Systems Engineering Society of Australia

ALARA Action Research Conference - ANZSYS Systems Society for Oceania
2024-11-07 - 2024-11-08 | Queensland
The ALARA Action Research Conference will be held 7-8 November at University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Australia.
Abstracts and proposals are welcomed that reflect on the participatory and transformative nature of Action Learning and Action Research within, across and beyond disciplinary boundaries and sectors including Health; Education; Community development; Sustainability; International development; Arts; Business and organisations; Activism; Systems.
Call for abstracts closes 31 July 2024.
For more details download the flier from https://www.anzsys.org/images/DOCS/2024/ALARA%202024%20Conference.pdf
Or, go direct to the Alara conference website at https://alarassociation.org/events/conferences/alara-2024-conference
Contact email for enquiries is: admin@alarassociation.org

Systems Engineering Test and Evaluation (SETE) Conference 2024
2024-09-22 - 2024-09-25 | Queensland
Systems Engineering Test and Evaluation (SETE) Conference will be back in Melbourne, 22-25 September 2024.
SETE is the premier conference for the Systems Engineering Society of Australia (SESA) and the Southern Cross Chapter of the International Test and Evaluation Association (ITEA) extending in 2024 to include Simulation Australasia (SimAust) as a collaborative partner.
The SETE24 theme “Advancing in an Emergent Digital World” invites submissions to explore the interplay between society, systems and an increasingly interconnected world. The theme is positioned to challenge the systems engineering, test & evaluation, and modelling & simulation communities to consider the dual ideas of how the digital world is advancing these fields, and how these fields are advancing the digital world.
SETE is a transdisciplinary forum for participants to extend networks, share current and future best practice in the engineering of complex capabilities, and learn from leading practitioners and academics across domains and sectors.

Human Factors (HF) Lessons Learnt from Projects
2024-09-10 17:00 - 18:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Queensland
Join our Victoria branch to hear from Dr Ray Misa on lessons learnt from large projects. Ray is a Human Factors (HF) expert with diverse experience in consulting, design, and assurance, and he has supported transport, infrastructure, and safety projects for over 17 years. He has spent most of this time delivering Human Factors Integration (HFI) across the project lifecycle. He has been engaged in advisory and verifier roles, ISA assessments, and improvement/innovation projects. Drawing on real project examples and lessons learnt, Ray will present how HF practitioners and projects can make HF work more integrated and have more impact.

Date: 10th Sep Tues 5-6pm AEST
Presenter: Dr Ray Misa
Location: Virtual
Register: https://incose-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/2417243950263/WN_T7J0deSoTYmIg02VpHXdxg

Operational Readiness Panel Discussion
2024-08-08 17:30 - 18:30 (Australia/Brisbane) | Queensland
Join the QLD SESA branch to hear from a panel of industry insiders who will dissect the multifaceted dimensions of operational readiness. Operational readiness considers an organisation’s preparedness to transition into operations. Panelists from varying disciplines will reflect on their past experiences in navigating an approach to system release and what did/ didn’t work well. Panellists will be announced soon.
Details
Date: Thursday 8th August
Time: 5.30pm AEST
Address: Level 9/340 Adelaide Street , Brisbane City Queensland, 4000
Format: Hybrid, majority of panellists will be in Brisbane, EA Office
Cost:

Cost for EA Members and Technical Society Members: Online (Free), In-Person ($5)
Cost for Non Members: Online ($30), In-Person ($35)

Pizzas and drinks will be provided for in-person attendees.
Registration: Operational readiness and the final stages of the project lifecycle | Engineers Australia
For more details contact: QLD@sesa.org.au
Panel Members
Lucy Trueman, Organisational Psychologist and Founder of Trueman Change
Lucy is an Organisational Psychologist who specialises in change management. She has over 20 years’ experience delivering change in a range of sectors including local government, transport, museum and blue light services. Lucy and her consultancy Trueman Change help organisations going through significant transformation with project and change delivery, change readiness assessments and culture/workforce change. Her research interest is organisational change post covid, exploring how change happened so quickly during the pandemic and what this means for change management as a discipline going forward. She will be releasing a book later this year with her findings.
Crispian Fitzhardinge, Senior Standards Manager at RISSB
Crispian is a Senior Standards Manager at RISSB with over 25 years of experience in the railway industry in both operational and safety roles. Working for both the public and private sector Cris has been instrumental in improving safety, harmonization, and interoperability solutions for the Australian Railway Network, through roles at RISSB, ARTC, and Rio Tinto. Most recently Cris was the Operational Readiness Specialist in Rio Tinto’s Sustaining Capital – Rail division helping implement projects into rail operations in a safe and efficient manner.
Richard Hanrick, Senior Systems Engineer at EM Solutions
Richard is a Senior Systems Engineer with over 35 years’ experience in developing and operating satellite communication systems across both Defence and commercial sectors. He is practiced in Engineering and Operational Management, ITIL processes, Systems Architecture and Product Design with knowledge across the solution lifecycle. Richard holds a Bachelor of Electrical and Electronics Engineering with Honours from James Cook University and was previously the President of the Ipswich chapter of the Institute of Engineers Australia.
Dr Eryn Grant, Human Factors specialist manager at Anglo American’s Steelmaking Coal
Holding a Ph.D. in Human Factors, Eryn Grant’s expertise lies in analysing the psychological, physiological, and behavioural aspects of human performance in complex systems. With a diverse background in sociology, engineering psychology, and design, Eryn brings a multidisciplinary approach to her work, seeking innovative solutions to complex human-centered problems. Her experience spans across industries, from aviation and rail to defence and mining, aiming to enhance user experience, safety, and efficiency. She has a unique perspective on operational readiness having worked in both the systems engineering design process and in operations. Eryn’s current role is managing the Human Factors speciality within the Human Performance team at Anglo American’s Steelmaking Coal business which has five operational coal mines in Queensland. Key integration areas include, management of change, automation design and incident investigations. Prior to Anglo, Eryn worked at Boeing Defence Australia as a Senior Human Factors Specialist involved in the Human Factors integration and verification phases for multiple systems. Eryn is also an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Queensland in the Mining Industry Safety and Health Centre(MISHC), where her goal is to inspire the next generation of human factors professionals by fostering a deeper understanding of human-centered design for complex systems and its importance to proactive safety management.

Complex systems of systems – understanding the architecture of submarines
2024-07-24 18:00 - 20:00 (Australia/Adelaide) | Queensland
Date: 24th of July 2024
Location: Online and in-person, Level 11, 108 King William Street, Adelaide
Program: In-person (Adelaide local time):
6:00pm Doors open, light refreshments available
6:30pm Presentation followed by Q&A
7:30pm Presentation concludes, open to networking
8:00pm Event close

Online (AEST):
7:00pm Presentation followed by Q&A
8:00pm Presentation concludes

Registration link: https://cvent.me/xn39Ar
Registration is free for SESA members.

Nathan Doyle is a Naval Architect, Chartered Engineer, and Member of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects. Currently the discipline lead for Naval Architecture at ASC, his career has been centered around designing and implementing complex upgrades on submarines.
Event Overview
This presentation will look at the process of designing submarines, the evolution from ship design practices, and the cascading effect introduced by even the smallest design changes.
Learning Outcomes
In this presentation, you will learn about the intricate process of designing submarines, understanding how ship design practices have evolved to meet the unique challenges of underwater vessels. You will gain insights into the cascading effects introduced by even the smallest design changes, emphasizing the importance of precision and foresight in submarine design. This will provide you with a deeper understanding of the complexities and innovations involved in modern submarine engineering.

