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Engineering students from The University of Western Australia who won a national competition with a water filter and a washing machine specially designed for Cambodian conditions will meet Australia's Ambassador to Cambodia on Friday.

Ms Margaret Adamson will visit UWA not only to talk to the first and second place getters of the ‘Engineers Without Borders 2008 Challenge' but also to meet University staff including Clinical Professor Martyn French of the School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine;  Ms Jill Smith, coordinator at the Haemophilia Centre of WA;  Professor Jeff Hamdorf, director of the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Science's Clinical Training and Education Centre;  and Professor Tony O'Donnell, Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences.

The students' inventions answered the need to contribute towards the sustainable development of rural communities in Cambodia's Kandal Province.

According to the World Health Organisation, about 69 per cent of the Cambodian population do not have safe drinking water and 72 per cent do not have adequate sanitation.

Ms Adamson is a senior career officer of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.  Before her appointment as Ambassador to Cambodia, she held the position of Assistant Secretary, European Union and Western Europe Branch.  She has also served as Ambassador in cities including Hanoi.

Ms Adamson will meet the Engineering students at 10.30am on Friday 19 December in the Prescott Room, Vice Chancellery.

Media are welcome at the event.

Media references

Chris Rowles , (Associate Lecturer, School of Mechanical Engineering)
(+61 8)  6488 8778  /  (+61 4) 13 375 267
Janine MacDonald (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 5563  /  (+61 4) 32 637 716