Unitec student shines at national award with presentation on automated production line
Engineering student Matthew Macklin was placed second in the prestigious GT Murray Award for the best student presentation on an engineering research or design project, run by Engineering New Zealand.
Matthew impressed the judges and audience with his presentation on the design of an integrated automation system that connects factory floor operations with business software systems, titled Bridging the Gap: From order to invoice.
His presentation showed how small manufacturers can connect their production equipment directly to accounting systems, eliminating paperwork and providing real-time production visibility.
The project was part of the Engineering Development Project course, supervised by Dr Nigel Yee.
Commenting on Matthew’s project, the judging panel said:
“Matthew delivered an outstanding presentation that stood out for its clarity and practical impact.
“His project focused on increasing efficiency from order to invoice in the commercial environment, addressing real-world challenges with a programmatic and solution-oriented approach.
“Matthew’s work exemplifies how academic research can translate into tangible business improvements. We congratulate him on this achievement and encourage him to continue applying his sharp analytical skills to real-world challenges.”
Matthew began his studies at Unitec in 2018 with the Level 3 NZ Certificate in Electrical Engineering and then went on to complete the NZ Diploma in Electrical Engineering, graduating as the top student in his class.
He has just completed a Bachelor of Engineering Technology (Instrumentation & Control) degree, receiving Top Student and Top Project awards over the past two years.
On receiving the award, he said: “I’d like to acknowledge my family and supervisor Nigel Yee, who set me the original challenge and said, go solve it!
“I’d also like to thank Unitec’s learning advisors, most particularly the late Lance Laulala, who I spent many hours with and who played a pivotal role in my success.”
The GT Murray Award is presented by Engineering New Zealand’s Auckland Branch and open to Engineering New Zealand student members at Auckland tertiary institutions. It is named for GT Murray, an early civil engineer who worked on major public projects in Taranaki, Wellington, Auckland and who was one of the early members of IPENZ (now Engineering New Zealand). It was established after his death in 1947 and has a total prize pool of nearly $1,000.
