ACADEMIC staff at Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) new School of Engineering are now on site and building on their vision for the start of classes next year.
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First round offers will go out to prospective students later this week.
Work on the construction of the school is moving ahead and it is almost at lock-up stage. When complete, the state-of-the-art building is expected to be the showpiece of the university.
Foundation Professor of Engineering Euan Lindsay said he anticipated building work would be completed in late January, with classes to start on February 29.
“We wanted a building unlike anything else. Taking it from that vision to the real thing is exciting,” he said.
“It’s becoming tangible. I can see the students at work there and the industry partners in their space. It’s even cooler when you see the
construction taking shape in front of you. It’s not just a thought bubble – it’s actually happening,” he said.
Professor Lindsay said now the whole university could see the building going up, the creation of the new school was more tangible to everyone.
The School of Engineering will have 10 academics and one lab manager. They are currently on site at CSU putting together a curriculum.
“Like any major project there is a design in place. Now we have 90 days left to make it happen,” he said.
Professor Lindsay said half the team has five to 10 years’ industry experience and half have five to 10 years’ academic experience, creating a strong mix of practical and theoretical knowledge.
Members of the academic team come from the United States, Iran, Sri Lanka, Australia, China, Thailand and Japan, bringing with them a range of different contexts in which they have worked.
They have experience in projects that include dam building, airports, tunnels, structures, roads, and water quality. At least half the academic team members have worked on projects with $8-$10 million budgets.
One of the new academics, John Morgan, has moved from the United States to take up his position.
“We’re getting to do things the way individual researchers have been saying we should be dong them for the past 20 years,” he said. “There are no rules, so it’s like an extreme sport. If we find a better way, then we do that.”
Professor Lindsay said CSU has a tradition of working for the public good – they know the public is not served by doing what every other institution is doing.
