Faculty of Engineering

One of the earliest endowments of the University of Adelaide was that by Honourable John Howard Angas for "the purpose of permanently founding...the Angas Engineering Scholarship and Angas Engineering Exhibitions, to encourage the training of scientific men, and especially Engineers...".  For this purpose he gave 4,000 pounds on 4 January 1878.  The first scholarship was not awarded until 1882 before formal studies in Engineering had been introduced.

Robert Chapman was the Founder of the Engineering School.  He was first appointed to the University as Lecturer in Mathematics and Physics, in 1888; and he gave the first evening classes in Electrical Engineering in 1890.  In those early days students who qualified in Engineering were awarded the degree of Bachelor of Science.  Robert Chapman was appointed professor of Mathematics and Mechanics in 1910 and he held the Chair until 1919.  In the meantime, through his efforts the Act was amended, in 1911, to make it possible to award degrees in Engineering; and the degrees of Bachelor of Engineering and Master of Engineering were approved in 1913.  Professor Chapman became the first Professor of Engineering in 1920, and he remained in that post until 1937 when he retired and was given the title of Professor Emeritus.

Studies in Engineering were administered by a Faculty of Applied Science between 1904 and 1937, the courses being provided jointly by the University and the SA School of Mines and Industries.  

The Faculty of Engineering wholly within the University was established in 1938 when the University and the South Australian School of Mines and Industries were formally affiliated.

At its inception, faculty members included the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, President and Principal of the SA School of Mines and Industries, and professors of engineering, chemistry and physics. The Faculty's role was to advise Council on all matters relating to the studies, lectures and examinations of the relevant courses.

Generous support from industry enabled the Faculty of Engineering to expand its activities in the early 1940s.  Studies in Mining and in Metallurgy were eventually transferred to the SA Institute of Technology.

As of 1972 there were four departments within the Faculty - Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.  Bachelor of Engineering degrees were awarded in all four branches and teaching in Materials Science was provided with the Department of Chemical Engineering.

In 1996 a university restructure resulted in renaming of faculties to Divisions and the Faculty of Engineering became the Division of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences. In 1999, there was a further review and it became the Faculty of Engineering, Mathematical and Computer Sciences.

Taken from:

• UAA Provenance Record UAR-0062
• The University of Adelaide, 1874-1974: A Statement of the Case for Supporting the University's Centenary Appeal.  1972.

Professor of Engineering

• Professor Sir Robert William Chapman, CMG, MA, BCE (Melb), MIE (Aust),  Professor of Mathematics and Mechanics 1910-1919; Professor of Engineering 1907-1909 and 1920-1937 (Emeritus Professor 1937)
• Professor John Broughton Agnew, BE (Syd), PhD (Monash), FTSE, HonFIEAust, CPEng, FRACI, FIChemE, FAIE, MAIChE, CEng, CChem, 1983-1998 (Emeritus Professor 1999)
• Professor Harry Edward Green, BE (Hons), ME, PhD (Ohio State), FIEAust, FIREE, 1991-1995 (Emeritus Professor 1999)
• Professor Peter Alan Dowd, BSc (New England), MSc (Montreal), PhD (Leeds), FREng 2004-2013