Skip to main content

World Highways contributor Max Lay wins Peter Nicol Russell award

The Institution of Engineers Australia has awarded World Highways contributor Dr Maxwell Lay the prestigious Peter Nicol Russell medal for his contribution to science and engineering. According to the citation, the medal is the most prestigious award made by the institution. “The recipient represents the technical, professional and community service standards of engineering to the profession and the community.” May received degrees at Melbourne University and the US university Lehigh in Pennsylvania.
December 9, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
The Institution of Engineers Australia has awarded 3260 World Highways contributor %$Linker: 2 Internal <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 2 1845 0 oLinkExternal Dr Maxwell Lay Visit &quot;Road user charging the way to highway investment&quot; page false /categories/traffic-focus-highway-management/features/road-user-charging-the-way-to-highway-investment/ false false%> the prestigious Peter Nicol Russell medal for his contribution to science and engineering.

According to the citation, the medal is the most prestigious award made by the institution. “The recipient represents the technical, professional and community service standards of engineering to the profession and the community.”  

May received degrees at Melbourne University and the US university Lehigh in Pennsylvania. He was appointed executive director of the Australian Road Research Board in 1975. After 13 years he moved to 5155 VicRoads, the Victoria state organisation for planning, developing and managing arterial roads. Among his responsibilities at VicRoads was the Eastern Freeway and Western Ring Road. He later joined consulting engineering firm SKM in Melbourne.

Lay was a founding director of toll road company ConnectEast that is responsible for the finance, design, construction and operation of Melbourne's 39km EastLink tollway project. In late 2011, the company was sold to Horizon Roads for around US$1.83 billion (AUS$2.2 billion).

He also is an advisor to the non-political industry association Roads Australia, a professorial fellow at Melbourne University and was president of the Australian Automobile Association from 2000-2002.

Sir Peter Nicol Russell was a Sydney industrialist during the last half of the 19th century.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Damaged Norwegian bridge undergoes successful demolition
    February 23, 2015
    A demolition team has successfully demolished the damaged southern lane of the Skjeggestad Bridge in Norway. Located in Vestfold, the bridge was damaged some weeks ago when the ground around its foundations slipped. The explosive demolition project was technically challenging due to the proximity of the bridge carrying the northern lanes but did go to plan according to Norway’s Public Roads Administration (NPRA). Initial plans to repair the Skjeggestad Bridge proved impractical and the decision was made to
  • INTERMAT launch for Cat CD44B compactor
    January 6, 2017
    Cat has revised its asphalt compactor range with Stage IIIb engines, revised drum options and a new cab layout. The changes also bring an all-new model – the CD44B – in the seven/eight tonne class, taking the model count to four. A revised cab now gives better sightlines to the drum edges and while the lateral side-shift for the operator’s seat has been retained, the previous 180-degree rotation is now extended to 360-degree rotation, giving the operator more freedom
  • INTERMAT launch for Cat CD44B compactor
    April 20, 2012
    Cat has revised its asphalt compactor range with Stage IIIb engines, revised drum options and a new cab layout. The changes also bring an all-new model – the CD44B – in the seven/eight tonne class, taking the model count to four. A revised cab now gives better sightlines to the drum edges and while the lateral side-shift for the operator’s seat has been retained, the previous 180-degree rotation is now extended to 360-degree rotation, giving the operator more freedom
  • Call for Abstracts, for IRF Europe & Central Asia Regional Congress
    March 9, 2015
    Istanbul is often said to be where Europe meets Asia, geographically and culturally. This September the great city will also be the focus of the International Road Federation’s 1st Europe & Central Asia Regional Congress. The congress will be an exceptional opportunity for anyone, especially from Europe and Asia, involved in major road projects to connect and network with ministers, road agency heads and local government leaders. But time is running out to be among the prestigious speakers and presenters at