The University of Queensland is one step closer to tackling Australia’s growing need for qualified systems engineers.
Grant Stonier has become the first graduate of UQ’s Master of Systems Engineering program – one of the few such programs in Australia.
The program is funded by the Boeing Company as part of the 737 Airborne Early Warning and Control program, known as Project Wedgetail.
Mr Stonier is currently working on Project Wedgetail with BAE Systems in Adelaide.
“BAE are involved in the design and development of some of the sub-systems of this aircraft early warning and control system,” he said.
“I’m looking at the in-service support solutions for the project. Systems engineering principles are not only applied to physical systems such as aircraft, but also to the entire support system that keeps the aircraft operational throughout its life.”
Systems engineers build highly complex, computer-based systems such as aircraft, which have computer systems throughout them.
Graduates from UQ’s Master of Systems Engineering program are expected to be in hot demand.
In 2003 UQ and the Boeing Company launched a new training laboratory, which has been equipped with workstations and software tools valued at more than $3 million.
Mr Stonier said the program and support given had allowed him to expand his systems engineering knowledge into technical fields including software and electronic engineering.
He said he had gained an appreciation of important managerial aspects related to the engineering business environment.
“I had an active role in tailoring the program as I was able to give feedback on the courses I was doing,” he said.
“It is structured to match the skills Boeing require but these skills can be transferred to any engineering company.”
In 2002 the University announced the selection of Professor Peter Lindsay to serve as the Boeing Chair of Systems Engineering.
Professor Lindsay said systems engineers needed to be systems thinkers.
“They need to be able to see the big picture and to conceptualise how all the system’s components work together to deliver the desired capability,” he said.
“The University’s systems engineering program is modelled on the successful US Masters program commissioned by Boeing in America.
“The UQ program features electives such as software engineering that make our graduates internationally competitive.”
Media: For more information, contact Grant Stonier (telephone 0412 697 092) or Professor Peter Lindsay (telephone 07 3365 2005, email: Peter.Lindsay@itee.uq.edu.au) or Chris Saxby at UQ Communications (telephone 07 3365 2479, email: c.saxby@uq.edu.au).
