Next Events
|
Your committee has been working on an interesting programme of technical talks and visits for 2025, together with more social gatherings. Topics will span the breadth of engineering disciplines. |
|
Our next branch event is:
|
Te Reo Maori Courses in London
Te Puawai CIC are running Te Reo Maori language courses again this year during May. Both in‑person and online options are available.
The in person classes will be held at the University College London (UCL), East London campus.
There are courses for complete beginners, for those with some knowledge and for those at intermediate level (basic conversations through to fluency).
The courses each comprise 8 sessions with two per week, every Tuesday and Thursday, starting on 6 May and running through to 29 May.
The cost is £81.50 per person.
The organiser's aim is to provide safe places where you can learn te reo in a fun, relaxed environment.
Find out more details and register.
Recent Events
Joint Waitangi/Australia Day Event - 01 February 2025
Nicola and Hamish, Engineers Australia, hosted a very enjoyable curated wine tasting at their home as a joint celbration of both Australia Day and Waitangi Day. The tasting was curated by Joel Eastman, owner of Grape and Grain Tours, and had the theme 'New World vs Old World' where we tasted the same grape types and compared them to decide which one we like better!
Christmas Soirée - 27 November 2024
Hosted this year by the Australians, the joint Engineering New Zealand and Engineers Australia Christmas Soirée was held in the magnificent Downer Room at Australia House in London.
We were entertained once again by the fabulous Frances Madden on her piano and served posh canapés from Geoff and his team from the Aussie Pie Shop.
The theme this year was Space and we had some special messages from Australian Astronaut, Katherine Bennell‑Pegg and Frank Gallagher, space operator who manages a team at Saber Astronautics.
Photos courtesy of Andrew Grill - Actionable Futurist
Member Connect 2024 - 17 October 2024
The UK Branch session of Member Connect was held in London in‑person and also online with ENZ Chief Executive, Richard Templer, and Wellington staff joining us remotely. We also had Martin Pratchett, Engineering Practice Manager, with us in person.
Richard and Martin provided us with an update on the proposed changes to CPEng. We were also updated on what the organisation has been doing and where we are heading. The evening provided an opportunity for those who attended in person with some networking time.
Attending in person at the venue beside the River Thames: Andrew Delugar, Judy Henderson, Prof Michael Davies, Ben Snalam, Martin Pratchett, Selwyn Aickin and David Bigwood (UK Chair).
Technical Talk : McLaren Automotive - 12 June 2024
Lizzy Grant, a Systems Engineer in the High Voltage Battery team at McLaren Automotive, gave us a very interesting talk in which she explored the considerations and challenges of electrification with a focus on battery systems for supercars. She also spoke about the importance of STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and navigating one's career trajectory.
Committee meet‑up with Danielle Eckersley from the Wellington office - 30 May 2024
The UK Branch committee were grateful for the time they were able to spend with Danielle, Engagement Manager, Branches, Students and Young Engineers, while she was visiting the UK.
Royal Garden Party - 21 May 2024
Four branch committee members, Selwyn Aickin, Andrew Delugar, Ben Snalam and Judy Henderson, had the honour of representing the branch at a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in May. Unfortunately,, it wasn't the best of weather for an outdoor event!
Technical Talk : Did The Earth Move For You? - 20 March 2024
Dr Rebecca Bell, Lecturer in Geology and Geophysics, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Earth Science & Engineering, Imperial College London delivered a very interesting presentation on Slow Slip Events (SSEs) which are events in which slip on a fault occurs faster than the tectonic plates usually move, but too slowly to produce seismic waves and shaking.
Technical Talk : La Sagrada Familia - 1 February 2024
Andrew Delugar from the UK Branch committee (left) thanking our speaker, Liam Duff.
The Virgin Mary lantern, with star on top, the four Evangelist lanterns topped with sculptures of the symbols traditionally used to represent them (a lion for Mark, an angel for Matthew, an eagle for John and a bull for Luke), the lower section of the Jesus tower in the centre (under construction) and the tops of the Nativity facade's four towers.Liam Duff, Associate Structural Engineer at Arup, and the project manager for their input to the lantern design work, presented a very interesting technical talk on the design and construction of this iconic basilica, La Sagrada Família, which is one of the world's most iconic buildings, notorious for its prolonged construction.
Having started in 1882, the construction of the basilica has now entered its final phase. For the past five years, Liam has led a team of engineers working to complete this remarkable project. They have been combining state-of-the-art structural engineering with the enduring potential of stone to help realise Antoni Gaudí's vision for Barcelona.
For mote information and stunning views of the basilica, take a look at the Virtual Tour on La Sagrada Familia's website.
Christmas Soirée - 24 November 2023
We hosted the joint Engineering New Zealand and Engineers Australia Christmas Soirée at the Royal Air Force Club in Piccadilly, London, which was a very enjoyable evening.
A Tribute to Fred Hughes by Jonathan Gammon
Frederick (Fred) G Hughes
Fred Hughes, who sadly passed away in 2021, was a strong supporter of the former UK Association of the Institution of Professional Engineers, New Zealand (now renamed the UK Branch and Engineering New Zealand, respectively).
I first met Fred, very early in my career in the 1970s, when he was Managing Director of Ground Engineering Ltd, the very successful ground investigation (GI) specialist arm of contractor Cementation. At that time, most of the large civil engineering contractors had a specialist GI company to their name and could benefit from the early knowledge of ground conditions that a GI could give them at the time of tendering for Main Works. I recall that Fred's GI reports were usually printed on sheets far larger than today's A3 which very helpfully enabled a borehole log and laboratory test data to be presented on the same page.
Unfortunately, the slender profit margins - if any - generated by GI companies left them vulnerable to cost‑cutting accountants working for the parent companies and Fred's company was no exception.
Long before that happened, however, Fred and his wife Dorothy had travelled overseas to New Zealand to enable Fred to take part in the construction of hydro‑electric schemes. Fred's enjoyment of his time in New Zealand was reflected on his return to the UK by his contribution to the well‑being of the UK Association. He and Dorothy, who sadly pre‑deceased him, were excellent hosts for barbecues held in their garden at "Tararua" in Chorleywood, Hertfordshire.
Following my own return from working in NZ in 1988, I was invited by Fred to join him in 1989 on a Trafalgar House motorboat in the Solent to witness the start from Cowes of what was then the Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race. We had the excitement of powering ahead of the Maxi Yachts and being at The Needles to watch them sail out into the English Channel. Even at that stage the New Zealand yachts - Peter Blake's "Steinlager 2" and Grant Dalton's "Fisher & Paykel NZ" - were making a strong showing and it was Peter Blake who went on to win the Race.
Fred's love of sailing led him to part‑ownership of a beautiful Contessa yacht, moored on The Hamble in Hampshire. I readily jumped at the opportunity to crew for Fred on his voyages and I recall many very happy times with him and Dorothy and often another member of the crew Fred had encouraged onboard. Fred and Dorothy were a wonderful couple. They brought great joy and happiness to our events, especially the Christmas Soirées. I regret not keeping in touch with them in recent years. I hope this brief tribute to them makes some amends and ensures that their valuable contribution to our lives is placed on record.
Jonathan R A Gammon, FEngNZ