1. Infrastructure Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology

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Department of Infrastructure Engineering

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About the department

The Department of Infrastructure Engineering sits within the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology and houses the disciplines of Geomatics, Civil Engineering and Environmental Hydrology and Water Resources.

Our focus is on engineering infrastructure that’s sustainable. Infrastructure that considers the natural environment it supports, as well as the economy.

You’ll see this in our research and in the design of our courses, with undergraduate pathways in the Bachelor of Design and the Bachelor of Science right through to our flagship Master of Engineering programs.

An integrated future …

In combining these disciplines, our vision reflects industry practice.

To this end, we’re not just equipping you for a career in engineering. Our aim is to share knowledge, build capability and manage information to solve complex engineering challenges and develop future leaders in the community.

  • Annual reports

    Our department annual reports from 2011 onwards.

  • Alumni

    How alumni can get continue as part of our community and a list of our recent research student alumni.

  • Surveying and geomatic engineering collection

    Our historical geomatics collection includes examples of types of instrument used for astronomical, angular and distance measurement, together with instruments for the computation, plotting and presentation of the survey data.


Infrastructure Engineering Strategy 2019–2020: OHS Objectives

The Department of Infrastructure Engineering is fully committed to establishing a safer workplace that protects all staff and students by eliminating, or better managing, health and safety hazards.

We, the Senior Executives, are fully committed to the provision of appropriate support for training in order to assist all staff and students to fulfill their responsibilities and maintain a safe working environment. Through consultation and cooperation with the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology OHS team, we create a systematic approach to managing health and safety risks across our labs and our wider department environment, in which staff, students and contractors can observe OHS rules and safe working practices and make every effort to reduce the risk of injury to themselves, their fellow colleagues, students, and others.

Head of Department and Infrastructure Engineering Senior Executive

Research

Our researchers contribute to the creation of sustainable infrastructure, delivering valuable benefits to the community, economy and environment.

  • Geomatics

    Spatial information underpins the digital transformation of society. Geomatics studies the production, management, analysis and communication of spatial information. This includes disaster management, land administration, measurement science and 3D modelling, smart cities, smart buildings, and smart mobility, spatial data infrastructure, spatial data infrastructure.

  • Environmental hydrology and water resources

    We focus on the broad topics of: hydrological processes; ecohydraulics; and environmental sensing and modelling.

Civil engineering streams

Civil and Structural Engineering (including Building and Construction) is the centre of growth in the Department, and it already plays a vital role in research and in teaching. This discipline brings together the strategic research themes listed. This encompasses research, engineering, and field application activities that also include commercial and industry-funded activities.

A key theme is computer simulation-guided engineering of engineered and natural complex systems with the aim to understand cause and effect chains that control their emergent behaviour. What-If? scenario analysis and experimental design studies are used to detect unwanted side effects of engineering measures prior to implementation. This is supported by high-performance computing and software engineering efforts aimed at creating technology and capabilities for the multi-stakeholder engagement that current civil engineering projects nowadays demand.

  • Engineering management

  • Geotechnical engineering

  • Ocean engineering*

  • Structural engineering

  • Transport

* Photo credit: Winter Storm by Tony Armstrong-Sly, CC BY-NC 2.0

Research projects   Equipment platform

Industry collaboration and engagement

We collaborate with a wide variety of industry partners, including governments and commercial businesses. We explore fundamental research as well as creating solutions for specific problems.

View a showcase of projects carried out in collaboration with industry partners and which demonstrate our research capabilities:
Industry collaboration projects

Industry engagement in teaching

We recognise the value of a curriculum guided by industry. We invite industry members to contribute to the ongoing refinement of our curriculum.

  • Host a student intern

    Host a Masters student within your organisation through our internship programs.

  • Student industry projects

    Engage our students to work on a technical project of relevance to your organisation. These projects are undertaken by Masters students on campus.

  • Industry Advisory Group

    Our advisory group provides valuable insights on our strategic planning, teaching, and research programs, to ensure they are relevant to industry needs.

