Chief Scientist & Engineer, Professor Mary O'Kane, has declared New South Wales a "state of engineering excellence" – with more than a third of the nation's 'most influential' innovators based here.
Peak engineering body, Engineers Australia, has released its 'Top 100' list of influential engineers for 2013.
The list is spread across 11 categories: academia/research; associations; community groups; contractor/service providers; consultants; innovation/expertise; manufacturing; politics; public service; utilities; and industry, which covers all other business sectors.
38% are currently working across a variety of sectors in NSW.
Professor O'Kane says it's further evidence NSW is a state of engineering excellence and has more than its share of successful innovators.
"To have so many talented and highly-skilled engineers working across such a vast array of sectors is a real boost for our state," Professor O'Kane said.
"Good engineering involves innovation and creativity, which are critical elements to increasing productivity and achieving long-term economic growth.
"With so many of this country's best and brightest engineers based right here, NSW really is a state of engineering excellence and is very well placed going forward," she said.
Professor O'Kane singled out Sydney-based electrical engineer Dr Simon Poole as just one of those on the list whose innovative work has reaped broad economic and social benefits.
"Simon and his colleague Dr Steven Frisken received this year's ATSE Clunies Ross Award in recognition of their breakthrough optical fibre technology that has shaped the internet worldwide," Professor O'Kane said.
"They've bridged the gap between research and the marketplace, and their revolutionary technologies have been sold to major telecommunications equipment manufacturers in Europe, the United States and Asia.
"In the past 12 years, Simon and Steven have grown their business from a seven-person operation to a team of nearly 300. They operate out of state-of-the-art facilities in inner-city Waterloo and have generated more than $200 million in exports," she said.
Meanwhile, 37% of those on the list were educated in NSW tertiary institutions, including the University of NSW (23), University of Sydney (7), University of Technology Sydney (3), University of Newcastle (2) and University of Wollongong (2).
They also specialise in a range of engineering disciplines: civil (34%); electrical (18%); mechanical (18%); chemical (13%); and other (17%).
"It demonstrates just how successful New South Wales universities have been at producing top-notch engineers, who have gone on to be among the very best in their particular field," Professor O'Kane said.
'Influential' engineers educated and/or based in New South Wales
Academia/Research
Graham Davies, Chemical physicist, University of Wales
Position: Chair Group of Eight Deans of Engineering, Sydney
Adi Paterson, Materials engineer, University of Cape Town
Position: CEO Australian Nuclear Science & Technology Organisation (ANSTO), Sydney
Judy Raper, Chemical engineer, University of NSW
Position: Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), University of Wollongong, Wollongong
Alex Zelinsky, Electrical engineer, University of Wollongong
Position: Chief Defence Scientist, Defence Science & Technology Organisation, Canberra
Peter Lee, Chemical engineer, Monash University
Position: Vice-Chancellor, Southern Cross University, Lismore
Hugh Durrant-Whyte, Nuclear engineer, University of London
Position: CEO, NICTA, Sydney
Andrew Vann, Civil engineer, Nottingham Trent University
Position: Vice-Chancellor, Charles Sturt University, Bathurst
Associations
Jamie Shelton, Structural engineer, University of NSW
Position: National President, Consult Australia, Sydney
Marlene Kanga, Civil engineer, Indian Institute of Technology
Position: President, Engineers Australia, Sydney
Community
Elizabeth Taylor, Civil engineer, University of NSW
Position: Chair, RedR International, Sydney
John Grill, Civil engineer, University of Sydney
Position: Chair, John Grill Centre for Project Leadership, Sydney
