Joseph Tam
Engineers Australia - Queensland Division Past President 2023
TAM, Joseph,
FIEAust CPEng EngExec NER APEC Engineer IntPE(Aus) RPEQ MICE MIStructE
EDUCATION and Awards
BSc (Civil Engineering) - University of Glasgow (UK) 1981
PGDip in Public Relations - University of Hong Kong 2003,
EA’s Professional Engineer of the Year Qld 2019 - Finalist
CAREER
Joseph, a Chartered Professional Engineer (Civil, Structural, Leadership & Management) with over 40 years of extensive experience in Hong Kong and Australia, has overseen operations, maintenance, asset management, incident management, change management, and disaster recovery within the water services. He has also played a key role in managing the design and construction of water treatment plants, mass transit railways, highway structures, buildings, and retaining structures. Since 2016, Joseph has held the important position of Principal Supply Engineer at Seqwater, where he focuses on strategic planning, developing supply options (including desalination, dam, and recycled water), and securing land to enhance water supply certainty for South East Queensland.
Joseph's dedication to the engineering community is evident through his active participation since 2012 in various groups, including the Ipswich Local Group and the Queensland Structural, Civil, and Water groups, before joining the Queensland Division Committee in 2019.
Presidents Highlights 2023
In 2023, Joseph was highly successful in leading his committee, together with EA employees, to provide direction and support to over 400 volunteers from around 40 committees statewide, aligning with EA's vision and mission. The Division's notable achievements were reported in the Qld 2023 Engineering Highlights
• Advocated for government plans and strategies related to population growth, infrastructure, water, carbon emissions, dam engineering, and environmental protection.
• Initiated joint events and formed the Water Alliance to strengthen advocacy on water policy.
• Formed Working Groups with diverse members, including regional and enthusiastic young participants, to address strategic planning, ethics, support for migrant engineers, STEM education, and sustainability initiatives.
• Initiated and secured support to establish new areas of practice for dam and water engineering.
• Amplified the Division's voice and influence through enhanced engagement with the National President, Congress delegates, employees, and volunteer groups.
• Facilitated over 20 engineers in obtaining Chartered, Fellow, and EngExec credentials through the engineering workforce credentialing partnership.
Joseph has served the community in various capacities: Founding President of ICON Toastmasters in 2015, Judge for Lions Youth of the Year and IStructE’s Young Researchers competitions since 2016, and the President of his local community association since 2020, significantly contributing to community and environmental improvement through his engineering and leadership skills.
In recognition of his outstanding contributions, Joseph was elected as the Queensland Congress Delegate for 2024/25. In this role, he will collaborate with other delegates to advise and counsel the Board, further advancing the science and practice of engineering for the benefit of the community.
References:
Biography supplied by Joseph Tam 2024
