Five minutes with Garry Miller

What is your role at the University of Auckland? 

I’m a Professional Teaching Fellow, which is an academic role with a focus on teaching. I’m also the Director of Graduate School of Engineering and Associate Dean (Postgraduate Taught) for the Faculty of Engineering, which is a leadership role focussed around our taught masters programmes. I’ve worked at the University of Auckland for about 10 years, and prior to that I practised as a professional civil/structural engineer in industry for about 20 years. Currently I teach into our postgraduate masters courses and also into our third and fourth year systems engineering courses for our Bachelor of Engineering degree. 

What is the most rewarding thing about being an academic? 

Teaching and an opportunity to interface with students who are eager to learn. It is highly rewarding to see the next generation of engineers coming through our degree programmes. I’m convinced that engineers have one of the most important professional roles in our global modern society, and hence I enjoy a strong sense of purpose. Being a Professional Teaching Fellow is about being student-focussed in my view, and I try and encourage our students to excel in their academic studies towards their chosen career. I hope to inspire the next generation of engineers to achieve their maximum potential, and it is extremely fulfilling to see students when they engage in the learning process. 

What is the most challenging thing about being an academic? 

Time. There is a world of opportunity but never enough time to follow up on all the opportunities. The demands upon my time are greater now as an academic than they were when I was working as a consulting engineer. Every interaction with somebody, whether they are a student or colleague, is important and deserves some time in order to be effective, so I try to give people time, but there are limits. 

With your years of teaching experience, what is the one piece of advice you would give a person entering the world of academia? 

Be your authentic self and enjoy the role. When you are engaging with a class of students, you have to be comfortable in yourself and it helps if you find a place of enjoyment within the challenge of being an academic. 

How do you explain the Washington Accord to your to students? 

I describe it as the stamp of approval on an engineering tertiary level qualification, indicative of meeting the globally-recognised quality standard for engineering degrees. It is an important credential on a degree which sets graduates on a path towards becoming a professional engineer. I encourage students to see their degree as part of their career progression towards becoming a chartered engineer. 

As an academic, why are you a member of Engineering New Zealand? 

I consider myself as a professional engineer and academic with equal weight. As a professional engineer it is important to be an active member of a professional body. I don't think anybody can be an authentic professional without practising in the context of a community. My profession is the means by which I earn a living, and hence I believe it is an important principle to give some of my energy towards the professional community from which I earn my living. One means of doing this is through active membership of a professional body like Engineering New Zealand. 

How do you get involved with Engineering New Zealand? 

The main way I’m currently involved is via helping young engineers prepare for membership of Engineering New Zealand. I run a class which helps engineers prepare their portfolio and I help mentor some of our postgraduate students towards making the step of applying for CPEng. I also contribute to Engineering New Zealand events orientated towards students. I also serve on the Engineering New Zealand Professional Development Committee and on an Engineering New Zealand accreditation panel. 

What do you do in your spare time? 

I enjoy music, reading, NZ nature, travel, and being in good company with close friends.