Astronauts, Nobel Prize winners to headline Engineers convention

The largest engineering event ever held in the Southern Hemisphere will see around 5000 delegates gather in Melbourne in later this year.

Organised by Engineers Australia, Convention 2014 (24-28 November 2014) will see leaders of the engineering and science world converge to discuss the future of Australia’s manufacturing sector, climate change, the role of nuclear energy and many other issues.

Keynote speakers will include retired astronauts Chris Hadfield and Andrew Thomas, International Space Station engineer Andrea Boyd and Nobel Prize winner Rajendra K Pachauri.

“Delegates attending Convention 2014 will hear from the world’s leading thinkers in science, technology, engineering and maths. People who are at the top of their profession, inspiring and challenging the way we live, work and interact,” said Engineers Australia CEO Stephen Durkin.

Astronaut Chris Hadfield will speak at Engineers Australia's Convention 2014 in Melbourne in November.

Convention 2014 will comprise six conferences covering defence, applied mechanics, climate change, complex projects, telecommunications and leadership.

The event will include a variety of technical conferences and seminars, more than a dozen workshops, symposiums and forums, and site tours, with key issues being energy generation, transport and infrastructure, innovation and sustainability.

“Convention 2014 will be the most comprehensive event ever held for Australian engineers and it’s the first time that all disciplines of engineering will come together under the one roof,” said Durkin.

In a session moderated by former journalist and 2013 Australian of the Year Ita Buttrose, keynote speakers John Howard (former prime minister) and Tim Fischer (former deputy prime minister) will discuss how the past has engineered our future.

Convention 2014 will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 24-28 November 2014. Registration packages and prices can be viewed at www.convention2014.org.au. Discounts are available to Engineers Australia members.