Edith Cowan University
Diploma of Audio Production, School of Audio Engineering (SAE) University
Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering) (Honours), RMIT University
Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation, UTS
ENGINEERING + CREATIVITY + JOBS
Broadcast engineer
$70K–$103K
Audio engineer
$49K–$105K
Interactive developer
$116K–$125K
Broadcast engineer
$60K–$125K
Salaries according to payscale.com and glassdoor.com.au
ENGINEERING
Powering potential as an electrical engineer
Shakunthi’s path to electrical engineering began in Sri Lanka, and has led her to an amazing career in Australia! She began with a Diploma in Engineering at the Australian College of Business and Technology in Sri Lanka, which is affiliated with Edith Cowan University (ECU). This allowed her to make the leap to Perth, where she studied a Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical Power) at ECU.
While at ECU, Shakunthi enjoyed the practical labs that helped her develop teamwork, time management and work prioritisation skills. Her degree focused on electrical power system fundamentals, safety systems and renewable sources – but her learning didn’t stop there.
Shakunthi developed an understanding and appreciation for other fields of engineering too.
She enjoys the fact that engineering can cover everything from roller-coasters to space ships!
While at ECU, Shakunthi was part of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Women in Engineering and Student Branch, where she was able to build her professional network. This allowed her to improve her confidence while gaining skills that weren’t traditionally taught in the curriculum.
As part of her degree, Shakunthi also completed 12 weeks of internships in the mining, oil and gas sectors! The work
experience expanded her knowledge and got her amped up for a career in electrical engineering.
“This enabled me to take part in networking events that helped me meet a lot of company representatives, young professionals and other peers in my field. Career fairs were also another great opportunity. This is a skill set that I’m still working on, and I think starting early really helps to build your confidence in networking effectively,” Shakunthi says.
Today, Shakunthi is an electrical engineer at Chevron Australia, where she helps create infrastructure that powers communities using subsea technology.
Thanks to ECU, Shakunthi is wired for success and achieving her high-powered career goals! –SaskiaHorgan-Catchpole
Starting early really helps to build your confidence in networking effectively”
Intern electrical and instrumentation engineer, Chevron Australia
Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical Power) (Honours), Edith Cowan University
How ECU became Shakunthi Neelawatura’s launchpad into a high-voltage career
Shakunthi Neelawatura electrical engineer
BE A MEDICAL MECHANIC
Fixing the human body can require more than stitches and pills – sometimes it demands a few screws, some wires and clever engineering
Don’t let the fact we’re not made of metal and plastic fool you. Our bodies are machines. And just like any machine, our levers can slip, our pulleys can break, and even our ‘electronics’ fail in ways that make life a challenge.
Careers in biomedical engineering combine areas like physics, electronics, computing and material science with an understanding of human health to assist, repair or replace our normal bodily functions.
Want to help a patient get back on their feet? Biomedical engineers can design the perfect prosthetic leg or research new training methods to recover lost abilities. Keen on aiding a patient’s senses? Electronics can improve vision or open a world of sound. Emerging technology can even connect computers directly to our brains to enhance our ability to interact with the world.
Field day
The pathways for a biomedical engineer are super broad and diverse! You could work in any one of these specialist fields.
Biomechanical engineering
Apply mechanical engineering principles to biological systems to develop, design or repair medical products, such as artificial organs and prosthetic limbs.
Cell and tissue engineering
Create materials and structures to repair or build human tissue.
Building electronic and robotic replacements is just one potential path. Biomedical engineering plays a role in the design of tools that diagnose disease or deliver treatments with minimal harm, devising better scanning techniques or ways to transport drugs or radiation to where it’s needed most.
As electronics shrink and researchers discover new power sources and materials, biomedical engineering will only expand in the future. –MikeMcRae
Clinical engineering
Research, develop and maintain instruments and equipment to help practitioners like doctors and nurses.
Rehabilitation engineering
Develop technological solutions and equipment to aid people with disabilities or recovering from disease or injury.
Medical imaging
Develop and use tech to capture images of the human body – inside and out – to help diagnose disease and injury.
Soft robotics
Combine cutting-edge tech and materials science to develop robots made of ‘soft’ or malleable materials (which are safer around humans!).
Surgical technologies
Work with augmented reality or virtual reality technologies to create simulations for training doctors or to help with live surgeries.
