University students from across Australia and New Zealand have been acknowledged for their innovative ideas for roads and infrastructure research projects as part of the 2016 ARRB Student Transport Research Prize Scheme.
Students studying STEM subjects at universities have been recognised in their respective states and territories, with a winner announced from each region and each receiving a share of the $15,000 prize pool.
The prize scheme required students to draft an “elevator pitch” to a road agency chief executive, aimed at attracting interest in the research findings and demonstrating how they could assist the agency achieve their goals for the road network.
ARRB, in partnership with Roads Australia, announced the winners this week.
Regional prizes were awarded to:
– Sae Chi, Queensland University of Technology, Addressing Impacts and Risks in Project Evaluation of Major Toll Road Projects
– Amanda Rose Warmerdam, Monash University, Identifying the organisational determinants of work-related road traffic injury: A multi-level approach
– Tharanga Ranasinghe, University of Adelaide, Impact of Rolling Dynamic Compaction
– Tao Liu, The University of Auckland, Innovative Customized Public-Transport System Using Real-Time Operational Control Tactics: Towards Next-Generation Transportation Systems
Key themes for this year’s prize scheme, run as part of the ARRB Academy, included work-related road injuries, innovative public transportation systems and risk management in toll road projects.
Mike Shackleton, Executive Manager of ARRB Academy said that rewarding talented, innovative STEM students working in research will encourage others to pursue similar career paths in science, technology and engineering.
“Over the coming decades, both ARRB and road agencies face the challenge of fulfilling the need for clever engineering and science professionals, who can deliver research-driven innovation to improve and modernise our roads and infrastructure.”
“We know we need to invest in research-driven innovation to inform the direction of our future roads and infrastructure, and the prize scheme is a smart way to involve students from early on,” he said.
“It’s vital to support and cultivate the minds of young researchers who will, in the future, be the ones solving the challenges associated with our roads and infrastructure. This time last year we hadn’t conducted Australia’s first-ever driverless car trials, and we’re seeing these innovative developments within the industry position careers in STEM as an attractive option. The researchers we’ve acknowledged this year exhibit the skills required to contribute in a great way – smart, solution-oriented and concise,” said Dr. Shackleton.
The winners are now eligible for the peak Australasian Prize, comprising a further $2,500 prize for the successful student. The winner will be announced later this year.