Helping solar energy fly

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Tags: summer-2012

Sandra Oberhollenzer

Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering – ‘05

Sandra Oberhollenzer

At 14 Sandra Oberhollenzer decided she was going to be an engineer. In 2005 she graduated from UQ with a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering and was ready to pursue a career in aerospace innovation.

“I’m fascinated by technology. For my Bachelor thesis at UQ I worked with a team which designed and tested a hybrid rocket. Projects such as this one gave me strong analytical and critical thinking skills which I will use for the rest of my life,” Ms Oberhollenzer said.

She now works for a leading European engineering and innovation consultancy Altran, on the Solar Impulse project based in Switzerland. Solar Impulse is a company which aims to design and build an airplane able to fly day and night without fuel, propelled exclusively by solar energy.

Ms Oberhollenzer has been working for Solar Impulse since 2010 when, for the first time in history, the pilot of the Solar Impulse prototype airplane, powered only by the sun, succeeded in flying for over 26 hours.

Before joining Altran and Solar Impulse, Ms Oberhollenzer completed a Master of Science in Space Technology and worked for the European Space Agency as a chemical propulsion engineer and The EADS Group as an industrial engineer.

“I am driven by projects that break new frontiers. Studying engineering allowed me to work on many innovative projects, such as the development of a fuel storage system for manned missions to Mars,” she said.

Ms Oberhollenzer believes that energy and mobility are two critical issues to address to ensure the world’s sustainability.

“For a sustainable future we not only need innovations in technology and operations but also in other areas such as regulations,” Ms Oberhollenzer said.

She is concerned progress may not come fast enough, however Ms Oberhollenzer is excited about the solutions that the innovators of tomorrow will bring to tackle this issue. In the future she plans to continue working on projects that impact and change the way people think and industries act.

Isuru Devendra

Bachelors of Commerce/Laws (Honours) – ‘11

Isuru Devendra

At only 23, not many people are as determined, confident and optimistic as Isuru Devendra. He is a 2011 alumnus who holds a Bachelors of Commerce/Laws (Honours). Now working as a Judge’s Associate in the Court of Appeal division of the Supreme Court, he also makes time to work as the Queensland representative of the 2012 – 2013 UNICEF Australia Young Ambassadors.

As one of nine Young Ambassadors, the team are spending the year speaking with youth networks across the country, helping promote UNICEF Australia’s advocacy campaigns and working for the advancement of children’s rights across the country and abroad.

“At the national level, our primary focus this year is to advocate in support of the Constitutional Recognition of Indigenous Australians. We believe that appropriate action taken with respect to this issue can have a positive impact upon the lives of many Indigenous children around the country who endure disadvantaged circumstances,” Mr Devendra said.

Born in Sri Lanka, Mr Devendra moved to Brisbane aged five and credits his interest in social issues to an appreciation for the wealth of opportunities that he has received, specifically in education. Through his studies Mr Devendra gaind an appreciation for the law’s ability to effect positive social change.

“I strongly believe that those with fortunate circumstances carry with them the responsibility to make a contribution towards assisting vulnerable and disadvantaged people,” he said.

In his current role as a Judge’s Associate, Mr Devendra is gaining the skills which he hopes will lead him into a long fulfilling career. While commercial and business law are another interest, he plans to continue to include working towards affirming people’s civil and legal rights.

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