Systems physiology
Apply engineering principles to understand how whole systems within living organisms function and respond to changes in their environment. – Gemma Chilton
Cell culture
Meet Dr Jiao Jiao Li, a biomedical engineer who uses stem cells (cells that can go on to form any other kind of cells) and tweaks them to benefit the 500 million people worldwide who live with osteoarthritis.
to-do list
These tasks are just some of the things a biomedical engineer might do on the job:
✔ Make surgical equipment and tools for medical practitioners
✔ Install and test medical equipment
✔ Examine, maintain and repair equipment
✔ Quality-assurance checks
✔ Electrical safety checks
✔ Train medical staff in the use of equipment and give technical advice
✔ Design and develop implants for use during operations, such as artificial joints or titanium plates to replace sections of bone in head injuries
ENGINEERING + BIOMEDICAL + STUDY
Bachelor of Engineering (Biomedical) (Honours), Swinburne University of Technology
Master of Engineering (Biomedical Engineering), UNSW Sydney
Associate Degree in Biomedical Engineering, TAFE SA
Bachelor of Science (Biomedical Engineering), The University of Western Australia
ENGINEERING + BIOMEDICAL + JOBS
Biomedical engineer
$59K–$97K
Medical laboratory technician
$70K–$80K
Prosthetist
$61K–$109K
Research scientist
$60K–$116K
Salaries according to payscale.com and seek.com.au
ENGINEERING
The heart of bioengineering
Australia is celebrating an amazing revolution in biomedical engineering that’s giving the gift of life, in the shape of a heart
Watch this
Want to see BiVACOR’s Total Artificial Heart in action? Check it out. Warning: it’s a bit gory, but in this case, it’s part of the job.
Early in 2025, a 40-year-old Australian man walked out of St. Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney without a pulse. Where his old heart once sat was now one made of titanium, making him the sixth person ever to be kept alive with the revolutionary new metal organ.
For just over 100 days, a spinning rotor inside the engineered organ quietly pushed blood around the man’s body, taking over the duties of his tired old heart until a donor organ became available.
This incredible design is the work of BiVACOR, a US-based medical device company founded by Australian biomedical engineer Dr Daniel Timms. For a quarter of a century, Daniel and his team worked to find a way to buy more time for patients with heart failure to be fitted with a donor heart.
This was no small challenge. To give patients of all shapes and sizes the freedom to move around and remain healthy, the heart has to be small enough to
fit inside different bodies, lightweight, long-lasting, conveniently powered and safe from being attacked by the body’s immune system.
Roughly the size of a clenched fist, BiVACOR’s Total Artificial Heart uses magnets to levitate a spinning rotor that moves blood through the circulatory system, limiting any moving parts that could wear out over time. Under laboratory conditions, the artificial heart has continued spinning for more than four years.
Almost 144,000 Australians live with heart failure. In many cases, those with the condition need a new heart to survive. And with just a few thousand potential donors available each year, the odds of a new lease on life are slim.
This new artificial heart is still being tested for safety and efficiency. In time, it could be sold to give some of the thousands of patients worldwide more quality time with loved ones. – Mike McRae
The heart of a plumber
BiVACOR founder Dr Daniel Timms says plumbing lessons from his father gave him a head start in pumping blood around the human body
Daniel knows exactly how it feels to worry about the health of a loved one. In 2001, his dad had a heart attack. He survived, but the event had a profound effect on Daniel, who would use plumbing lessons taught by his father to design a revolutionary new kind of artificial heart.
“As a kid, I spent a lot of time working with my father on plumbing systems and water features, like backyard ponds and custom waterfall set-ups,” says the Brisbane-born biomedical engineer.
“It wasn’t just about fixing pipes; it was about understanding how to control the flow and pressure of water through complex systems.”
Our network of veins, arteries and capillaries has a lot in common with the water pipes in our walls. By combining what he knew about fluid dynamics with other fields of knowledge, Daniel and his team have pushed the boundaries of artificial heart tech.
Traditionally, the methods used to build artificial hearts have been bulky and complex, which can leave patients prone to infection and vessel-blocking clots, and often unable to go about their lives. Daniel established BiVACOR to engineer a better device.
His pathway to success began with a degree in mechanical engineering, followed by a biomedical engineering PhD.
“However, just as critical as my academic background was the exposure,interdisciplinary mechanicalcombiningengineering with clinical insight and regulatory science, which was needed to take an idea from concept to clinical application,” Daniel says. Daniel’s doctoral research further laid the groundwork for what would eventually become the Total Artificial Heart, an innovation that could soon help thousands of patients around the world waiting for heart donors. And it all began with his father’s inspiring lessons.
“That hands-on childhood experience shaped how I conceptualised the artificial heart, not just as a medical device, but as an engineered system optimised for performance and longevity.” – Mike
McRae
just as critical as my academic background was the interdisciplinary exposure”
Associate director of cardiac support, Texas Heart Institute
Cardiovascular device research engineer, Helmholtz Institute
dr daniel timms biomedical engineer
PhD in biomedical engineering, QUT
Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours), QUT
Cardiovascular research engineer, Prince Charles Hospital
Mission critical
Critical minerals are key to driving the green energy transition
The race to live more sustainably is on, and critical minerals are the secret ingredients powering everything from smartphones and laptops to electric vehicles (EVs) and rechargeable batteries.
