Undergraduate - UnitCHE4161 - Engineer in society

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Synopsis

An introduction to the role of engineers in the context of their employment in industry and their interaction with the wider community. Students will obtain an understanding of triple bottom line reporting as a driver for management, involving financial, environmental and the social impact of business. Financial management will include project management, project risk, market analysis, project costing and finance and financial indicators. Environmental management will look at the approval process for new projects and on-going environmental improvement strategies. Social management will look at company organisation, the role of unions, occupational health and safety law and safety management.

Outcomes

• understand the role of a professional engineer, code of conduct and ethics
• have knowledge of the factors affecting the market for specific products and an understanding of market risks to industries involved in manufacturing businesses.
• develop teamwork skills for working in group projects.
• for a new project, be able to articulate the normal project timeline using a GANNT chart, including the hurdles required for financing the project.
• have knowledge of the approval process for government jurisdiction for environmental assessment and a plant safety case and have some understanding of the key points of environmental law, and occupational health and safety legislation.
• be able to carry out the risk assessment and formulate the risk management for a process plant.
• be able to produce an environmental improvement plan for a process and carryout a HAZOP of a part of a process and draw a fault-tree diagram.
• be able to estimate the equipment costs for a process, the plant capital and operating costs, including a cash flow analysis and calculate the net present value of a project using discounted cash flow and determine its financial viability.

Assessment

Continuous assessment: 60%
Final examination (2 hours): 40%
Students are required to achieve at least 45% in the total continuous assessment component (assignments, tests, mid-semester exams, laboratory reports) and at least 45% in the final examination component and an overall mark of 50% to achieve a pass grade in the unit. Students failing to achieve this requirement will be given a maximum of 45% in the unit.

Chief examiner(s)

Assoc Professor Karen Hapgood

Contact hours

3 hours lectures, 2 hours practice class and 7 hours of private study per week

Co-requisites

CHE3163

Prohibitions

CHE4113, CHE4164