News Archive

On Wednesday 7 March, the 17th 40under40 Awards night was held at Crown Towers Ballroom, celebrating and recognising Western Australia’s 40 leading business entrepreneurs under the age of 40. The 40under40 Awards recognise not only the achievements and determination of these young business people, but also the contribution they are making to the future of WA.

Dr Andrew Guzzomi, UWA Senior Research Fellow, Nick McNaughton, a mechanical engineer who graduated from UWA in 2007 and Kate West, UWA graduate and current Principal at Arup received 40under40 Awards on the night for their achievements.

Dr Andrew Guzzomi

Dr Andrew Guzzomi joined UWA in 2011 and was named WA Innovator of the Year in 2016 for co-inventing a tool with Kings Park and Botanic Gardens, that helps regenerate mine sites and degraded farmland. Andrew’s key area of research is agricultural engineering and applying kinematics, dynamics, vibration and mechanical design skills to that field. He also teaches mechanical engineering design in the Master of Professional Engineering program and has over 57 publications across books, journals and conference papers.

Nick McNaughton

Nick McNaughton is a mechanical engineer who helps to grow early-stage businesses in the subsea oil and gas sector. Mr McNaughton leads design teams to develop robotic equipment packages to rectify complex problems on subsea equipment, and develop new products. As the Technology Manager of Subsea Engineering Associates (SEA), Mr McNaughton leads the development and commercialisation of the company’s proprietary software-based technologies.

SEA has developed the ICE platform, a suite of software and data management tools that use automation to vastly accelerate engineering processes for subsea pipelines, which is disrupting the industry and has enabled Perth-based engineers to compete successfully in international markets.

Kate West

Kate West has forged a successful career as an engineer and is currently one of three principals who hold joint leadership of consulting group Arup’s operations in Western Australia. She was the first female principal and group leader of Arup in WA across the company’s 50-year history.

Having worked internationally as the Project Director or Lead Consultant on significant projects such as Dublin Airport Terminal 2 and Perth Airport, Ms West currently leads a team of 25 engineers, planners, management consultants and digital specialists.

Media references

Ben Robson (UWA Faculty of Engineering Mathematical Sciences) (+61 8) 6488 7501