As global demand for clean energy skyrockets, we need innovative minds to help us sustainably extract, refine and recycle these precious resources.
If you’re passionate about solving problems, new tech and limiting global warming, the critical minerals industry needs you. – Cristy Burne
Choose your own adventure
Want to power Australia’s future and make your mark on the global stage? You can be involved anywhere along the journey…
Discovery and exploration:
You’re an adventurer who loves remote fieldwork and geological mapping. Processing and refining: You’re a problem-solver who loves developing efficient, sustainable and cost-effective solutions.
Innovation and sustainability: You’re a fan of planet Earth and keen to find ways we can use less energy, create less waste and power the transition to Net Zero living.
Who made the list?
Also known as...
Never heard of critical minerals? These international minerals of mystery go by many other names:
Essential minerals
Modern life just doesn’t work without them.
Strategic minerals
Having a secure supply is vital to our security and economy.
Critical raw materials They need processing before they can be used.
Energy transition minerals
They’re powering the shift to cleaner energy options.
New economy minerals
They’re essential in emerging industries like renewable energy and electric vehicles.
Meet the minerals
Used for: Renewable energy batteries, cancer therapy
Looks like: Shiny, silver-grey metal
Mined in: WA and Qld, alongside nickel and copper. Around 8kg of cobalt is needed to make one EV battery.
Used for: Drill bits, rocket engines, light bulb filaments
Looks like: Shiny, silvery-white metal
Mined in: Tas., Qld and WA.
Combined , China, Vietnam and Russia produce about 90% of the world’s tungsten, while Australia currently only produces 1%.
Used for: Steel, EV batteries
Looks like: Brittle, grey-white metal
Mined in: WA and the NT. With 91 million tonnes of manganese, Australia holds the fourth largest reserves in the world.
Used for: Stronger steel, long-life batteries
Looks like: Silvery-grey metal
Mined in: WA, SA and Qld. The electrolyte used in vanadium batteries is nearly 100% recyclable.
Used for: Rechargeable batteries, including in EVs and grid storage
Looks like: Soft, silvery-white metal
Mined in: WA and the NT. WA’s Greenbushes mine started in 1888 as a tin mine and is now the largest lithium mine in the world.
Professor Julien Epps Dean of Engineering, UNSW
The new kind of society that we’re looking at in the decarbonised world is built on critical minerals”
Unlocking the future
What’s so critical about critical minerals?
1. They’re inside our devices
Our phones, laptops, EVs and tech all contain critical minerals. If it’s electronic, it likely relies on critical minerals.
2. They help us choose the future
Rechargeable batteries, solar panels, wind farms and sustainable tech all need critical minerals.
3. They’re in short supply but high demand
Australia has rich deposits of some critical minerals, but not others. If we want a safe, secure supply chain, there’s much work to do.
Fact: Around 70% of the world’s cobalt comes from exploitative or politically unstable regions.
4. They’re creating awesome opportunities
The increasing global need for critical minerals is driving huge opportunities for engineers who love problem-solving, innovation and adventure.
ENGINEERING + CRITICAL MINERALS + STUDY
Bachelor of Engineering (Mining) (Honours), UNSW Sydney
Bachelor of Science (Geology) / Bachelor of Engineering (Mining) (Honours), Curtin University, WA School of Mines, Kalgoorlie
Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical Engineering) (Honours), The University of Queensland
Bachelor of Materials Engineering (Honours), Monash University
Bachelor of Engineering (Mining Engineering) (Honours), The University of Adelaide
Bachelor of Engineering Science, Charles Darwin University
ENGINEERING + CRITICAL MINERALS + JOBS
Mining engineer
$81K–$173K
Metallurgical engineer
$79K–$168K
Process engineer
$70K–$129K
Geotechnical engineer
$65K–$129K
Environmental engineer
$62K–$150K
Martin Nguyen
Structural geologist
TRASH TO TREASURE
ROCK HUNTER
Martin Nguyen’s career has been defined by exploration and adventure
Martin grew up on the plains of Echuca, Victoria, but he always dreamt of mountains.
“Mountains fascinated me. I found it magical to see something so different from what I was used to, and that spurred me to study earth sciences in high school,” he says.
He buried himself in geology at university and eventually became an exploration geologist at Fortescue Metals Group, scouring remote corners of Western Australia for lithium and cobalt – one of the first geologists at the company to do so.
