2009 Civil Engineering Alumnus of the Year: Dr Adrian Williams
Dr Williams is a Monash University PhD graduate of the Department of Civil Engineering (1980). His PhD (with Dr Ian Johnston) led to notable work on understanding the mechanics of rock-socketed piles and developing design methods integrated with construction processes. This work was directly used in the extensive foundations of the West Gate Bridge construction. This early PhD led to an array of PhDs on “soft rock technology” at Monash University earning it an enviable world reputation in this area.
Dr Williams is an outstanding engineer who has contributed extensively to the field of geomechanics over many years and has achieved a world wide reputation in his specialised field. He has undertaken major management roles in various companies. He was the Chief of CSIRO, Division of Petroleum Resources (1994-2002), then the Chief of CSIRO, Division of Energy Technology (2004) before re-establishing and heading Geodynamics in 2006, a leading company dealing in geothermal energy. His seminal management achievements could be listed as:
- Growing Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation’s Material Division (1981-1986) into a profit centre, with work in Australia, China and across South East Asia.
- Establishing CSIRO’s program for Civil Construction research
- Founding CSIRO’s Petroleum Resources Division
- Founding the Australian Petroleum CRC
- Focusing CSIRO’s Energy Technology Division into a focussed R&D program and establishing a successful post-doc program
- Re-establishing Geodynamics as CEO, that included acquisition of a $32M drilling rig and raising $111M
- Establishing the technology development priorities for geothermal energy, as the Australian