Bill Phippen, Civil engineer, University of Sydney
Position: President, TAD Disability Services (NSW), Sydney
Contractors/Services
Richard Leupen, Mechanical engineer, University of NSW
Position: Managing Director and CEO, UGL, Sydney
Dan Labbad, Civil engineer, University of Technology Sydney
Position: Group Chief Operating Officer, Lend Lease, Sydney
Guy Templeton, Electrical engineer, University of NSW
Position: President & Chief Operating Officer Asia/Australia-Pacific/Southern Africa, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Sydney
Michael Batchelor, Civil engineer, Monash University
Position: Chief Executive, Aecom, Sydney
Robert Care, Civil engineer, University of NSW
Position: Chair for UK, Middle East and Africa, Arup, London
John Douglas, Civil engineer, University of Adelaide
Position: Managing Director, Coffey International, Sydney
Santo Rizzuto, Electrical engineer, University of Sydney
Position: Chief Executive, SKM, Sydney
Industry
Chris Raine, Mechanical engineer, University of NSW
Position: President and CEO, Alstom Australia and New Zealand, Sydney
George Savvides, Industrial engineer, University of NSW
Position: Managing Director, Medibank Private, Melbourne
Bob Every, Metallurgist, University of NSW
Position: Chair, Wesfarmers, Perth
Ralph Waters, Mechanical engineer, RMIT University
Position: Chair of Woolworths & Fletcher Building, Sydney
Mark Cutifani, Mining engineer, University of Wollongong
Position: Chief Executive, Anglo American, London
Innovation/Expertise
Rose Amal, Chemical engineer, Univesrity of NSW
Position: Director, ARC Centre of Excellence for Functional Nanomaterials, University of NSW, Sydney
Stuart Wenham, Photovoltaic engineer, University of NSW
Position: Director, ARC Photovoltaics Centre of Excellence, University of NSW, Sydney
Richard Tamba, Mechanical engineer, University of Technology Sydney
Position: Senior Vice-President – Passenger Car Transmissions, AVL, Sydney
Matt Barrie, Electrical engineer, University of Sydney
Position: Founder and CEO, freelancer.com, Sydney
Manufacturing
Chris Roberts, Chemical engineer, University of NSW
Position: Chief Executive & President, Cochlear, Sydney
Rob Sindel, Mechanical engineer, University of Queensland
Position: Managing Director, CSR, Sydney
Chris Jenkins, Mechanical engineer, University of NSW
Position: Managing Director, Thales Australia, Sydney
Mick Farrell, Chemical engineer, University of NSW
Position: Chief Executive, ResMed, San Diego USA
Geoff Lilliss, Electrical engineer, University of Newcastle
Position: Managing Director and CEO, Ampcontrol, Newcastle
Ian Smith, Mining engineer, University of NSW
Position: Managing Director and CEO, Orica, Melbourne
Julian Segal, Chemical engineer, Israel Institute of Technology, Israel
Position: Managing Director & CEO, Caltex Australia, Sydney
Politics
Greg Combet, Mining engineer, University of NSW
Position: Former Federal Minister for Climate Change, Industry and Innovation, Canberra
Campbell Newman, Civil engineer, University of NSW
Position: Premier of Queensland, Brisbane
Public Service
Mary O'Kane, Computer engineer, Australian National University
Position: Chief Scientist & Engineer, NSW Government, Sydney
Michael Uzzell, Electrical engineer, University of NSW
Position: Head of Navy Engineering, Royal Australian Navy, Canberra
Les Wielinga, Civil engineer, University of NSW
Position: Director-General, Transport for NSW, NSW Government, Sydney
Warren King, Electrical engineer, University of NSW
Position: CEO, Defence Material Organisation, Canberra
Utilities
Peter McIntyre, Electrical engineer, University of NSW
Position: Managing Director, TransGrid, Sydney
Grant King, Civil engineer, University of NSW
Position: Managing Director, Origin Energy, Sydney
Roger Massy-Greene, Mining engineer, University of Sydney
Position: Chair, Networks NSW, Sydney
Mike Quigley, Electrical engineer, University of NSW
Position: CEO, NBN Co, Sydney
Kevin Young, Civil engineer, University of Newcastle
Position: Managing Director, Sydney Water, Sydney