Now, as a structural geologist at Rio Tinto, his role is a bit like a science help centre. From his office, he helps teams searching for water, copper and iron to solve problems. Then, he joins them for a week to collect data.
“In the field, our number one goal is mapping. We walk beautiful lines through beautiful country, and then return to the office to work out if our observations give any clues to answering the field team’s questions.”
His advice for future geologists is to talk to geologists: “We’re a really welcoming, passionate bunch.” – Anthea Batsakis
When Associate professor Anita Parbhakar-Fox looks at waste earth, rock and water, she sees potential
Mine waste can harbour toxic substances that, if we’re not careful, can poison the surrounding environment. But hidden within the slurry may be untapped critical minerals and Anita is hell-bent on finding them.
As a mine waste geoscientist, Anita uses chemistry to characterise these materials, learn if they’ve got economic potential and ultimately transform mine waste management. Her work has taken her from studying in London, to abseiling down rock faces in Tasmania, and leading a research group at the Sustainable Minerals Institute.
“There’s really never a dull moment,” Anita says. “My job is about seeing value in what we’ve already mined, rather than starting new mining projects. Can we supplement the need for more minerals with these discarded materials?”
She says the career possibilities in her field are huge, with the world’s skyrocketing demand for critical minerals likely to result in billions more tonnes of waste.
“With the emergence of new technologies, young people have the skills to help us understand these materials in a lot more detail, and at lots of different scales.” – Anthea Batsakis
Intern and junior geologist, MMG
Exploration geologist, Fortescue Metals Group
Bachelor of Science Advanced - Research (Geoscience) (Honours), Monash University
Specialist structural geologist, Rio Tinto
Dr Matt Shaw Astrometallurgist
CSIRO + metallurgy = critical minerals
Here on Earth, critical minerals will be vital to make the technologies of the future. “CSIRO has this massive focus on critical minerals: everything from finding them, all the way through to processing them and making useful things,” Matt explains. “Extractive metallurgy is really important because that’s how we turn rock with some bits in it into these usable metals and alloys.”
MMining that’s out of this world!
Dr Matt Shaw is researching mining techniques for use in space
att is an astrometallurgist, a field that mixes science and engineering.
“It involves turning space rocks into useful resources,” he explains.
Sending materials to the Moon is expensive – about a million dollars per kilogram. So Matt is working on ways to create what we need right there in space, for the Moon and beyond.
“In the near term, we’ll probably use techniques that we are familiar with here on
Working at the extremes
Matt’s career has taken him to extreme environments, including the Australian desert and Canadian Arctic. “Considering the differences in how you operate in scorching desert compared to freezing Arctic, I began thinking about even more extreme environments, like deep sea and space,” Matt says.
Earth. But in the distant future, we can start using the conditions in space to aid us,” he says.
On Earth, water boils at a lower temperature on mountains because of the low pressure.
Similarly, in space, there are materials that vaporise easier in a vacuum.
“I’ve managed to vaporise a rock in a furnace without it melting,” Matt says. It’s a process that turns a solid straight to a gas, for extraction. “Now the challenge is to separate out the elements from the gas,” he explains.
While it’s at the cutting edge, you don’t need to be a genius to do this kind of work.
“You don’t need to be amazing at science and engineering, you just need to be inquisitive. I think we lose out when people think they’re not smart enough for STEM. What we really want is for people to be imaginative and think outside the box,” Matt says. –JasmineFellows
Engineer your future
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Welcome to the metaverse, the next generation of the web! Jobs in the metaverse include data scientists and analysts, blockchain engineers, virtual and augmented reality developers and programmers, and AI specialists working in machine learning, for example.
Renewable Energy Engineer
Find out how you can be a part of the energy revolution, fighting climate change and building a sustainable tomorrow by shifting the world to renewables.
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1Want to be a software engineer? Choose these school subjects Suss out what you need to study in years 11 and 12!
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We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. This issue went to press on 14 July 2025. Printed in Australia by IVE.
Cover image: Harjono Djoyobisono / Australian Volunteers Program
Produced and published by: Refraction Media
Co-founder, CEO & Publisher : Karen Taylor-Brown
Partnerships Manager : Rachel Jones
Managing Editor: Jasmine Fellows
Deputy Editors: Louise Meers and Cristy Burne
Editorial Coordinator : Samantha Wheeler
Sub Editor: Amelia Caddy
Art Director: Katherine Power
Writers: Anthea Batsakis, Cristy Burne, Gemma Chilton, Saskia Horgan-Catchpole, Jasmine Fellows, Mike McRae, Louise Meers, Cassie Steel, Samantha Wheeler
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