Tell us about RoadVac. What has been your driving force behind this project?
Dust pollution is something I’ve always been aware of. After growing up on a farm you become pretty conscious of it when it affects your drinking water, or the washing on the line. Working in forestry, I then noticed it again, with the heavy logging trucks kicking up a bit of dust.
Looking into it, other alternatives for battling dust pollution seemed expensive and costly to the environment. Having already worked in engineering, this provided a good base for completing my Masters and UC’s Summer Start-Up programme. These programmes helped provide a different framework for thinking, looking at innovation that was both design and people centric – leading to the creation of RoadVac!
What’s next for RoadVac? Where do you hope to see it go in future?
We are currently in the process of applying for funding and creating prototypes, hoping to be set-up for commercial use this coming summer. We also want to set-up long-term testing of air and water quality, as dust related illness (from dust particles hanging in the air) affects around 24 million people globally per year. We’ve also had some people asking us to help in their communities, so it’s nice to know that we can make a difference and validates the work we are doing.
You recently won the Social and Impact Award at the 2023 UC Summer Start-Up Competition. Were you expecting to take home this award?
My Masters thesis and final pitch for the Summer Start-Up competition were due on the same day, so my main goal was just to get through it all – I certainly wasn’t expecting to win!
What brought you to UC to study a Bachelor of Forestry Science?
A number of things! I’d heard Forestry was a well-versed degree, with a range of subjects such as stats and commerce, and helpful lecturers. The degree also offered outdoors experience, with options for being in the office or not. I already had some friends in the degree too, but the smaller class sizes really contributed to building a good culture and making other really good friends.
In fourth year, the degree provided a great opportunity to apply all skills and learnings in a practical setting, while also giving you a good level to jump straight into the workforce.
You recently completed your Masters study here at UC also. What advice would you give to an undergraduate thinking about further study?
The Masters of Engineering Management was a unique programme as it was only a year long. It allowed me to bring together the skills I had learnt from my degree, and the practical work I’d done from my time in the workforce. I’d definitely recommend getting some practical experience under your belt before going back for further study. It was good having life experience to draw on and allowed me to relate to situations better throughout the programme. I was also in the right mindset for learning again, as I’d had a break from my studies and wanted to get something out of the Masters to carry that skillset through into work.
Further study can be beneficial though, as it enhances your development of critical thinking and perspective, plus gives you a well-rounded skill set that you can then put to use.
What are some of your fondest memories of your time here at UC?
For my undergrad degree, it would definitely be the people I met – they’ve become life-long friends. The club culture (especially ForSoc) was also great at UC. It promotes people to get out, meet new people and socialize while trying new things.
With the Summer Start-Up programme, it was great to be working with heaps of people who were also driven and fizzing with ideas. Everyone was super helpful and nice. It also allowed me to take a step back, look at a situation and apply knowledge – offering a broad range of skillsets and higher level learning.
