Department of Civil Engineering Annual Awards 2020 goes virtual

The Annual Awards celebration is an important event in the Department calendar where we come together to recognise the achievements of staff and students and announce the prestigious Department of Civil Engineering Alumnus of the Year Award. It is also an opportunity to thank our valuable industry partners who sponsor the student awards and support us throughout the year.

Amidst a global pandemic and a year that no one could have anticipated, we wanted to ensure that the event received the recognition it deserves. With 42 awards, 63 awardees and 23 industry partners and an element of zoom fatigue, planning a celebration event virtually, was no small undertaking.

Nevertheless, after weeks of planning, technical discussions, practice and more practice, we had lift off – some may say attune to sending astronauts to the moon! Going virtual did have some advantages – with no restriction on numbers, the webinar event was live streamed to staff, students, alumni, industry, family and friends from near and far.

Largely thanks to our IT guru, Hayden Hamwood and our MC, Department of Civil Engineering, Professor Michael Kennedy, who rose to the challenge and hosted the event with panache, the celebration was a great success.

Professor Elizabeth Croft, Dean Faculty of Engineering welcomed everyone to the online awards followed by Professor Jeff Walker, Head of Civil Engineering who gave his welcome and Departmental address. Staff and students received their awards with a few words of thanks and appreciation and only a couple of minor glitches along the way.

This year the Department of Civil Engineering Alumnus of the Year Award was presented to Professor Rebekah Brown. Rebekah graduated with a Bachelor of Civil and Computing Engineering (Honours) from Monash in 1994. From 2000- 2003 she studied a PhD in Environmental Studies at the University of New South Wales. She returned to Monash in 2005 as a Senior Lecturer in the School of Geography and Environmental Science.

During her subsequent 15-year career at Monash she has been instrumental in the development of the University’s education programs. Rebekah is currently the Senior Vice-Provost and Vice-Provost (Research) responsible for leading the University’s research agenda. She is also Director of RISE - Revitalising Informal Settlements and their Environments, an action-research program working in the Pacific to deliver solutions that benefit health, environment, water and sanitation.

Rebekah gave an inspirational address and we congratulate her on receiving this prestigious award.

The celebrations concluded with the virtual-door prize draw and a fitting display of fireworks– virtually of course. With this experience now under our belts, who knows what next year’s event will bring.

Congratulations to all the recipients and thanks again to our industry sponsors for their ongoing support. A complete list of award winners is below.

Departmental awards

Alumnus of the Year Award

Student Awards

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

Postgraduate Awards