{"id":54,"date":"2017-01-15T16:45:30","date_gmt":"2017-01-15T16:45:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ieomsociety.org\/ieom2018\/?page_id=54"},"modified":"2026-04-18T22:57:50","modified_gmt":"2026-04-18T22:57:50","slug":"keynotes","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ieomsociety.org\/wollongong2026\/keynotes\/","title":{"rendered":"Keynotes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Keynote Speakers – IEOM 2026 Wollongong
\n<\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n
\n

Tuesday, November 24, 2026<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n

Welcome by Conference Chair: 11:00 \u2013 11:10 am<\/span>
\n<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Professor Dr. Matthew Pepper<\/strong><\/span>
\nDirector, Centre for Supply Chain Research<\/strong><\/span>
\nSchool of Business, Faculty of Business and Law
\n<\/strong>University of Wollongong NSW 2522 Australia<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Matt\u2019s PhD research centred on the design and application of continuous improvement frameworks in process industry supply chains. Recent research and consultancy activities focus on lean thinking, six sigma-based process improvement and supply chain design and optimisation. Matt has undertaken research and consultancy across a range of industry sectors, including the manufacturing and process industries as well as local government. Most recently his work has focused on the implementation of continuous improvement in service environments. Matt is a member of the Editorial Advisory Boards for the Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, the International Journal of Lean Six Sigma, International Journal of Information and Operations Management Education. He is also an Associate Editor for the Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management and the IIMK Society and Management Review Journal.<\/p>\n

\n

Opening Address: 11:10 \u2013 11:30 am<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Professor Trish Mundy<\/span><\/strong>
\nExecutive Dean<\/span><\/strong>
\nFaculty of Arts, Society and Business<\/span><\/strong>
\nUniversity of Wollongong, Australia\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n

Trish Mundy is a Professor of Law at the University of Wollongong (UOW). Trish has previously served in range of leadership capacities, including most recently as Chief Integrity Officer and Dean of Law at the UOW. Professor Mundy’s principal research interests include issues of gender justice and equality before the law, with particular focus on the advancement of women within the legal profession; legal ethics and professional responsibility; rural and regional legal practice and access to law and justice. With Professor Nan Seuffert, and in partnership with the Women Lawyers Association of New South Wales, she has undertaken research on best practices for the advancement of women in the legal profession. She has also undertaken (with Seuffert) an evaluation of the YWCA Domestic Violence Intervention Service in Nowra, and is currently engaged in an evaluation of Pop In Southern Highlands, a hub for women and children who are experiencing domestic and family violence. Prior to academia, Trish practiced for over 10 years within the not-for-profit community legal sector principally working in the areas of family law; domestic, family and sexual violence; and the provision of legal services in and to rural, regional and remote communities.<\/p>\n

\n

Keynote I: November<\/span><\/strong><\/span> 24, 2026, 11:30 \u2013 12:10 pm<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/strong>Ty Christopher
\nDirector, Energy Futures Network Australia &
\nGeneral Manager, Asset Management, Endeavour Energy
\n<\/span><\/strong>Australia<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n

Ty Christopher has 40 years\u2019 experience in the electricity supply industry. Ty has brought this experience to his role leading the Energy Futures Network at University of Wollongong.<\/p>\n

Ty Christopher, as the General Manager, Asset Management, Endeavour Energy, led the introduction of new technology into the electricity supply industry, including large scale battery storage, embedded generation, and digital asset management techniques. As Director Energy Futures Network, University of Wollongong, his focus has shifted to the coordination of education and research into the future of energy supply.\u00a0As Chair of the Energy Futures Network. Ty is leading and coordinating University of Wollongong\u2019s energy related activities, across the spectrum from external facing stakeholder engagement and relationship building including developing substantial external funding sources, through to strategic University-wide coordination, capability development and information management. With the declaration of an offshore wind zone in the Illawarra, Ty and his colleagues at the UoW Blue Energy Futures Lab have been designing independent research programs on the environmental aspects of offshore wind energy.<\/p>\n

\n

Keynote II:<\/span> November\u00a024, 2026<\/strong>, 12:10 \u2013 12:50 pm<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Dr Clayton McDowell
\nAssociate Director Sustainability<\/span><\/strong>
\nInfrastructure and Property Division<\/span><\/strong>
\nUniversity of Wollongong, Australia\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n

Clayton McDowell is the Associate Director Sustainability for the University of Wollongong where his team is responsible for managing energy, water, and biodiversity initiatives as UOW aims to become carbon neutral by 2030. Clayton previously worked as a Research Associate at the Sustainable Buildings Research Centre (SBRC) where he managed the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) funded Innovation Hub for Affordable Heating and Cooling (i-Hub) project. This project created living laboratories within education and aged care facilities and enabled industry partners to evaluate innovative technologies within a real world environment before taking their products to market.<\/p>\n

Clayton is a member of Engineers Australia and has previously worked in heavy manufacturing and research roles. He holds a PhD from the University of Wollongong where his research investigated energy consumption patterns and internal thermal environments of elderly low-income residential buildings across the Greater Illawarra NSW for the purpose of informing future energy efficiency policies and programs. Additionally, he holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering and Masters of Engineering Practice from the University of Wollongong.<\/p>\n