Trends and applications of AI – A Systems Engineering Perspective
2024-05-29 17:30 - 18:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Queensland
Hear the latest advancements and discussions on AI4SE on an international level. The event will feature an Australian perspective to showcase the applications of AI-LLM for SE in software engineering. Engineers will be made aware of the need for responsible AI from an ethical and societal perspective.
The panel will answer questions and field Q&A from the audience.
Learning outcomes

An understanding of the current trends in software engineering and the applications of artificial intelligence in methodology
Exposure to international perspectives on the software engineering community
Various sectors and domains in which software engineering and the applications of AI are utilised

Event program
Webinar AEST:

5.30pm: Event commences
6.30pm: Event concludes

Event details
Format: Webinar
Date/Time: 29 May 2024, 05.30 pm AEST
Cost: Members: free. Non-members: $30.
Registration link: https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/event/2022/05/trends-and-applications-ai-systems-engineering-perspective-09ce42bf
About the speakers
Dr Ramakrishnan Raman

Senior Chief Engineer – Systems Engineer, Eaton

Tanya Dixit

Generative AI Solution Architect, Google

Rita Arrigo MIEAust

Strategic Engagement Manager, National AI Centre

ChatGTP for SE - Exploring Generative AI for SE Workshop
2024-05-15 12:00 - 13:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Queensland
Join SESA and the INCOSE Asia Oceania Sector III for a virtual interactive discussion, where we’ll delve into the utilization of ChatGPT and other large language models in systems engineering. Host Dr. Barclay Brown will discuss pivotal themes such as prompt engineering, application architecture, embeddings, vector stores, and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), in addition to a brief overview of the INCOSE AI Systems Working Group.
Time/Date: 12-1pm EST 15th May
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Registration: https://incose-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMpcOCgpzwvE923Lh8u3xHykrnn80Pn9Szr#/registration

Speaker – Dr Barclay Brown
Dr. Barclay Brown is the Associate Director for AI Research at Collins Aerospace, a division of Raytheon Technologies. Dr. Brown holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, master’s degrees in Psychology and Business and a PhD in Industrial and Systems Engineering. He is author of Engineering Intelligent Systems, published by Wiley, and is a certified Expert Systems Engineering Professional (ESEP), certified Systems Engineering Quality Manager, and former CIO of INCOSE.

Hazard Log Management - Good Practice Discussion
2024-04-23 17:00 - 18:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Queensland
Join our Victoria branch for a short, virtual presentation and discussion on good practices in hazard log management.
Hazard Management is the fundamental premise of all systems safety activities. A series of seven articles have been published by Andy on LinkedIn addressing the various area of Hazard Log Management in detail. Please see below for a link to each of these articles.
As part of this presentation, Andy will cover the basic principles addressing each of these areas including practical examples. As a group we can discuss the challenges we face in these areas and discuss good practises that may be utilised.
Hazard Logs #1 – Back to Basics: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/hazard-logs-1-back-basics-andy-petrie-j83pc/
Hazard Logs #2 – Well-Written Hazards: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/hazard-logs-2-well-written-hazards-andy-petrie-i1cpe/
Hazard Logs #3 – Causes & Consequences: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/hazard-logs-3-causes-consequences-andy-petrie-rtm0c/
Hazard Logs #4 – The Importance of Effective Controls: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/hazard-logs-4-importance-effective-controls-i8d5e/
Hazard Logs #5 – Assumptions, Dependencies, & Constrains (ADCs): https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/hazard-logs-5-assumptions-dependencies-constrains-adcs-andy-petrie-caobc/
Hazard Logs #6 – Managing Hazards to Closure: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/hazard-logs-6-managing-hazards-closure-andy-petrie-xwuye/
Hazard Logs #7 – Stop Transferring Hazards: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/hazard-logs-7-stop-transferring-hazards-andy-petrie-fmx6c/

Date: 23 April 2024 (Tuesday)
Time: 5-6pm AEST
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Registration: https://incose-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/2617128966516/WN_CIz0tZzdTZ2knE4d-Ot6CA

Presenter – Andy Petrie
Director – Systems & Safety Assurance, Arch Artifex

Andy has over 25 years’ experience in the development and delivery of major rail and infrastructure projects in the UK and Australia. Andy is one of Australia’s leading experts in the application of safety principles, processes, and procedures to drive effective safety outcomes throughout the lifecycle of a project from concept through to operations.

Mastering the Puzzle: Demystifying Configuration Management
2024-04-11 17:00 - 19:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Queensland
Join our QLD branch in person or virtually for a fun presentation on Configuration Management. We’ll follow a family’s Christmas star tradition to understand how to apply configuration management. Real-world examples from complex systems engineering projects that suffered from poor configuration management will be tied into these scenarios, and we’ll identify how these configuration management issues could have been mitigated.
Meet and hear from the SESA QLD Branch, and learn about what they have planned for 2024!

Date: Thursday 11th April, 2024
Time: 5.00pm to 7.00pm (AEST), webinar to start 5.30pm (AEST)
Format: Hybrid – Brisbane, EA office – Level 9/340 Adelaide Street , Brisbane City Queensland, 4000
Registration Link: https://portal.engineersaustralia.org.au/event/login/9180C2EA-9437-4226-8EBC-1C0A4EAF5B47
Cost Online:
Member: Free
Technical Society Member: Free
Student Member: Free
Non-Member: $30.00
Cost In-person:
Member: $10.00
Technical Society Member: $10.00
Student Member: $10.00
Non Member: $40.00
For more information, please contact: QLD@sesa.org.au

Presenter – Greg Wynne

Senior Electrical Engineer, Babcock Australia & New Zealand
Greg is an INCOSE Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP) with a background in Defence, specifically telecommunications, armoured vehicles, aerospace and mission systems. Greg has worked at Boeing and Rheinmetall, and is currently a Senior Electrical Engineer with Babcock Australia & New Zealand. Greg is the current SESA QLD Defence Lead.

Healthcare Working Group (HWG) Webinar - Professor Bo Oppenheim
2024-03-12 12:00 - 13:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Queensland
Lean Healthcare Systems Engineering Process for Clinical Environments
We are excited to invite you to the first Healthcare Working Group (HWG) webinar for 2024, where Professor Bo Oppenheim will be presenting on Lean Healthcare Systems Engineering (LHSE) process. The session will be virtual only, at Tuesday 12th March 2024 at midday, Sydney time. Professor Oppenheim is Associate Director for Healthcare Systems Engineering at Loyola Marymount University, USA and an active member of the INCOSE Healthcare Working Group.
A new process “Lean Healthcare Systems Engineering (LHSE)” for healthcare improvement projects is described and compared to popular quality initiatives: PDSA, TQM, Lean/Six Sigma, TOC, others, demonstrating superiority of LHSE. The webinar is based on a recent book under the same title. LHSE is applicable to projects in hospitals, ORs, ED, clinics, imaging and clinical laboratories, pharmacies, population health, and telemedicine. Audience: individuals interested in the application of systems in healthcare.
All those interested in healthcare improvement through a systems approach will find the talk valuable. We also welcome our wider community of healthcare practitioners from affiliated organisations to join the webinar.
Date: 12th March 2024
Time: 12:00 to 1:00 pm (AEST)
Format: Virtual
Registration Link: https://incose-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0kf-uhrzkvH9DPGWVX68R93AQq6VIDopie#/registration
For more information, please contact: healthcare@sesa.org.au

