4 March 2025

Supporting the female engineers of tomorrow

From Singapore’s Changi Airport to the Burj Khalifa Skyscraper in Dubai, the late Michael John Smith’s (Mechanical Engineering, 1971) contributions to engineering have truly made their mark upon the world. An innovator, entrepreneur and a ‘force of nature’, he co-founded Vipac Engineers & Scientists Ltd (Vipac), a leading firm which consults on some of the world’s most complex infrastructure projects.

Michael tragically passed away from a heart attack in 2013. But his wife, Wendy Smith, is determined to honour his legacy and ensure his passion for engineering lives on. A firm advocate for the life-changing power of education, Wendy has founded the Michael John Smith Scholarship, which provides support for female Faculty of Engineering students who are experiencing difficult personal circumstances.

“I always wanted to celebrate Michael's involvement with Monash University and how important it was to him,” says Wendy, who is Executive Chairman and Director of Vipac. “And I wanted to empower more women to become mechanical engineers. There aren’t many female engineers around so I’m hopeful we can help change that.”

From L to R: Wendy Smith (Executive Chairman and Director of Vipac) and the inaugural scholarship recipient, Julia. Images courtesy Vipac Engineers & Scientists Ltd, www.vipac.com.au

A solid foundation

After completing high school at St Leo’s College in Box Hill South, Michael studied mechanical engineering at Monash University, graduating in 1971. It was an exciting time to be at Monash and Michael embraced its vibrant social life. “The students were high-spirited and innovative and there was excitement in the air,” says Wendy.

Known for his gregarious, fun-loving nature, Michael was often at the helm of student social activities. He founded the iconic Monash scavenger hunt, which saw students race to score unlikely loot from around town, and ran the biggest dances in Victoria, with the likes of Billy Thorpe, Daddy Cool and Olivia Newton-John taking the stage.

“This group of engineers that graduated in 1971 still see each other today regularly with their families,” Wendy says. “There was a real bonding that went on from those days.”

Making it big

Michael didn’t waste time after graduating from university, and in 1973, he was one of four young engineers who established Vipac. Over the next four decades, he would transform it into a globally renowned engineering firm, employing 280 staff across offices in every Australian capital and throughout Southeast Asia.

“He was always playing with the big toys when everybody else was playing with the small toys,” Wendy says. “He was a 1980s entrepreneur; he always saw the big picture. He established offices in Singapore and Hong Kong before anyone else. And I think it was linked with the Monash ethos, to be honest.”

Michael was particularly passionate about acoustics and was known for combining advanced technologies with innovative sound engineering principles. According to Wendy, this was another passion that originated from Michael’s days at Monash, when he took a unit of acoustics in his final year and became fascinated by the science behind it. “It really excited him,” she says.

And he created many extraordinary things: the dome of flowers at Gardens by the Bay in Singapore, and the acoustics for Hong Kong’s concert hall and the IMAX theatre in Jakarta. But his innovation didn’t stop there: he also took on rail projects in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore, as well as submarines and satellites for the Australian Defence Force.

Gardens by the Bay, Singapore.

Creating pathways for women engineers

Wendy created the Michael John Smith scholarship not only to honour her late husband’s passion for engineering, but his moral compass. “Both of us had a very strong belief in social justice,” she says.

So, when Wendy approached Monash, she had only one stipulation: the scholarship must be focused on supporting women. This is owing to her own transformative experience with tertiary education, which, she says, “changed her life”, but also her desire to see more women in engineering.

I think our greatest resource in society is people having an education,” says Wendy. “I've come across a number of women, particularly high achievers, who retrained and went on to do great things.”

The inaugural scholarship recipient, Julia, is studying a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering. The scholarship will enable Julia to complete the final year of her degree, while working on an engineering project to help Vietnamese migrant communities improve their English language skills.

Wendy met with Julia to discuss her studies and future career ambitions, and to talk about the potential of her applying for their Vipac graduate program. “Julia is a delightful woman, and I think she's going to go a long way in her career,” she says. “She's very clever. And she’s interested in some of the more sophisticated technologies in engineering.”

For Wendy, going the extra mile to support and connect with scholarship recipients as they embark on their careers is a rewarding experience – and a fitting tribute to Michael. “It’s the tapestry of life, all those threads coming together,” she says. “And now, it’s about giving back to others.”