2024 Theo Vander Heyden and Florika Patel
Graduate Engineer Award 2024
THE JOINT RECIPIENTS OF THE 2024 RTSA GRADUATE ENGINEER AWARD ARE THEO VANDER HEYDEN AND FLORIKA PATE
Theo is awarded the 2024 RTSA Graduate Engineer Award. He completed a Bachelor of Mechatronic Engineering with First Class Honours at Curtin University and is currently working as a Rollingstock Engineer for the Public Transport Authority of Western Australia. Theo’s contribution to the railway industry is exemplified in his completion of multiple theoretical and practical railway projects, such as generating a railcar acceleration model, conducting dynamic stability calculations and analysing customer feedback with recommendations that were implemented at management level. Theo is an active member in the RTSA WA Chapter. He received the RTSA Young Professional Scholarship in 2021 and again in 2023 for CORE. Theo was also nominated and shortlisted as the WA Young Achiever of the Year by the Institute of Public Administration Australia. Theo published papers and presented for conferences such as CORE.
Florika Patel, the 2024 RTSA Graduate Engineer Award recipient, graduated from the University of Auckland in 2021 with a Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Hons). As a Civil Engineer with Aurecon’s Rail Team, she has contributed to Track and Civil design and construction monitoring for City Rail Link projects, including Newmarket Junction and Henderson Station. She also coordinated civil design for the Wellington Metro Upgrade Project 6A, championing the model-first design approach. During a secondment with KiwiRail, Florika gained client and maintainer experience, inspecting over 100 turnouts with the asset and renewals team. She is actively involved in Aurecon’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) group, Health and Safety Committee, and Rail Knowledge Council, promoting rail engineering at universities and mentoring students and peers. An active member of Engineering NZ and RTSA, Florika was awarded a Next Generation Conference Scholarship to present innovative ideas at the New Zealand Rail Conference. Her technical expertise, leadership, and commitment to mentorship highlight her dedication to advancing rail engineering in New Zealand.