Tom Connor AO
Engineers Australia - Queensland Division Past President 1992
Connor, Tom,
HonFIEAust FTSE CPEng NPER RPEQ
EDUCATION and Awards
BE (Civil Engineering) - University of Queensland 1969
MEngSc - University of Queensland 1970
PhD - University of Queensland 1974
• Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) as an industry leader in water management and the development of flood mitigation techniques – 1999
• Australian Centenary of Federation Medal – 2003
• Peter Nicol Russell Medal – 2000
• Queensland Engineer of the Year – 1999
• ACEA President’s Prize - 2004
CAREER
Tom was born and schooled in Rockhampton before studying engineering in Brisbane. He then (1974-77) worked in the UK for Atkins R&D, mainly in North Sea offshore endeavours, before returning to Brisbane in 1977 and joining Cameron McNamara. He continued to work for the same firm, under various names and ownership, until 2016. For KBR, the eventual parent company, he undertook various roles in their Infrastructure Division including a global Chief Engineer role and Vice President Technology.
Presidents Highlights 1992
In recalling the period for EA in the early 1990s, Tom suggests the following summary:
Members prime complaint had been the lack of public awareness of engineers and engineering. It became a prime driver of his time as State and National President. Although uncomfortable speaking out in media on topics sometimes less familiar, he felt it necessary. Major statements in the media on gun laws following the Port Arthur tragedy, taking a motion to the World Federation condemning French nuclear testing in the Pacific yet taking issues of the lack of road funding in western Queensland became important. Tom introduced Faxpolls as a means to quickly obtain views on topical issues from members and industry leaders so that he could take these views to the media and the public.
Climate change issues were just emerging and Tom became involved early, writing a paper in 1988 on sea level implications. EA took a lead role in debate and exposure of climate change issues and Tom himself continued to publish on approaches to adaptation. Reflecting on these two issues of the public awareness of engineering; and climate change: it is remarkable how things have changed since the early 1990s.
Other recollections of the time include:
• Initiating a project by EA Queensland to develop a Soil Conservation Manual, a valuable tool still today
• Preparing a position paper and moving to set up a Structural College separate from Civil
• Developing and implementing Formula Funding for Divisions of EA
• Developing a position paper for the important role of Technical Societies in EA
This summary is from a short document which he titled “Reflections on Activities, Initiatives and Outcomes from Presidential Times (circa 1992-1996)”. In terms of further detail, he states he has been fortunate to be subject to an extended interview for a podcast series in the water industry which is referenced in that document. He hopes that by recording these matters, they may be useful or of interest for others in due course.
Within Engineers Australia, Tom became Queensland President in 1992 and National President in 1996. Prior to that, he had been a member and Chairman of the Water Panel in Queensland. In national roles, he was also Chair of the National Task Force on Sustainable Development (1994-2000), a representative on the Global Climate Observation Group (1994-98), a member of a Prime Minister’s committee for a paper on climate change implications, Chaired an Academy committee for a project on Water Reuse in Australia and on a similar committee for a publication on Water and the Australian Economy. He was also Chair of the Australian Council of Building Design Professionals (1997-98).
References:
Biography supplied by Tom Connor 2024
Being a President in the 1990s (tba)