Clayton is passionate about sustainable buildings and construction methods with a particular interest in improving energy efficiency and thermal comfort through smart construction.<\/p>\n

\n

Wednesday, November<\/strong><\/span> 25, 2026<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n
\n

Keynote III,<\/span> Wednesday, November<\/strong><\/span> 25, 2026<\/strong>, 11:20 – 12:00 pm<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Professor Olivia Mirza<\/strong><\/span>
\nAssociate Dean, Engagement<\/strong><\/span>
\nSchool of Engineering, Design & Built Environment<\/strong><\/span>
\nWestern Sydney University
\nSydney, Australia<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Topic: Sustainability in Engineering Projects<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Professor Olivia Mirza was one of the sixteen Golden Jubilee Scholarship holder at University of New South Wales in 2000. She graduated in Honours Bachelor of Civil and Environmental in 2002. She worked as a structural engineer for 8 years before pursuing her academic career. She worked for Leighton Contractors (Student Engineer), Australia Consulting Engineers (Structural Engineer) and Cardno Group (Senior Engineer \u2013 International Projects). Professor Mirza is currently Professor and Associate Dean Engagement in School Engineering, Design and Built Environment. She is also Research Theme Champion at University level under Pro-Vice Chancellor Research, Enterprise and International. She is also the President for Engineers Australia, Sydney Division. Some of her outstanding projects she worked on was M7 motorway, One Shelley Street, King Street Wharf, Sydney where the external structural support system supported by diagrid for sustainable purposes. She was the lead structural engineer for the diagrid. The building was awarded a 6-star Green Star “World Leader” rating and the highest environmental building rating achievable in Australia. She is also leading the fire design in the Tower 5 of the New York World Trade Centre.<\/p>\n

She is distinguished in her forensic bridge rehabilitation. She was the lead design engineer for Sydney Harbour bridge where she proposed a resilient alternative by incorporating steel-concrete composite theory and capability of being precast and modular. This project also involved in retrofitting the new precast modular section onto the existing steel girder. Her passion for making changes to conventional engineering and fulfill Australia 2050 net zero pledge shows with the recent Parramatta light rail Stage 1 construction using Macro Synthetic Fibres Reinforced Concrete for slab track. It was Australia first (MSFRC) and longest green track.<\/p>\n

Professor Mirza is a strong advocate for encouraging more women into the engineering profession. Australia like most other countries in the world has a shortage of engineers and it is Olivia’s vision to increase the number of women engineers. In 2016 she set up a group called “WoW” Women of Wisdom for Western Sydney University. WoW is to help with the retention of female student in Construction and Engineering field. She managed to increase the female participation from 17% to 35%.<\/p>\n

\n

Keynote IV,<\/span> Wednesday, November<\/strong><\/span> 25, 2026<\/strong>, 12:00 \u2013 12:40 pm<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Professor Dr Sami Kara
\nSchool of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering
\nUniversity of New South Wales (UNSW)
\nSydney, New South Wales, Australia<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Topic: Decarbonisation and Sustainability of\u00a0<\/span>Manufacturing Industry towards Net-Zero<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Dr Kara is a professor of sustainable manufacturing and life cycle engineering at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney Australia (www.lceresearch.unsw.edu.au). He has a professional background of more than 30 years in industry, research, and tertiary education, including several engineering and management positions in manufacturing companies in Australia and around the world. His research interest is in developing technology solutions with a life cycle view by using circular economy strategies to decarbonize and reduce environmental impact of manufacturing industry while helping them create value. He has authored more than 300 peer reviewed scientific publications.<\/p>\n

He is regularly invited as a Subject Matter Expert to review Australian and international government proposals in decarbonization of the manufacturing industry and environmental sustainability. He also works as an advisor for various international organizations in providing strategic directions to decarbonize their organizations towards achieving their net-zero targets.<\/p>\n

Professor Kara is an elected fellow of the International Academy of Production Engineering (CIRP), Royal society of New South Wales, UNSW Scientia Education Academy, International Academy of Engineering and Technology (AET), and German National Academy of Science and Engineering (ACATECH).<\/p>\n

\n

Thursday, November 26, 2026<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n

Keynote V,<\/span> Thursday, November 26, 2026, 11:20 \u2013 12:00 pm<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Dr Arun Elias <\/span><\/strong>
\nActing Head, School of Management<\/span><\/strong>
\nVictoria University of Wellington, New Zealand<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n

Arun Elias is currently a senior academic in Operations and Supply Chain Management with the School of Management, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Arun has been associated with Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand since 1999. He was the Associate Dean (International and Accreditation), Acting Head of School, and Director of MBA and Post Experience programmes. His main research interest is in the area of systems thinking, system dynamics, and stakeholder management approach towards operations and supply chain management.<\/p>\n

Previously he was the Dean and Director of Rajagiri Business School, an AACSB and EFMD accredited business school in the South Indian state of Kerala. He also served as the Dean, College of Business, Hospitality and Tourism Studies, Fiji National University, Fiji. In the business schools accreditation space, he serves as an AASCB mentor, EFMD panel member, and AMBA panel member for business schools seeking international accreditation.<\/p>\n

\n

Keynote VI, Thursday, November 26, 2026, 12:00 \u2013 12:40 pm<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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