Presenter – Bohdan W. Oppenheim, PhD
Professor Emeritus and Ret. Director, Healthcare Systems Engineering MS Program at LMU, LA
Faculty Member, Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine, Health Systems Department, Pasadena

Bohdan “Bo” W. Oppenheim is a Professor Emeritus and Director (Ret.) and Founder of the Healthcare Systems Engineering (HSE) graduate Program at LMU in Los Angeles; and a Faculty Member of the Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine. The unique Program was created in partnership with a leading U.S. Medical System of Kaiser Permanente and is regarded as a premiere HSE-type program in the nation.
Oppenheim is the author of seven books, authored and co-authored chapters in six other books and published 30 journal papers. He was honored with three Shingo Awards, INCOSE Product of the Year Award, INCOSE Fellowship, and over $2 million in externally funded grants. He advised over 100 master’s projects at Kaiser Permanente, UCLA Health, USC Keck/County, Providence St Joseph, Cedar Sinai, AltaMed, GVA, Boston Children’s Hospital and smaller institutions.
Born in Warsaw, Poland, he has degrees from Warsaw Technical University, Stevens Institute of Technology, MIT, and University of Southampton in UK in aerospace, naval and system engineering. He was invited as a guest lecturer in Canada, China, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, United Kingdom, and the United States. Lives in Santa Monica, California, and Warsaw, Poland. Two married sons. U.S. Coast Guard Sailing Captain’s License. Collector of modern Polish art.

Risk Management - The Melbourne Metro Tunnel Project (MTP) Platform Screen Door (PSD) Entrapment
2024-03-06 17:00 - 18:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Queensland
Presentation Synopsis
Join us for a presentation and discussion on the risk management approach that was used during the Melbourne Metro Tunnel Project (MTP) Platform Screen Doors (PSDs) delivery to mitigate the risk of passenger entrapment.
The MTP is building two new 9km tunnels through the heart of the CBD. The MTP will use PSDs in all the five new underground stations, aligning the MTP with other similar projects/ metro style systems in use throughout the world.
The doors will improve the customer experience by improving safety and security (restricting track access and the likelihood of passengers being struck by the train), and also improving climate control within the stations.
However, during the reference design, it was identified that the use of PSDs might introduce a potential hazard of entrapment between the PSDs and train doors and the body of the train, and this hazard and the associated risk would be assessed and managed during the delivery phase.
In accordance with Australian Rail Safety National Law and following the guidance of EN 17168, this presentation identifies the three entrapment hazards relating to PSDs and considers how they were identified and mitigated as part of the SFAIRP process managed by Rail Projects Victoria and Metro Trains Melbourne.
Date: 6 March 2024 (Wed)
Time: 5.00 to 6.00 pm (AEST)
Format: Virtual
Registration Link: https://incose-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/6817089903878/WN_v4DwJN-vQTKG2SNunDKBbQ
For more information please contact: Victoria@sesa.org.au

Anthony Pickett
Director, Catus Consult
A Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, with 40 years’ experience on multidisciplinary projects in the rail industry worldwide. Previously Head of Technical Safety for RPV, responsible for the effective establishment and delivery of the Technical Safety Management processes within RPV across the complete portfolio of Projects.

Rob Hammer
Director, MTP Engineering & Route to Acceptance
Rob has worked in the rail industry for over 15 years, spanning projects across the entire Project Lifecycle and incorporating senior management roles across Design and Engineering, Assurance and Delivery. Rob has spent the last seven years at Rail Projects Victoria, including leading the Engineering and Integration Group across the RPV portfolio and more recently as Director of Engineering and Route to Acceptance on the Metro Tunnel Project.

Kevin Prendergast
Director Fleet SME, Transport for NSW
Kevin has worked in the rail industry for over 30 years – his experience encompasses the design, delivery, operation and maintenance of rolling stock and has worked in European and Australian settings. More recently Kevin worked in an integration role in RPV, coordinating the integration and assurance of Melbourne Metro Tunnel’s infrastructure disciplines to the new HCMT trains. Kevin now works for Transport for NSW in the role of Director Fleet SME, where he develops the provision of technical expertise for TfNSW’s Technical Services inflight and emerging transport programs.

Systems Thinking & Modelling Symposium - Oceania Chapter of the System Dynamics Society
2024-02-09 12:00 - 17:00 (Australia/Sydney) | Queensland
FREE Hybrid Event – Online or In-Person
Date: February 9, 2024 Time: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm AEDT
We invite you to submit an abstract for the Oceania Chapter of the System Dynamics Society Hybrid Symposium on work applying systems thinking and/or system dynamics modelling within industry, government, or academia. Abstracts from practitioners, researchers and students are welcome on work that applies systems thinking and/or system dynamics modelling within industry, government, or academia.
The objective of the symposium is to gather as a community and discuss current systems thinking & modelling work at any stage of maturity. Depending on submissions, we will organize a program of talks around common themes or application areas and supplement the program with guest speakers and/or discussion topics.
Register at :
https://systemdynamics.org/event/oceania-chapter-symposium/
Venue

Room H70.01.1060 University of Sydney Business School, ABS Case Study Lecture Theatre 1060.
Address is: Abercrombie Building H70, Corner Abercrombie Street and, Codrington St, Darlington NSW 2006

INCOSE International Workshop (IW)
2024-01-27 - 2024-01-30 | Queensland
INCOSE’s annual International Workshop (IW) is fast approaching! Unlike INCOSE’s annual International Symposium (IS) and other conferences, there are no paper, panel or tutorial presentations. Instead, attendees spend 4 days working alongside fellow systems engineers who are there to make a difference. IW 2024 will include virtual and in person attendance in Torrance, CA, USA, with hybrid sessions striving to include virtual attendees as much as possible, yet individual experiences will vary.
Systems Engineers at all levels and from all backgrounds are encouraged to engage in working sessions, and contribute their knowledge and experience to take the discipline forward. IW2024 facilitates a moment and a place where attendees shall build networks, perform activities, and produce outcomes beyond their typical network and focus area.
Sessions are encouraged to inclusively engage multiple working groups, diverse practitioners, and multiple competency levels as they complete meeting outcomes, satisfying the session’s purpose. Attendees should experience a different yet complementary experience to regular working group meetings throughout the year.
IW2024 is focused upon:

Safer Complex Systems
Future of Systems Engineering (FuSE)
Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)

HSI: Bridging Systems Engineering and Human Factors
2023-12-13 12:30 - 14:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Queensland
UPCOMING EVENT on “HSI: Bridging Systems Engineering and Human Factors”.
The INCOSE HSI Working Group and HFESA are hosting a joint virtual event on Wednesday, 13th December from 12:30-14:30 AEDT. Come to hear about how HSI/HFI is being applied in different domains and join an interactive workshop as we share perspectives on HF and SE, discuss common challenges and build our community of interest between the two complementary associations.
Registrations FREE but essential! Limited number of tickets (a waitlist will be utilised). Trybooking.com/CNKJJ

