Aussie Finalists for the ITA Young Tunneller of the Year Award 2023

The ATS invites all members, non-members and students to participate in a captivating panel discussion featuring Australia’s top young tunnelling professionals, who were recognised as finalists for the prestigious ITA Young Tunneller of the Year Award in 2023.

Our distinguished panellists will share their personal journeys, discuss the challenges and triumphs they have encountered, and provide invaluable advice for those considering a path in this specialised field of engineering.

Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with these experts, ask questions, and gain a deeper understanding of the diverse opportunities within the tunnelling industry.

This event will be held in person only. Registrations are essential.

About the speakers

Arjun Raja Shivasami
Principal Engineer (Global ECP Practice Lead) – Tunnels, Mott MacDonald

Arjun Raja Shivasami is an accomplished Principal Tunnelling Engineer at Mott MacDonald, with over 12 years of diverse experience in consulting, client-side, contracting, and engineering procurement. He has made significant contributions to designing several high-value metro projects in Qatar, Riyadh, Chennai, Delhi, and currently in Sydney. Arjun is a master’s degree holder in Structural Engineering from Anna University, graduating with first-class distinction in 2011. He is now a Chartered Professional Engineer of the Institute of Engineers Australia in Civil, Structural, and Geotechnical Engineering practices.

Russell Connors
TBM Tunnel Manager, Acciona

Russell Connors is currently serving as the TBM Tunnel Manager for Package 2 Southern Tunnels of the Western Harbour Tunnel (WHT) project. This segment involves constructing two 1.5 km segmentally lined tunnels beneath the Sydney Harbour using two 15.7 m diameter slurry shield TBMs. Throughout his career, Russell has worked on several technically demanding tunnelling projects in Australia and Singapore. His expertise includes planning and executing soft and mixed ground tunnelling in densely populated urban areas, utilising various mechanised and mined excavation methods. Originally from Melbourne, Australia, Russell graduated from RMIT University with a Bachelor of Civil Engineering and Infrastructure.