Study

  • Undergraduate

    We offer majors in all our disciplines via the Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Design.

  • Graduate coursework

    We offer a range of masters degrees.

  • Graduate research

    Our graduate research programs — the MPhil and the PhD — are built on world-leading projects and are led by staff with international recognition for their multi-disciplinary research contributions. There is a vast array of research projects underway at Melbourne, working to solve big issues for industry, business, government and society.

  • Internships

    A unique opportunity to practise technical skills in a real-life work environment, supported by a dedicated workplace and an academic supervisor. Gain practical experience to enhance your employment prospects and networking opportunities.

  • Sustainability

    We are committed to achieving the University’s Sustainability Plan to address environmental sustainability and its inherent social impact across all our activities. Our first objective is to incorporate the Sustainable Development Goals into our subjects.

Leadership

  • Prof Andrew Western

    Head of Department

  • Assoc Prof Guillermo Narsilio

    Deputy Head (Research)

  • Prof Stephan Winter

    Deputy Head (Academic)

  • Eileen Doufas-Shea

    Executive Assistant to Head

  • Ana Bamborough

    Department Administrator

Discipline leaders

  • Prof Michael Stewardson

    Discipline Leader, Environmental Hydrology & Water Resources

  • Prof Abbas Rajabifard

    Discipline Leader, Geomatics

Civil engineering stream leaders

  • https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/profile/14463-nelson-lam
    Prof Nelson Lam

    Structural Engineering

  • Assoc Prof Mahdi Miri Disfani

    Geotechnical Engineering

  • Prof Ian Young

    Ocean Engineering

  • Prof Colin Duffield

    Engineering Management

  • Prof Majid Sarvi

    Transport

All staff and research student listing

News and events

  • How mapping has evolved: digital, dynamic and high definition

    University of Melbourne alumnus Ali Aien is helping to design a new order of mapping addressing some of the shortfalls of traditional two-dimensional maps.

    12 Jan 2021 Infrastructure
  • Breaking glass and breaking traditions: Innovation in the construction industry

    Can recycled glass replace some of the essential elements of concrete, making it more sustainable?

    30 Jun 2020 Future infrastructure
  • A paradigm shift in flood risk assessments

    Associate Professor Rory Nathan explains his work in assessing the risk of sewage spills for Melbourne's sewerage system.

    25 Jun 2020 Water security
  • Wastewater surveillance to provide early warning of COVID-19 outbreaks

    Victoria is launching a monitoring system to track the movement of COVID-19 in the state’s population by identifying the presence of the coronavirus in the sewerage system.

    20 May 2020 Water security
  • Climate-proofing the urban water supply

    University of Melbourne researchers have joined an international collaboration with Indian institutions to protect diminishing clean water supplies by harnessing new water sources that are currently only partially, or not at all, tapped.

    01 May 2020 News
  • Momentum grows for diversified water supplies

    As the global population continually grows and a changing climate brings highly variable rainfall, pressure is building – both locally and internationally – to secure more reliable water supplies.

    22 Apr 2020 Event
  • Monitoring crop growth from the skies above

    Aerial hyperspectral imaging and modelling techniques are being developed to help growers better evaluate stress on their crops.

    15 Apr 2020 News
  • New strategies lift women’s role in solving water challenges

    In many developing countries, improving access to water can be life-changing, particularly for women.

    24 Mar 2020 News

More news

  • Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
  • Engineering and IT Students
  • Staff only:FEIT Intranet

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Infrastructure engineering

  • About us
    • About us
    • Alumni
    • Annual reports
    • Geomatics collections
  • Industry
    • Our capabilities
    • Internships
    • Student industry projects
    • Industry Advisory Group
  • Research
    • Civil engineering
    • Geomatics
    • Environmental hydrology and water resources
    • Equipment platform
    • Projects
  • Study
    • Undergraduate
    • Graduate
    • Research
    • Internships
  • People