ANZSYS on Digital Transformation
2023-10-23 19:00 - 20:00 (Australia/Brisbane) | Queensland
ANZSYS 7pm AEST on Digital Transformation with Prof Roelien Goede
Join Prof Roelien Goede, previous ISSS President, online at 7PM AEST MONDAY 23 Oct 2023.
“Is digital transformation empowering or suffocating us? A critical systems heuristics perspective”
The link for this meeting is: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86738609042?pwd=[REDACTED]
Background
Digital transformation is changing the way we do our everyday work. A question worth exploring is what is the impact of this change?
Are we more productive, less irritated, and more content in the workplace? Or are we suffocating from yet another new tool? Frustrated from struggling to do what we did seamlessly yesterday?
From a critical systems perspective, one should reflect on the purpose, the process, and the intended and unintended consequences of digital transformation in the organisation. A holistic approach is required to understand both the social and technological driving forces and the impact of this latest wave of change confronting our everyday work life.
Critical systems thinking guides us to consider different perspectives in the problem situation. It guides us to consider the consequences of our plans on those affected, but not involved, in the decision-making process; to identify those factors which we cannot control but which have a dramatic impact on the success of our endeavours; to identify which expertise is required, both technological and social to achieve the benefit of a proposed transformation. Moreover, it guides us in putting ourselves in the shoes of others, and then not only in the shoes of the workforce but also in the shoes of organisational management.
This address will consider digital transformation in the organisation from different perspectives. As an early adopter, I’m always optimistic about improved technology. I will attempt to provide a balanced view from multiple perspectives on the drive for digital transformation. I aim to provide the reality check required by a workforce under ever-increasing pressure to change and provide guidance to organisational leaders from my own project work on digital transformation.
Please join us.
Bio

Roelien Goede is a professor in Computer Science and Information Systems at the North-West University, Potchefstroom in South Africaand immediate past president of the ISSS. She is the Director for the Research Unit of Data Science and Computing at the NWU. She has a PhD from the University of Pretoria in the field of Systems Practice in Business Intelligence.
Roelien has various publications in the application of Critical Systems Thinking. She has been actively involved in the ISSS from 2014, and a member of the BoD from 2016. Besides being the current ISSS President, she is the Special Integration Group chair for Action Research.
ANZSYS Conversations
For more details of past and future ANZSYS Conversations go to www.anzsys.org
Videos
Videos of previous ANZSYS Conversations are available HERE.
Meeting link
The link for this meeting is: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86738609042?pwd=[REDACTED]

Asia Oceania Systems Engineering Conference (AOSEC) 2023
2023-10-11 - 2023-10-14 | Queensland
Asia Oceania Systems Engineering Conference (AOSEC) 2023 marks the 14th edition of the conference series (previously known as APCOSEC), and is planned to be held in Bangalore, India, on 11-14 October, 2023. The main events for the conference will be on 12th and 13th October, with special workshops on 11th and 14th October 2023.
The theme of the conference is “Digitisation for engineering Complex Systems”.
The call for papers is open until the 30th March, and paperless presentation till 15th April, please see the link to the event page to enter a submission, registration details or for more information.

System Integration - Simon MacMull
2023-09-13 17:30 - 18:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Queensland
System integration is the process of bringing together separate system elements to create a unified solution. While some industries that embrace systems engineering work well and intently understand the process, other industries struggle with the “right side of the V”, which is impacted early in the project through implementation from the left of the V. This presentation will provide insight into the challenges of integration, and how these challenges can be effectively managed delivering better systems outcomes.
Who: Simon MacMull, Technical Director Rail, Mott Macdonald
When: Wednesday 13th September at 17:30 – 18:30 AEST (30 minutes of presentation and 30 minutes or Q&A).
Where: WebEx and In person at EA Melbourne Office. Please contact victoria@sesa.org.au for all details to attend the event in person or online.
Bonus: Join SESA’s Victoria branch at a local venue after the event to continue the discussion!

Australasian Simulation Congress (ASC) 2023
2023-08-21 - 2023-08-24 | Queensland
Registration is now open! Visit the Simulation Congress website for details.
SESA has partnered with Simulation Australasia (SimAust) to deliver an integrated transdisciplinary conference/workshop event in the form of the Australasian Simulation Congress (ASC) 2023. With a theme of “Life between reality and simulation”, ASC 2023 will be held from the 21st to the 24th August at the Adelaide Convention Centre and will be immediately followed by the Defence Test and Evaluation (T&E) Conference on Friday the 25th of August.
SimAust are a like-minded association of professionals with a focus on modelling and simulation (M&S), something that is increasingly being recognised as a foundational part of the system life cycle. Partnering with SimAust at the ASC 2023 will mean access to a large contingent of diverse, relevant presentations and keynotes, and a larger scale event.
As this conference will be the major event for SESA in 2023, we will again (as in the past) partner with the southern cross chapter of the International Test & Evaluation Association (ITEA), with the event being part conference (SETE) and part workshop (ASEW). We have some great keynotes being lined up, so be assured that this event will be on a scale that SESA has not seen before (outside of IS events).
The program is out now! Please see the link here to view the latest program. We are thrilled to have the following keynote speakers:

Prof Dave Snowden (creator of the Cynefin Framework); and
AVM Robert Denney (Head Force Integration).

If you would like more information please visit http://www.simulationcongress.com or reach out to our SESA Technical Director – technical.director@sesa.org.au

SySTEAM 2023 Mini-Conference
2023-07-27 - 2023-07-28 | Queensland
SySTEAM has confirmed the dates for its first-ever mini-conference: July 27-28, 2023! This online event is intended to provide individuals from around the globe with the opportunity to convene, discuss, and exchange ideas relating to the intersection between systems STEM/STEAM education and systems thinking/systems engineering competencies. The mini-conference is free to attend/participate in and is open to the public, so please feel free to share the event info with anyone you know who might be interested. The registration link is: bit.ly/43aD71v.
Both days of the event will feature a mix of contributed talks/posters (showcasing SySTEAM-relevant projects, efforts, and ideas), and workshop-style discussion activities. SySTEAM is currently accepting abstracts for potential mini-conference presentations, as well as volunteers to help with peer reviewing submissions, through to May 15. Instructions on how to submit content for potential inclusion in the conference and/or on how to volunteer as a peer reviewer are included in our combined Call for Presentations, Call for Peer Reviewers, and Submission Guide document, which is available on the SySTEAM website below.
For additional details about the mini-conference, please see the INCOSE SySTEAM website (incose.org/systeam).
If you have any questions or run into any issues, please reach out to caitlyn.singam@incose.net or find Caitlyn on the SySTEAM community Discord.
Looking forward to seeing you at the mini-conference in July!

Systems Engineering tools - Alastair Young
2023-07-05 17:30 - 18:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Queensland
Join SESA Victoria Chapter where Alastair Young will discuss the use of specific tools in industry to support delivery of major projects. The presentation will begin with a general discussion of DOORS NG, and why it is currently the preferred tool within the rail industry. The presentation then will look at a number of different use cases, exploring how the tool has been applied to suit the particular needs of each of these projects.
When: Wednesday, 5th July 2023 5:30 PM- 6:30 PM
Where: Webex and in person at the EA office – please contact Victoria@sesa.org.au for details for virtual or in person attendance.

Name: Alastair Young
Position: Principal Systems Engineer – Wabtec
Short Bio: Alastair has over a decade of engineering experience across multiple industries. With degrees in both the humanities and engineering, he began his career in the defence industry before making the move to the transport industry. In the last 5 years, Alastair has been a part of two of the most significant infrastructure projects in Victoria, the Metro Tunnel Project (MTP) and Melbourne Airport Rail (MAR). Although there has been diversity in the industry and projects over his career, the constants have been the application of Systems Engineering principals and the use of specialised tools to support this work, specifically DOORS.

