CIES Scientia Professor Mark Bradford wins a NSW Premier's Prize for Science & Engineering

Warm congratulations to CIES Scientia Professor Mark Bradford who has been awarded the "Excellence in Engineering & Information and Communications Technology" category prize in the 2015 NSW Premier's Prizes for Science & Engineering  - announced at a special ceremony at Government House  on 7 October.

The NSW Premier's nine Prizes for Science & Engineering seek to recognise excellence in science and engineering, and reward leading researchers for cutting-edge work that has generated economic, environmental, health, social or technological benefits for New South Wales.

Mark Bradford is an Australian Laureate Fellow, Professor of Civil Engineering and a Scientia Professor at UNSW Australia. He is the founding Director of UNSW’s Centre for Infrastructure Engineering and Safety, (CIES) and is currently its Director of Research.

Mark has been proactive in embedding university research into industry practice, especially through design standards and textbooks. Having built a team of critical mass through his Federation and Laureate Fellowships in the areas of steel and steel-concrete structural engineering, Mark has been concentrating in recent times on progressing these disciplines into the broader paradigms of sustainable and low-carbon full-life cycle structural engineering practice, which is a challenge of immense significance in the construction sector.

Specifically, Mark has been researching an innovative deconstructable steel-concrete composite frame system to minimise wasteful and environmentally intrusive demolition at the end of the structural life of a building, and to maximise the reuse and recyclability of the building’s structural elements.

Amongst many awards, Mark was bestowed Distinguished Membership of the American Society of Civil Engineers in 2013, being the second only Australian so honoured in the 164 year history of the Society. Also in 2013, he was Engineers Australia’s Eminent Speaker, presenting the concepts of deconstruction and recyclability in construction at venues around Australia.

The NSW Premier's Prizes reflect the State Government's strong commitment to the local research and development community. The Prizes also aims to raise community awareness and appreciation of the important contribution scientists and engineers make to our daily lives, and encourage careers in both fields.