Participants Forum – May 2018

The latest Participants Forum was held in Sydney on Wednesday 9 May, 2018. There were thirty attendees on the day, with representation from industry groups Austrade, Central Japanese Railway Company, Downer Rail, Knorr-Bremse and SNC-Lavalin, joined by research representatives from CQ University, CSIRO, Deakin University, RMIT University, University of Technology Sydney, University of Queensland and University of Wollongong.

The session began with an intensive 90-minute speed networking session, which was followed by Stuart Thomson and Larry Jordan providing an update on the Centre’s activities, funding opportunities and specific projects underway. Three of the Centre’s PhD students were asked to deliver 5-minute PhD pitches about their research topics, and then the forum concluded with an insightful and transparent look into Sydney Trains’ future technology challenges and opportunities, delivered by General Manager Tony Eid.

Feedback was collected at the conclusion of the event with participants expressing high praise for all of the sessions however considerable enthusiasm was expressed for the speed networking and Sydney Trains overview sessions. The next Participants Forum is scheduled to be held in Melbourne in October 2018.