Writing Good Requirements – Nita Wiroonsup
2023-06-07 17:30 - 18:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Queensland
Join SESA Victoria Chapter where Nita will explore key aspects of formulating effective system requirements. Nita will discuss the sources that contribute to a project’s requirements and delve into the components of a well-crafted requirement. Nita will also discuss common mistakes and lessons learnt in requirement writing and management based on her experience on major projects. This presentation and subsequent discussion will provide a forum to share our collective experience and share good practise.
When: Wednesday, 7 June 2023 5:30 PM- 6:30 PM
Where: Webex – please contact comms@sesa.org.au for details
Delivered at Engineers Australia, Level 31, 600 Bourke St Melbourne Leadership Hub (due to limited space please RSVP to comms@sesa.org.au to attend in person).

Name: Nita Wiroonsup
Position: Technical Requirements Lead, RPV- MAR
Short bio: Nita has over 10 years of experience in multiple disciplines within the transport industry. Nita’s background in aerospace engineering was heavily technical focused. In the last six years, Nita has been working on rail projects within the engineering interface, project management, and recently engineering assurance space. Nita enjoys collaborating with different teams and stakeholders, while applying her ability to resolve complex engineering problems in order to achieve outcomes that drive the success of an infrastructure project. In the past two years, Nita has been leading the Melbourne Airport Rail Project’s activities in relation to developing and finalising project scope and technical requirements.

System Verification Discussion
2023-05-03 08:00 - 17:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Queensland
The SESA Victorian Chapter and Tom Castor, Arch’s Victorian Regional Director will be hosting a short discussion on System Verification. The discussion will consider the purpose of verification along with common practical considerations. It will be held online at 1730 on 3rd of May 2023 for about 30 minutes.
While this is being hosted by our Victoria Chapter, all members are welcome to attend.
Please contact Daniel Grivicic (daniel.grivicic@railcontrol.com.au) for further details and the webinar invite.

Applications of Systems Engineering in the Roads Domain
2022-12-12 17:30 - 19:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Queensland
Please join SESA’s NSW Transport Working Group at our end of year event.
The event will offer an opportunity for attendees to hear about applications of systems engineering in the roads domain, with project showcases from speakers with international and local experience.
Following presentations, attendees will have an opportunity to socialise with transport industry peers and meet our local TWG SESA Committee and the Transport Advisory Board.
Speakers:

“An MBSE approach to the design and engineering for the full electrical transition of the Marly Bus Depot and Maintenance Facility in Brussels”
Ewoud de Borst, Senior Consultant MBSE, Arcadis the Netherlands
As a consultant Ewoud advises in a professional, enthusiastic and enlightening manner about the sometimes abstract and complex processes and methods of Systems Engineering. In his work Ewoud aims to translate Systems Engineering into applicable methods and solutions, suitable for the use within projects.

“Applying Requirements Analysis & Systems Architecture Management on the A27 Highway Project”
Danny van Loon, Principal Consultant Systems Engineering, Overmorrow Consulting, Sydney
Danny has more than 20 years of experience applying advanced Systems Engineering techniques in the infrastructure sector (road, rail, bridges, Offshore, Energy infrastructure).

Systems Engineering Test and Evaluation (SETE) Conference 2022
2022-09-12 - 2022-09-14 | Queensland
The global pandemic has been a catalyst for disruption and change across many interconnected socio-technical systems. Expertise in the domains of systems engineering and test and evaluation is uniquely placed to have a broad and far-reaching impact on enabling and realising resilient systems across domains. Join us at the Systems Engineering Test and Evaluation (SETE) Conference from 12 – 14 September as we explore the theme, ‘enabling resilience through disruption.’ This year’s SETE Conference will be held in conjunction with the Australian Systems Engineering Workshop (ASEW) as a combined hybrid conference.
SETE is the premier conference for the Systems Engineering Society of Australia (SESA) and the Southern Cross Chapter of the International Test and Evaluation Association (ITEA). It is a forum for participants to extend networks, share current and future practice across domains, and learn from leading practitioners and academics.
Tutorial Day – 12 September

Systems 101 – An Introduction to Systems Thinking and Systems Engineering – Mr Jawahar Bhalla, Dr Andrew Madry
Engaging Non-Engineering Executives in Systems Engineering Using a Learning Framework – Dr Richard Hodge
The Beginner’s Guide to Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) – Mr Dan Spencer
Cyberworthiness Evaluation and Management Toolkit (CEMT): A model-based approach to cyberworthiness assessments – Mr Stuart Fowler
Machine Learning and Systems Thinking – Dr Andrew Madry, Mr Jawahar Bhalla
Design of Public Transport Systems Using Thread-based MBSE Techniques – Mr Mark Eggler, Dr Daniel Eggler
Lethal Autonomy and a human-centric view of complex military and safety critical systems – FLAWS vs Human CLAWS – Dr Malcolm Tutty
Designing a digitally enabled T&E program for a collaborative system of systems – Mr Tim Grabert, Mr Bernie O’Neill, Ms Jamie Smith, Mr Rob Starbuck

Site Visits

NASA: Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex
Monday 12 September, 13:30-17:15 AEST. Cost: $30.00. Includes bus pick-up and drop-off from the QT Canberra.
Advanced Instrumentation Testing Centre – ANU’s Space Simulation Facility at Mt Stromlo
Monday 12 September, 18:15-20:30 AEST. Cost: $30.00. Includes bus pick-up and drop-off from the QT Canberra.
Canberra Light Rail Depot
Wednesday 14 September, 13:00-15:35 AEST. Cost: $30.00. Canberra Light Rail ticket to be purchased by each participant.

Keynote speakers

Mr Christopher C. Collins
Director of Developmental Test, Evaluation, and Assessments
United States Department of Defense
Mr Christopher C. Collins is the Director of Developmental Test and Evaluation, and Assessments (DTE&A) within the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense (Research and Engineering). DTE&A provides support to DoD acquisition programs in the use of innovative and efficient DT&E strategies to ensure production readiness and fielded systems meet Warfighter/User needs; improve the Defense Acquisition T&E workforce “practice of the profession”; and advance T&E policy and guidance. DTE&A also conducts Independent Technical Review Assessments (ITRA) and Milestone Assessments for major acquisition programs.
Mr Collins was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in April 2020. Prior to his appointment, he was the COMNAVSEASYSCOM Deputy for Test and Evaluation. He has also served within various engineering and test leadership positions in the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Program within the Missile Defense Agency, and also completed a one-year experiential assignment with the U.S. Air Force on the Headquarters Staff.

Major General Kathryn Toohey AM CSC
Head Force Integration
Australian Department of Defence
In June 2019, Major General Kathryn Toohey was appointed Head Force Integration, within the Vice Chief of Defence Force Executive.
Major General Toohey joined the Australian Army in 1987, graduating from the Royal Military College – Duntroon in 1990. She served in the 7th Signals Regiment (Electronic Warfare), the 1st Brigade Headquarters and the Strategic Operations Division of Headquarters Northern Command. Her other appointments have included a posting as an instructor at the Royal Military College – Army and as the Aide-de-Camp to the Governor-General of Australia.
Major General Toohey holds an Executive Masters in Business Management, a Masters of Management in Defence Studies; a Graduate Diploma in Information Technology and a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering (Hons). She is also a graduate of the Australian Joint Command and Staff College. In 2017, she was made a Member of the Order of Australia for her service to the Australian Defence Force in the fields of capability development and education.

