Emeritus Professor Andrew Downing

Andrew’s professional life has focused on biomedical engineering, education, research, disability, ageing and rehabilitation. As Foundation Professor of Engineering at Flinders University from 1992-2007, and later at UniSA, he drove Work Integrated Learning and the development of students’ professional and communication skills, before becoming Emeritus Professor of Engineering at Flinders in 2015.

Engineering’s purpose of serving people and building prosperity while preserving the planet has guided Andrew’s community engagement for over 45 years: using appropriate technology to enhance the well-being of older people and those living with disability, co-founding TADSA and Seniors-on-Line, serving as a Board member of Novita Children’s Services (7 years as President) and President of Tutti Arts Inc, and as a public speaking coach for Rostrum.

In advancing the professionalism and inclusiveness of engineering, Andrew directly assisted the international accreditation and recognition of professional engineering courses in Australia and 8 Asian countries, was a five-year member of the Accreditation Board, held Chair and other executive positions on the College of Biomedical Engineers over 14 years, was a member of the National Committee on Rehabilitation Engineering, a member of the National Women in Engineering Committee, chair of Engineering Education Australia for 9 years, and undertook numerous other profession and industry committee roles. He is an Honorary Fellow of Engineers Australia, was its National President in 2005, and was inducted into the Engineering Hall of Fame (South Australia) in 2018.