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Cardno boss backs Engineering program
Turning 60 recently has prompted Sunshine Coast civil engineer Graham Tamblyn to consider how he can give back to an industry he has enjoyed being part of for decades.
Mr Tamblyn, the Deputy Chairman and Executive Director of the Cardno group of companies, decided to personally sponsor an annual scholarship at the University of the Sunshine Coast to help inspire engineering students majoring in environment and water engineering.
This week he relished the opportunity to present the first $5,000 Graham Tamblyn Scholarship in Engineering to second-year Bachelor of Civil Engineering student Liam Owen of Golden Beach.
Mr Owen, 39, was one of four engineering students to receive awards at the inaugural Engineering Awards Ceremony held at USC’s Art Gallery on Tuesday 27 April.
The other recipients were Sunshine Beach State High School graduate Stephen Kime of Peregian Springs (who received the $5,000 Les and Mary Hall Family Scholarship in Engineering), Amy Turco of Alexandra Headland ($1,000 LEW Mosel Prize in Engineering), and Dominic Tyacke of Caloundra ($500 Mark and Susan Bradley Prize in Engineering).
Mr Tamblyn’s work as an engineer has seen him involved in major property development projects like the Kawana Waters master planned community, Noosa Waters, Twin Waters, and Pelican Waters.
He also has been heavily involved in the Urban Development Institute of Australia and was the Sunshine Coast Branch president for six years up to 2002.
Mr Tamblyn said he believed the scholarship would help support USC’s efforts in providing engineering programs and lead to a stronger engineering industry in the region.
“I’ve just turned 60 and am starting to think about my retirement plans, so I wanted a way to continue making a contribution to the world of engineering,” he said.
“This scholarship is about giving back to the industry and putting greater focus on environmental and water engineering because these are important to help manage any impacts of climate change and the general management of the world.
“I’m hoping the scholarship will help promote a very high talent in engineering and that USC will become a centre of excellence for environmental and water engineering.”
Liam Owen said it was a great honour to receive the inaugural Graham Tamblyn Scholarship for Engineering. In his speech at the awards ceremony, Mr Owen thanked Mr Tamblyn for his generosity and he praised USC’s engineering teaching staff.
Cameron Hall of Hall Contracting Pty Ltd attended the ceremony to present the Les and Mary Hall Family Scholarship to 17-year-old, first-year student Stephen Kime.
Mr Hall, a USC Foundation board member, said scholarships played an important role for the region.
“It’s important to attract and retain some of the brilliant young minds on the Coast rather than them running off to Brisbane when they don’t need to,” he said.
— Terry Walsh