Enrico Palermo
Head of the Australian Space Agency

Enrico has led the Australian Space Agency since January 2021 from its headquarters in Adelaide. Since his commencement, Enrico has overseen a number of major milestones. Under his leadership the Agency has reached an agreement with NASA for an Australian designed, built and operated rover to be included in a future mission to the Moon. The first launch permit and launch facility license under the new Australian Space (Launches and Returns) Act have been issued, and there has been the first commercial launch attempt.

Andrew McNaughton FREng CEng FICE
Infrastructure Partner
Aczel
Andrew recently joined Aczel as a Partner. Aczel is a consultancy specialising in strategic change management and complex project delivery across multiple sectors.
From June 2016 Andrew served as Chief Operating Officer of the Systra Group, a French headquartered company with 7000 staff, globally, specialising in transport engineering and consultancy services. Andrew was previously Director of Engineering and Construction for Tidal Lagoon Swansea Bay Plc. Andrew has over 35 years’ experience of delivering major infrastructure in the UK and overseas. As both a project manager and an executive officer he has been responsible for the delivery of many of the country’s major infrastructure projects over that time.

Professor Emma Sparks
Dean and Rector
UNSW Canberra
Professor Emma Sparks is an experienced leader within education and Defence, having worked across the two sectors for over twenty years. Before joining UNSW Canberra, Emma was Professor of Systems Engineering Education at Cranfield University and Director, Programme and Portfolio Delivery. She is passionate about innovative educational practice underpinned by research, having led the development of Level 7 apprenticeships within Systems Engineering at Cranfield. Building on her Systems Engineering academic base where she specialises in Human Systems and enterprise architecture, she has a track record in strategic planning, managing change and building teams. She was awarded Top 50 Women in Engineering in the UK in 2018.

Jane MacMaster (keynote panellist) FIEAust CPEng EngExec NER MRAeS
Chief Engineer
Engineers Australia
As Chief Engineer, Jane McMaster leads Engineers Australia’s engagement and policy discussion with industry, government, academia and other stakeholders; and plays an important role in delivering the organisation’s strategic vision.
Ms MacMaster has worked as an aerospace, mechanical and systems design engineer in Australia and internationally, focusing on supersonic flight vehicle design, operations research and rapid prototyping in the defence sector. She has worked as a senior adviser within the strategy unit of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and as a management consultant in the financial services sector. Prior to joining Engineers Australia, she developed a generalised approach for complex problem solving, which she taught across all faculties at universities, and to staff from Commonwealth, and state and territory government departments. Ms MacMaster has a Masters in International Relations. She is a board member of the Australian Council of Professions and the Engineers Australia Accreditation Board.
Additional Speakers

Thomas Boxoen EngExec CPeng
Director, Systems Engineering
Transport for NSW
An Engineering Executive and Chartered Professional Engineer in Systems Engineering, Asset Management and Leadership & Management, Thomas has over 20 years’ international experience in various senior roles in large and complex public and private sector organisations in asset-intensive, technology-driven and mission-critical environments in Transport, Defence and Aerospace. Currently Director Systems Engineering at Transport for NSW, Thomas has practised and managed systems engineering across all phases of the lifecycle of multimodal infrastructure projects as well as highly complex systems, including submarines, aircrafts, rail digital systems and rollingstock.

Peter Munro
MTR Australia

Peter manages MTR Corporation’s Operations and Asset Engineering services for the international business in Australia, leading O&M offerings for new business, providing shareholder executive support for existing Australian operations and operator-focused leadership to the construction and integration teams. An executive with MTR’s subsidiary Metro Trains Melbourne before this, Peter was responsible for the infrastructure of Melbourne’s train network. He also led the Operations division, overseeing 3000+ train drivers, customer service, authorised officers, train control and planning team. Peter holds an MBA and an MSc in Railway Systems Engineering & Integration from the UK.

Grace Kennedy
Research Fellow Systems Engineering
University of Wollongong
Grace is a Systems Engineer with over 12 years’ experience in the infrastructure, rail, healthcare and Defence research sectors in Australia and the UK. Research Interests and Expertise: Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), Organisational Systems Engineering (how to model “soft”/human aspects within the context of enterprise systems). Enterprise modelling and architectures. Human Systems Integration. Systems Ergonomics. Human Reliability Assessment. Systems Resilience for Critical Infrastructure Systems.

Fiona Love
General Manager Workforce Development
Australian Railway Association
Fiona is an experienced senior leader with a proven record in strategic change management and educational leadership. She has extensive experience in designing and implementing capability development solutions. Fiona took an executive educational role with Transport for NSW in 2012 and worked over eight years to transform operational and engineering training in the rail industry. Over the last three years, Fiona has focused on building risk, digital and systems literacy in a wide range of roles across the rail industry. Fiona is now General Manager, Workforce Development with the Australasian Railway Association (ARA). She is an experienced rail simulation specialist and a passionate supporter of systems engineering. Fiona holds a Master of Arts Degree as well as Diplomas in Education and Training & Assessment.

Jawahar Bhalla
PhD Candidate / Principal Systems Engineer
JB Engineering Systems / Shoal Group
Jawahar is a passionate systems professional with over 30 years’ experience across multi-national organisations in technical and strategic leadership roles. He contributes to the advancement of systems thinking, systems engineering and M&A locally and globally. Jawahar has a BE in Aerospace Engineering and a BSc in Computer Science from UNSW, a Master’s in Systems Engineering from UNSW@ADFA, and is a current PhD candidate on an Australian Government Research Training Program scholarship, with industry partner Shoal Group at the University of Adelaide. He has published 24 papers and delivered numerous presentations, tutorials and workshops on systems concepts, systems engineering and M&S.

Rachel Horne
Assurance of Autonomy Lead / Director of Autonomy Accreditation
Trusted Autonomous Systems
Rachel is the Assurance of Autonomy Activity Lead at Trusted Autonomous Systems, where she leads two QLD Government-funded projects aimed at improving the assurance and accreditation journey for autonomous systems in the air, maritime and land domains. She implements innovative and impactful initiatives to address key regulatory barriers to the uptake of autonomous technology, supporting the autonomous systems ecosystem and the development of Australian sovereign capability. Rachel draws on her significant legal, regulatory and policy experience to deliver outcomes that are placing Australia on the world stage for regulatory initiatives supporting the use of autonomous systems.

Melanie Olsen
ReefWorks Project Director
Australian Institute of Marine Science
Melanie leads ReefWorks – Australia’s Tropical Marine Technology Test Range at the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS). She has 15 years’ experience in delivering new capability systems with AIMS and the Department of Defence. With a Master’s in Electronic Warfare Systems Engineering from UNSW and Computer Systems Engineering degree from JCU, Melanie has a strong background in autonomous systems, electronics and cyber-security. She has led the Australian engineering effort and represented multi-national teams during cutting-edge product design & development. Melanie’s interest is to integrate new technologies to deliver sovereign capability outcomes efficiently.

