Former WFEO President Dr Marlene Kanga, was recently awarded with the Engineers Australia Peter Nicol Rusell Medal, the highest individual award of the institution. Previous award winners are the most prominent engineers in Australia including Dr John Bradfield (Sydney Harbour Bridge) and Sir John Monash (Monash University).
Former WFEO President Dr Marlene Kanga receiving the Peter Nicol Russell Medal from Engineers Australia National President Mr Raj Aseervatham and CEO Ms Romilly Madew, 29 May 2025
Dr Kanga has recently received several honours and awards, including election to the Australian Academy of Science (22 May 2025) and an Honorary Doctor of Engineering degree by the University of NSW (24 March 2025).
Dr Marlene Kanga, a chemical engineer, has held key leadership positions, including National President of Engineers Australia (2013) and President of the World Federation of Engineering Organisations (2017-2019). She has been a non-executive director and board member of large organisations in utilities transport and innovation. Among her numerous prestigious honours, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2022 for her “distinguished service to engineering, particularly as a global leader and role model to women”.
Former President Dr Marlene Kanga receives an Honorary Doctorate in Engineering from the University of New South Wales (UNSW), 24 March 2025
Marlene’s contributions to engineering are extensive and impactful. As President of the World Federation of Engineering Organisations, she led the proposal for UNESCO to declare March 4th as World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development, raising global awareness of the critical role engineering plays in addressing sustainable development challenges, which reached over 70 million people globally in 2024.
Her pioneering work in safety and risk management has led to improved engineering standards, enhancing public safety and industry reliability. She has been involved in the process safety engineering industry in Australia and New Zealand for over 30 years, contributing to the development of Land Use Safety Criteria for hazardous industries, adopted in regulations across both countries. She currently Chairs the Institution of Chemical Engineers (UK) Safety Centre, with 100 corporate, research and university members globally.
Marlene has been instrumental in revising the engineering education benchmarks to include the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, ensuring that future engineers are equipped to meet global challenges ethically and sustainably. She has published extensively on improving organisational culture, diversity, and leadership in engineering. She is Co-Chair of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) Elevate Program, to increase the participation of women in STEM.
Marlene is recognised among the 100 engineers making a contribution to Australia in the last 100 years and one of the Top 10 women engineers in Australia.
For more information:
Citation for the Peter Nicol Russell Award
AUG
2025