Researcher biography

A/Prof Liza O'Moore's research interests are in: reinforced and prestressed concrete design, concrete technology, time-dependent properties of concrete and durability of concrete structures.

Liza has over 30 years experience in structural and concrete design. After graduation Liza joined a local consulting firm and worked mainly in the areas of industrial and commercial structural design. Upon completion of her postgraduate research, she joined the Civil Structures group in the Brisbane office of Arup. During her time with Arup as a senior engineer and then associate, she was involved in a number of reinforced concrete design projects undertaken both locally and overseas. In January 2001, Liza joined the academic staff in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Queensland. She is currently teaching in the areas of reinforced concrete and concrete design and applied mechanics. Her research interests are in the areas of creep and shrinkage of concrete structures, durability, high performance concretes, the performance of industrial slabs and pavements and geopolymer concretes. She is a Life Member of the Concrete Institute of Australia and was a member of the National Council (2007-2015) and National Executive (2009-2015). Liza served as the first female National President of the Concrete Institute of Australia (2011-2013).

Liza is also active in the area of Engineering Education. She teaches into first and second year engineering and leads the final year capstone design project. Liza has research interests in the areas of transition and preparedness for first year, graduate competencies and large class teaching. Liza has been awarded School of Engineering Teaching Excellence Awards in 2005 and 2006, EAIT Faculty Teaching Award 2007, and a special EAIT Faculty Award for Sustained Excellence in Teaching (2012). In 2010 Liza was awarded a UQ Award for Teaching Excellence, which was followed in 2011 by an Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning. She was a project team member on the OLT funded "Get set for success: using online self-assessments to motivate first year engineering students". Liza has undertaken interdisciplinary research in the areas of competence assurance and the use of simulators for CRC – Rail.

Liza has also provided advice on accreditation of VET sector Associate Degrees, and in the curriculum development for new BE (Civil) programs at tertiary level. In 2014 Liza was part of the expert team of national and international experts in Civil Engineering Education advising Charles Sturt University on the development of Australia's first graduate entry five year Engineering Master's program commencing in 2016.

Areas of research