Clare East
Managing Director
East Consulting
Clare East is the Director of East Consulting Services. Clare is a lawyer by background with significant expertise in modern regulatory approaches, and has helped a range of different organisations respond to and harness the challenges and opportunities posed by rapid change. Clare has more than ten years in public policy and regulation, having started her career at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet before moving on to a number of private and public sector roles, including as Manager, Maritime Regulation at the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and Director, Regulatory Standards and Policy at the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator.

WGCDR Michael Gan
Deputy Director Artificial Intelligence – Air Force
Jericho Disruptive Innovation
Wing Commander Michael Gan commenced his role as Deputy-Director Artificial Intelligence at Air Force’s Jericho Disruptive Innovation in September 2018. His previous experience in air mobility operations – particularly in humanitarian aid and disaster relief – and in critical thinking and ethics in professional military education has strongly influenced his approach to the development of AI in the Royal Australian Air Force. His main focus had been on developing and exploring the AI foundations of education, ethics and assurance, while exploring Defence applications for computer vision and imagery analysis, natural language processing and AI/Data analytic decision support tools.

Application of Artificial Intelligence in Systems Engineering
2022-07-13 17:30 - 19:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Webinar
About the event
With the rise of emerging new technology, introduced complexity and risks have become increasingly difficult to manage for product developers and engineers alike. Many technologies and systems are still currently being developed on traditional engineering methods and outdated tools, leading to defects in the early requirements analysis and design development phases. Learn from our speakers on how modern approaches in AI can be leveraged to mitigate these risks and improve on the Systems Engineering process in relation to requirements engineering and analysis.
In this SESA National Speakers event, learn from two highly recognised industry experts known for their contribution in development of Systems Engineering in Rail and Defence industries, discussing the possibilities of applying Artificial Intelligence in the Systems Engineering lifecycle.
Join Steven Spencer and Nicolas Teulier, as they explore theoretical aspects and impacts of AI in Systems Engineering, the use case for AI in SE and examples of tool application.
This event is fully online and broadcasted nationally as part of our National Speakers Program of events.

About the speakers
Steven Spencer
Engineering Environment Manager, Thales Australia

Steven Spencer CPEng NER RPEQ. Steven is a chartered engineer with 15 years experience in the Healthcare, ITS, Rail and Defence industries working in roles across software engineering, systems engineering, management and coaching. Having recently returned from a secondment in Paris, in his current role he provides leadership in the ISO 9001 process, best practices, and the deployment and operations of tools used within Engineering.

Nicolas Teulier
Systems Engineering Manager, Acmena Group

Nicolas has over 15 years’ experience in requirements management and engineering process improvement in Australia and France.
He has worked as a requirements manager in fast-paced (mobile phone) and highly regulated (aerospace, transport, defence) industries, using his skills to define requirements management processes and implement systems engineering frameworks. Nicolas enjoys developing innovative solutions for managing complex projects from a systems engineering perspective – specifically tool customization for more efficient usage. He is expanding his area of expertise to global engineering lifecycle management tools, integrating various systems engineering processes and encouraging collaboration between engineers.

To register CLICK HERE.

Systems engineering, rail signalling and control systems
2022-04-21 17:00 - 18:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Queensland
Hear the perspectives from two industry recognised speakers, Vijay Kumar and Myles Gatherer, as they share their experience of systems engineering applied in the context of signalling and train control.
Vijay will describe how the application of systems engineering principles helps major projects be more predictable and better managed using three sample projects. Myles will discuss challenges and highlight opportunities that should be sought from the application of GoA4 train control systems from a Track Asset Manager’s perspective. A key learning is understanding the GoA4 interfaces with track and operational infrastructure.
Please join RTAA and SESA Transport Working Group (TWG) for this event to hear from some of the recognised leaders in the Transport Sector.
Speakers
Vijay Kumar
Associate Director Engineering, Sydney Metro
Vijay Kumar is a Fellow of Engineers Australia FIEAust, Fellow of IRSE (FIRSE), MIEEE, MINCOSE, APEC Engineer IntPE(Aus) and RPEQ with over 32 years of Railway engineering experience. He is a Chartered Engineer (UK) and Chartered Professional Engineer – CPEng (Engineers Australia) and holds NER registration with Engineers Australia.
Myles Gatherer
Asset Manager – Track and Civil Structures, Metro Trains Sydney
Myles is a Chartered Engineer with the Institution of Civil Engineers. He is the Track and Civils Asset Manager for Metro Trains Sydney; the O&M contractor for the first driverless passenger railway in Australia. His domain is Track and Civil Structures in the context of Asset Management. He has worked for Mott MacDonald, Network Rail, Keolis Amey Docklands, Arup and Balfour Beatty over a 13-year career in Australia and the UK.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Lessons learned Integrating Systems Engineering and Project Management on Transport Projects
2021-12-16 17:30 - 19:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Queensland
Systems Engineering and Project Management share a number of significant overlaps and principles, which when working together properly, ensure project success. However, as complexity grows in technology, systems and infrastructure, there is an increased pressure to manage this complexity between the two growing disciplines – the lines between Project Management and Systems Engineering responsibilities often become blurred, leading to unproductive tension and challenges.
Please join SESA for our end-of-year event to hear from some of the recognised leaders in the Transport Sector, to share their expertise and visions on lessons learnt from successful projects in the integration of systems engineering and project management. The event will be followed by social networking with SESA and the speakers.
Refreshments and Food will be provided.
Please note this event will not be available virtually – only in person at the venue.
Follow this link for more details and to register.

Speakers
Oliver Fried BEng (Hons), CEng, MIMechE, FIEAust, CPEng
TfNSW, Sydney Metro – Associate Executive Director – Engineering

Oliver Fried, Associate Executive Director – Engineering, leads Sydney Metro’s expert Engineering resources, contributing to product definition, project delivery and supporting the operating Sydney Metro Northwest line which opened in 2019. He has been with Sydney Metro for over 7 years, holding responsibilities for defining and meeting technical requirements and standards. Engineering authority, holder of our Authorised Engineering Organisation certification (AEO 13) and chair of the Network Assurance Committee (NAC).
Previously Oliver headed up the Waratah train fleet introduction in Sydney, and before that independently verified rail systems and operational readiness for the Taiwan High Speed Railway. In Hong Kong he was part of MTR’s construction leadership team for two new metro lines and led major rollingstock fleet replacement programs and their integration. Underpinned by a cadetship with London Underground and early career roles in rolling stock engineering, railway performance modelling, rail systems, operations, maintenance, and major renewal projects, Oliver has a unique understanding of Metros.
Oliver is a practical career tested Engineering leader with a passion for client supplier collaboration, systems thinking, intelligent compliance, verification, and progressive assurance. Now with over 40 years of international experience, he is turning his attention to supporting the young Engineers who will deliver the Metros of the future.
Qualified with an Honours Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Oliver is a Chartered Engineer and Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. He is a Fellow of Engineers Australia, a Certified Professional Engineer and an Engineering Executive.

Thijs Van Steen
TfNSW – Project Director – Digital Systems Program

Thijs van Steen is the Project Director for the Digital Systems Program, that will replace current signalling and train control technology with modern, internationally proven, intelligent systems. It will help improve reliability, increase capacity and enhance customer experience on Sydney’s railways.
Thijs moved to Australia in 2018, after commissioning, Thijs the €3.1 Bn North-South line Metro Project in Amsterdam. Thijs worked on that megaproject for 10 years and was responsible for systems integration in the last 4 years. In that period, he experienced first-hand the importance of making systems engineering and systems integration central to the management of large and complex projects.

