about the awards

The Australian Engineering Excellence Awards celebrate the accomplishments of some of the finest engineering companies and individuals in the world.

Winners of the Engineers Australia Divisional and Society Excellence Awards are invited to submit their entries for judging at the National level. A distinguished panel of Engineers Australia members work closely with state and territory judging panels to identify outstanding engineering achievements for that year.

Finalists in the annual Australian Engineering Excellence Awards are members of an elite group of Australia's premier engineers who have set global benchmarks for best practice in their fields of endeavor and are leaders in the profession, showing world class expertise and innovation in developing and implementing engineering solutions. Engineers Australia congratulates all those that reach this level of achievement.

Sir William Hudson Award

The Sir William Hudson Award, the highest award for an engineering project that Engineers Australia confers, is inspired by the achievements of Sir William Hudson, who was the first Commissioner of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Authority and is acclaimed by engineers around the world.

Engineering Excellence Awards

Each year the National Excellence Awards Judging Panel consider the nominating project winners of Division and Society Awards for an Australian Engineering Excellence Award. As Award winners in their own right, these finalists represent the very best of engineering with the national judging panel seeking to identify those unique finalists that demonstrate outstanding excellence, innovation and best practice. Each year the Judging Panel determines how many Excellence Awards should be presented, depending on the quality of the nominations.

Engineering Innovation Award

The Australian Government, through AusIndustry, proudly supports the 2011 Australian Engineering Excellence Awards and sponsors the Engineering Innovation Award. As sponsors of this award, AusIndustry recognises those who are leading the way with innovation and inspiring others to bring new ideas to life.

Environmental Engineering Excellence Award

The Environmental Engineering Excellence Award recognises achievement in sound environmental practice and in the sustainable use of natural resources. The criteria for judging this award includes; consideration of the project’s actual or potential contribution to the national economy as well as the environmental impact the project has or will have on the quality of life of relevant communities. The criteria also includes the significance of the work as a benchmark of Australian environmental engineering and the extent to which the work represents worlds best practice in environmental engineering.

President's Prize

This award was inaugurated in 1990 by Past President B C (Skip) Tonkin. Its concept was to provide recognition to members of Engineers Australia who have made a major contribution in promulgating the contribution that the engineering profession makes to the general welfare of the Australian people.

However, in 2004 the award's purpose was amended with Council approval to become a highly flexible award that can highlight contributions that may not find recognition in other of Engineers Australia's awards. In recent years it was awarded to individuals or groups who provided conspicuous service to either the profession or the community in such a way that a significant contribution was made to realisation of Engineers Australia's strategic goals. The award is entirely at the discretion of the National President; however anyone may suggest a worthy candidate for consideration. It is presented annually at either the Annual General Meeting or the Australian Engineering Excellence Awards and consists of a certificate.

Individual Awards

Professional Engineer of the Year

The Professional Engineer of the Year Award is a national award with nominations sourced from the winners of equivalent state and territory awards. The national award is made annually to a practicing professional engineer, judged against specific criteria which considers competence and significant achievement in community affairs, proficiency in the use of communication skills in engineering projects and a demonstrated understanding of the role and purpose of the engineering profession within society.

This is one of the highest accolades the engineering profession can bestow on a professional engineer and is ratified by Council prior to announcement.

Engineering Technologist of the Year

The Engineering Technologist of the Year Award is a national award with nominations coming from the winners of equivalent state and territory awards. It is awarded in recognition of the contribution engineering technologists make to the community and was inaugurated in 1995. This award is presented annually to a Technologist member of Engineers Australia, who has demonstrated competence and significant achievement in community affairs, a demonstrated understanding of the role and purpose of the engineering profession within society and proficiency in the use of communication skills.

Engineering Officer of the Year

The Engineering Officer of the Year Award is a national award with nominations coming from the winners of equivalent state and territory awards. The award recognises the contribution engineering officers make to the community and was inaugurated in 1995. The term Officer is the appropriate title for the occupational category more often referred to as Associate. An outcome of the 2005 bye-law ballot was to require the term Officer to be used in all instances. This award is presented annually to an Officer member of Engineers Australia, who has demonstrated competence and significant achievement in community affairs, a demonstrated understanding of the role and purpose of the engineering profession with society, and proficiency in the use of communication skills.

The Young Individual Awards

Young Professional Engineer of the Year
Young Engineering Technologist of the Year
Young Engineering Officer of the Year

The Young Individual Awards seek to acknowledge and reward young professional engineers, technologists and officers who have reached a high level of achievement and involvement in engineering and community affairs. Engineers Australia’s Divisions conduct the Young Awards typically in conjunction with their respective Engineering Awards. The winners of the Division events then have the opportunity to nominate to become the national winners.