Dr. Steve Mackay is the founder of the Engineering Institute of Technology. He firmly believes in Nelson Mandela’s mantra that, “Education is the most powerful weapon which we can use to change the world.” His leadership has inspired EIT’s unique and distinctive approach to engineering education.

Since 2008 three core objectives define the essence of the institute:

Collaborating comprehensively with industry to ensure graduates are job-ready.
Employing platforms of learning to facilitate student accessibility and engagement.
Keeping the business of education student-centric.

Dr. Mackay has enjoyed a varied career in engineering, having worked in automation, data acquisition, instrumentation, data communications, and process control throughout Australia, Europe, Africa, and North America over the past 35 years. He has successfully pioneered the application of new technologies in Australia and overseas, installing industrial data communication systems and implementing live online education, (including remote laboratories), for engineering students worldwide. Dr. Mackay has been involved in a range of industries, including power stations, mining, mineral processing, oil/gas/petrochemical plants, and platforms. He has presented courses on industrial data communications, data acquisition, instrumentation, and process control to over 30,000 engineers and technicians worldwide for clients such as NASA, Rolls Royce, and BP. He has also co-authored and edited 25 engineering books that have been published across the world. Dr. Mackay is a Fellow of Engineers Australia with a license to practice as a Chemical, Mechanical, and Electrical Chartered Professional Engineer. As Dean of the Engineering Institute of Technology, Dr. Mackay leads the institute in providing microcredentials and engineering qualifications to over 2000 students per year from 140 countries. He has an unswerving focus on student outcomes and on excellence in education.

A tale of two gold mines

September 7, 2018 8:16 am
The automation of mining operations is inevitable. Mining is a high stakes business with costly equipment and a small margin for operational error. Thanks to the digital disruption of the sector, mines are being made safer, more efficient, and productive. Not many underground mining operations are automated. However, this will...Read More

New Online Application System

August 30, 2018 9:55 am
The Engineering Institute of Technology (EIT) is pleased to announce that from 03 September 2018, a new application system will be made available to allow interested students to apply online for their course or program of choice. The implementation of this new online system will make it easier for interested...Read More

Curiosity Didn’t Kill the Engineering Cat

August 21, 2018 12:00 pm
Dear Colleagues We wouldn’t have breakthrough discoveries without that wonderful quality – curiosity - from inventing fire, the aircraft  to the Google search engine. That magical feeling  that goes about investigating  new information, pondering on a different way of doing something or  simply trying something out new (and often having...Read More

The Italian bridge collapse

August 16, 2018 4:07 pm
Another bridge has collapsed and it could have been avoided. Well, that is what at least one engineer thinks. This one came down near Genoa in Italy, just this week. Euronews reports that an engineering professor, back in 2016, had urged the authorities to ‘completely rebuild’ the Morandi Bridge because...Read More

Digital fabrication producing smart constructions

August 13, 2018 12:20 pm
The casting of concrete is becoming smarter and smarter by the day. The digitization of concrete casting has revolutionized the way both architects and engineers do their jobs. It is now possible to 3D print concrete in novel geometric patterns that defy belief and produce artistic results. However, it’s not...Read More

Plastic roads: paving the way to a plastic-free future?

August 13, 2018 10:46 am
The war against plastic is gathering force. Environmentalists have made it clear: the continuing use of plastics bodes badly for Planet Earth. It is gratifying to learn that the initiatives to eliminate or reduce the use of plastics are gathering speed and popularity. For example, Starbucks aim to remove plastic...Read More

Origami inspired mechanical engineering

August 13, 2018 9:52 am
Origami is the Japanese art of folding paper into decorative shapes and figure. Its use of geometrical shapes makes it a curious art form — one that could inspire mechanical engineering design. According to Northeastern University researcher Soroush Kamrava, the future solar panels and air bags will be informed by...Read More

New quantum battery could recharge in seconds

August 9, 2018 11:21 am
A new ‘quantum battery’ could charge devices in less than a second, making your uncharged phone a thing of the past. The University of Adelaide’s newest Ramsay Fellow Dr James Quach is currently researching this new technology. His previous experience in quantum mechanics could help him turn this theory into...Read More

Predictive maintenance trumps preventative maintenance

August 9, 2018 11:10 am
Manufacturing equipment requires maintenance; efficient machines to get a manufacturing job done. With the arrival of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), modern sensors are able to observe every nook and cranny of a manufacturing plant. Traditionally, the responsibility of improving efficiencies and maintaining the operations in manufacturing was down...Read More

China’s investments into the country’s clean energy marches on

August 9, 2018 10:34 am
The head of states of the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) have met for the 10th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. Topics on the agenda were energy, manufacturing, technology, industrializations, and more. But most importantly, deals were being made. China will be giving US$14.7 billion...Read More