Derek Frend, Network Rail Consulting
Director, Systems Integration – Digital Systems Program

Derek Frend is the Business Sector Director for Systems Integration for Network Rail Australia and is also the Project Director for the Systems Integrator for the Digital Systems Program. Derek has been part of the Digital Systems program full time since August 2019 and was previously involved on the original Business Case between 2013 and 2014.
Derek has been involved in many mega projects since moving to Australia in 2009 including: the South West Rail Link; Digital Systems Program; Sydney Metro Northwest; and Sydney Metro City and Southwest Programs. Derek is a Chartered Professional Systems Engineer who champions the System of Systems thinking and is an advocate of contemporary Systems Integration methodologies for large complex disaggregated programs.

Nicholas Facchina
TfNSW – Senior Systems Engineer, Faster Rail Project

Nicholas is a graduate of the Australian National University with degrees in Engineering with Honours (Manufacturing & Management Systems) and Science (Computer Science).
He has worked in the NSW government rail industry for that last 13 years. His current role is Senior Systems Engineer at Transport for NSW, where he has been working on the Faster Rail Project for 3 years.
Prior to this he worked for Sydney Trains as System Requirements Manager for the Rail Operations Centre Program and RailCorp as a Performance Improvement Engineer.

Australian Systems Engineering Workshop (ASEW) 2021
2021-10-25 08:00 - 2021-10-28 20:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Virtual Event
The Systems Engineering Society of Australia (SESA) is proud to host the Australian Systems Engineering Workshop (ASEW).
ASEW 2021 is a collection of tutorials, systems roundtables, workshops, and discussion forums, architected to catalyze the sharing of systems concepts, personal insights, challenges, and lessons learned across domains and disciplines. This is not an event of papers and presentations, but an opportunity to work alongside and network with fellow systems practitioners at all levels, to share insights and systems concepts, make connections, and to identify opportunities to contribute and make a positive difference to society.
ASEW 2021 will be delivered as a virtual event, sessions are spread throughout the day with virtual cafes’ running all day to allow impromptu or planned networking.

Morning – Systems round-tables structured to enable non-judgmental, safe sharing and active listening of personal systems insights on a specific theme
Mid-Day – Workshops on key SESA/INCOSE initiatives and engagement with adjacent/emerging domains towards a better world through systems approaches
Evening – Discussion Forums to share insights, experiences and concepts to understand current challenges/aspirations and help shape future endeavors

This event suited to professionals at all levels and all disciplines. Whether you are a recent graduate, a young professional in ICT, involved in cyber-physical systems, a seasoned engineer in transport, a manager on a major defence capability, or a director driving policy change for renewables, come along and join the conversations on the universal applicability and power of systems concepts in the engineering of safe and secure systems for a better world .
The plan for the workshop is provided below.
The event costs are as follows:

A$50 registration fee for EA Members, SESA Members, INCOSE Members
A$70 registration fee for all others

We look forward to your involvement in this workshop, to find out more about the program or to register please click HERE.

UNISA Systems Engineering Talk Series - Enhancing Enterprise Architecture with Resilience Perspective
2021-08-18 17:30 - 18:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Virtual Event
This event is based in South Australia and organised by the University of South Australia, it will be available to SESA members across the country online.

Join us with LCDR Jnitova who will present on enhancing enterprise architecture with resilience perspective.
The research literature has found current Enterprise Architecture (EA) methods are limited in dealing with uncertainty and pathologies of complex systems to enable design and operation of a resilient enterprise. To some extent, EAs’ approaches persist in applying textbook plans and activities in the face of mounting evidence of changing circumstances and the challenges of uncertainty. They rely on a qualitative shift in assessment, priorities, or response strategy, that often lead to a ‘failure to adapt adequately.’ To address this gap in EA resilience representation, we have combined several prior research proposals to produce a wholistic Department of Defence Architecture Framework (DoDAF) resilience architecture and enhanced that with our original underpinning resilience framework. Despite still being in an ongoing major case study, our comprehensive resilience representation shows promise of assisting all enterprise stakeholders with adapting this representation to their capability systems. Doing so will better incorporate resilience considerations in capability systems’ design and likely help capability stakeholders to evolve capability systems with appropriate levels of resilience throughout their life cycle.
LCDR Jnitova is a PhD student in the School of Engineering and Information Technology, University of New South Wales, in Canberra, with her research project focused on organisational resilience. Her current role as the OIC Training Support and Governance provides an ample opportunity to support the study. In 2016 LCDR Jnitova has completed with excellence a Master of Systems Engineering at UNSW@ADFA. She also graduated from the UNSW@ADFA with a Master of Business; from the UTS with a Graduate Diploma in Education; and from the Byelorussian State University with a Bachelor of Chemistry and Biology. She has authored and co-authored a number of journal articles and conference papers in organisational and workforce planning and management contexts.
Details to join are provided below:

When: Wednesday 18 August 5:30 pm AEST
Topic: UNISA Systems Engineering Talk Series
Time: Aug 18, 2021 05:00 PM Adelaide
Join from a PC, Mac, iOS or Android: https://unisa.zoom.us/j/86519109748?pwd=[REDACTED]
Password: [REDACTED]

Or iPhone one-tap (Australia Toll): +61280152088,86519109748#

Or Telephone:
Dial: +61 2 8015 2088
Meeting ID: 865 1910 9748
International numbers available: https://unisa.zoom.us/u/kbUflAQ7mZ

Or a H.323/SIP room system:
Dial: 86519109748@zoom.aarnet.edu.au
or SIP:86519109748@zmau.us
or 103.122.166.55 (Australia)
Meeting ID: 86519109748
H323/SIP Password: [REDACTED]

Or Skype for Business (Lync):
SIP:86519109748.899351@lync.zoom.us

FREE - Joint Event with the IRSE - Operational Concept Development, A Simple Case Study
2021-08-03 16:30 - 19:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Webinar
This free workshop will run through the development of an Operational Concept Development (OCD ) for a level crossing linking ISO15288 and system engineering methods.
This workshop will be held in the WSP office, 900 Ann St, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane and will also be broadcast live as a webinar.
All attendees, including those participating remotely, will be invited to contribute to the interactive element of the workshop to identify needs and requirements.
The key outcomes from this workshop are to provide participants with a better understanding of the purpose of the OCD, to work through a methodology to achieve this, and to provide an overview of SE techniques linking to ISO15288, MBSE tools and SySML drawings.

The speakers:

Greg Paulsen CPEng NER RPEQ
Greg has 30 years’ experience in the telecommunications sector in executive, management and design roles with Telstra and Alcatel-Lucent. Most recently he has been responsible for a number of complex system integration projects in the Electricity, Oil & Gas, Rail and Marine sectors. He has recently completed a Masters in Engineering Science in the field of System Engineering. He has used the techniques that we will go through today in preparing the Operational Concepts for complex rail tunnels and rail signalling systems via the use of Model Based System Engineering tools.

Steven Spencer CPEng NER RPEQ
Steven is a chartered engineer with 15 years’ experience in the Healthcare, ITS, Rail and defence industries working in roles across software engineering, systems engineering, management and coaching. Steven has applied Model Based Systems Engineering techniques in projects for Transportation and Defence and provides coaching within his organisation on the application and use of MBSE techniques. Having recently returned from a secondment in Paris, in his current role he provides leadership in the ISO 9001 process, best practices and the deployment and operations of tools used within Engineering.
