The Victoria Local Network is led by local volunteers who come together to organise lectures and technical visits that provide opportunities to learn and meet new people. All events are open to the public and most are free of charge.
The Local Network aims to raise awareness of science, engineering and technology in the local area, and promote membership of the IET.
Visit the events page filtered by Victoria Local Network to find out about our upcoming events.
Contact us: Victoria-LN@ietvolunteer.org
Our committees:
Chairperson: Alex Jenkins
Vice-Chairperson: Aravinda Devadittiya
Secretary: Andy Fitzgerald
Treasurer: Candy Leung
Activity Organiser: Dr Soo Beng Khoh
YP committee member: Anais Ducray
Committee Member & IPRA: Jananthan Ratnasabapathi
Committee Member: Jonathan Brown
Committee Member / Australia Forum Chair: Dr Raj Ranasinghe
Committee Member/ Immediate Past Chair: Rob Scarbro
Committee Member: Michael Hewitt
IET Prestige Awards 2025 hosted by IET Australia Forum
The IET in Australia has three annual prestigious awards. They are:
- Sir Lionel Hooke Award, which is presented to an engineer who, by virtue of his or her degree of dedication, character and professional achievements, has made a significant contribution to the wider profession of electrical engineering. Please see more details about the award and the selection criteria in this link: Description of Sir Lionel Hooke Award
- Jack Finlay Award, which is presented to an engineer who, by virtue of their dedication, character and professional achievements, has made a significant contribution to manufacturing. Description of Jack Finlay Award
- James N Kirby Award, which is presented to someone who has achieved outstanding eminence, distinction and public recognition in any sphere of activity, not necessarily engineering. Candidates for the Award do not have to be engineers. Description of James N Kirby Award
IET Australia members are requested to propose candidates to receive these annual awards by COB 31/10/2025. Please review the criteria and submit your proposed candidate to your state committee where the candidate resides and your committee will work with you to review. After successful review they will then work with you for a formal nomination.
Please note candidates for the awards do not have to be members of the IET. However, proposers need to be IET members. And proposals are in confidence and not to be disclosed to the candidate at this time.
Email address of the state committees are below. The deadline for nominations are by mid night 31st October AEST.
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NSW |
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Queensland |
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SANT |
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Victoria |
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Kindly include following details in your submission:
Type of Prestige Award you are proposing the nominee for: Sir Lionel Hooke Award/Jack Finlay Award/James N Kirby Award
Nominee details: Name, contact details.
Proposers’ details: Name, contact details, including IET Membership number
Details that need to be in the nomination: A detailed formal nomination that addresses the awards selection criteria's. Also, an approximately 100-word summary about the nominee, summarising the recipient's achievements against the selection criteria of the award that they are being nominated for. This would be used for the citation for inclusion on the award certificate.
Best regards,
Dr Raj Ranasinghe
British Chartered Engineer PhD MBA MSc (Eng.) Prince2® MSP® PMP® CPPM
Chairperson – IET Australia Forum
Committee Member – IET Victoria Network
Jack Finlay Award:
James N Kirby Award:
Sir Lionel Hooke Award:
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Recent Updates:
Connecting with Future Engineers at Monash University
June & July 2026
The IET Victoria Local Network was delighted to engage with students, academics, and industry professionals at Monash University through a series of events held across June and July. Members of the committee attended three key activities, providing opportunities to promote engineering excellence, support student development, and strengthen connections within the engineering community.
Inspiring Future Engineers at the Careers Fair
Our first engagement was at the Monash University Careers Fair, where committee members met students from a wide range of engineering disciplines.
The event provided an excellent opportunity to introduce students to The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and discuss how professional engagement can support their academic journey and future careers. Through conversations with students, we highlighted the benefits of becoming part of a global engineering community, including networking opportunities, professional development resources, technical knowledge sharing, and pathways towards professional registration.
It was encouraging to see strong interest from students who were keen to learn more about the engineering profession and how involvement in professional institutions can help them build successful careers.
Recognising Excellence at Awards Night
The committee was also honoured to attend the university's Awards Night, celebrating outstanding student achievements.
