5000 delegates to gather in Melbourne for Convention 2014

Around 5000 delegates will gather in Melbourne later this year for the largest engineering event ever held in the Southern Hemisphere.

Convention 2014 (24-28 November 2014), organised by Engineers Australia, will see leaders of the engineering and science world meet to discuss energy generation, transport and infrastructure, innovation and sustainability, the future of Australia’s manufacturing sector, climate change and many other issues.

Keynote speakers will include Nobel Prize winner Rajendra K Pachauri, retired astronauts Andrew Thomas and Chris Hadfield, and International Space Station engineer Andrea Boyd.

In a session moderated by former journalist and 2013 Australian of the Year Ita Buttrose, keynote speakers John Howard (former prime minister) and Tim Fischer (former deputy prime minister) will discuss how the past has engineered our future.

“Delegates attending Convention 2014 will hear from the world’s leading thinkers in science, technology, engineering and math. People who are at the top of their profession, inspiring and challenging the way we live, work and interact,” said Engineers Australia CEO Stephen Durkin.

The convention will consist of six conferences covering climate change, applied mechanics, defence, complex projects, telecommunications and leadership, plus there will be a range of technical conferences and seminars, more than a dozen workshops, symposiums and forums, and site tours.

“Convention 2014 will be the most comprehensive event ever held for Australian engineers and it’s the first time that all disciplines of engineering will come together under the one roof,” said Durkin.

Convention 2014 will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 24-28 November 2014. Registration packages and prices can be viewed at www.convention2014.org.au. Discounts are available to Engineers Australia members.

Image: Former astronaut Andrew Thomas will speak at Convention 2014 in Melbourne in November. Courtesy NASA.