As part of the evening, the IET presented an award to recognise excellence and dedication within the engineering student community. Supporting and acknowledging talented students remains an important part of the IET's commitment to inspiring the next generation of engineers and encouraging continued innovation and achievement.
Congratulations to all award recipients for their hard work and accomplishments.
Contributing Industry Perspectives at the Engineering Conference
The final event was an Engineering Conference, where an IET representative participated in a panel discussion alongside fellow industry professionals.
The panel explored topics relevant to emerging engineers, including career development, industry trends, professional skills, and opportunities within the engineering sector. The discussion enabled students to gain valuable insights from experienced practitioners and better understand the evolving challenges and opportunities facing the profession.
The interactive session generated thoughtful questions from attendees and highlighted the importance of collaboration between academia and industry in preparing future engineers for successful careers.
Strengthening Connections with the Engineering Community
These engagements at Monash University reflect the IET's ongoing commitment to supporting students and young professionals throughout their engineering journey. By participating in career-focused activities, recognising achievement, and contributing to industry discussions, the IET continues to champion engineering excellence and help develop the next generation of innovators and leaders.
We thank Monash University for the opportunity to participate in these events and look forward to future collaborations that inspire and support engineers of tomorrow.
Engineering a Better World.
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IET Victoria Chairman's Reception & Technical Talk
Date: 2 December 2025
What an educational evening closing out 2025 at the IET Victoria Chairman's Reception! We were privileged to host two engaging speakers that dove deep into Diversity and Decarbonisation in Rail.
A huge thank you to our expert speakers, Jane Gillespie and Chris Bowen from Downer, for sharing their cutting-edge insights.
Lessons Learned:
- Intentionality in Diversity: Achieving greater workforce representation, especially for women in management, requires intentional policies and leadership that move beyond just equality to truly equitable treatment.
- Decarbonisation is Imminent, but Complex: Approximately 90% of rail's Scope 1 and 2 emissions come from traction energy, with diesel powered rolling stock by far the biggest contributer. The path to decarbonisation involves balancing various low-carbon technologies against factors like fuel security, efficiency, infrastructure cost, and operational needs.
- The Market is Moving: The rail industry is actively pursuing low-carbon solutions globally, with Battery Electric Multiple Units the seemingly favoured method.
Celebrating Our Community
It was wonderful to see so many dedicated professionals in attendance, demonstrating the Victorian engineering community's commitment to a sustainable future.
On a special note, we want to give a massive shoutout to Peter Raven who attended, a valued member of the IET for 65 years!
As we wrap up 2025, thank you to everyone who has supported the IET Victoria Network this year. We wish you all a safe and happy holiday season and look forward to an innovative 2026!
Chairman’s Reception – How AI is being used to support the Energy Transition
Date: 21 November 2024
The IET Victoria Local Network organised the Chairperson’s Reception in Hotel Grand Chancellor Melbourne last night. It is an important part of our role to connect our members and promote healthy lives. Also, it's the opportunities to share in careers from young engineers and get together.
We'd like to thank you Alan Dormer, Group Managing Director at Opturion, provide the Tech Talk: How AI is being used to support the Energy Transition. He learnt the many forms of AI, AI for automation and decision support, how can AI increase productivity and the broader supply chain, success stories in traditional industries, the role of AI in the energy transition and problems, future development and potential.
Renewable Energy Generation at Melbourne Water hosted by IET Victoria Network
Date: 31 October 2024
Thank you for attending the recent IET event on Melbourne Waters journey to renewable energy. The committee would like to thank Ian Royston from Melbourne Water for volunteering his time and giving such an insightful and engaging presentation.
Relevance of the IET in Australia and its global appeal
Date: 29 August 2024
The Annual IET Victoria Young Professionals Event
Date: 3 December 2022
Chairpersons Reception
Date: 2 December 2022
Video:
Wilson Transformers Factory Site Tour
Date: 17 November 2022
Eastern Treatment Plant – IET Victoria Network site tour
Date: 20 October 2022
Engineering Professional Recognition – British Consulate presents on the Australia-United Kingdom Trade Agreements
Date: 16 June 2022
Venue: State Library of Victoria
Keynote Speaker:
Stephen Lysaght
British Consulate General Melbourne
