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Experts and web conferences

Web conferences

The following questions from schools are answered by Francois and Isaac in web conference 1:

  1. Who approves the project designs?
  2. Where did you get the machines and materials to build the tunnels?
  3. How are the workers recruited? For example, engineers with specific skills/qualifications.
  4. How can we follow the same/similar pathway as the field trip experts? How are the workers recruited?
  5. What is the most challenging part of the tunnel to build?
  6. How can you ensure safety on the train?

CORE Education · LEARNZ Future journeys City Rail Link podcast 1 of 2

The following questions from schools are answered by Francois and Wilson in web conference 2:

  1. Why did you decide to make a tunnel for the trains and whose idea was it?
  2. How many people will use the train each year?
  3. Will the trains be self-driving?
  4. Can you work in any type of weather?
  5. How many people get injured on site?
  6. What are the various materials used in the construction of the stations?

CORE Education · LEARNZ Future journeys City Rail Link podcast 2 of 2

Field trip kaiārahi

Angel Sturm: Health and Safety (H&S)/Environmental Advisor

Ethnicity/country of origin: Māori
Iwi: Te Arawa - Rotorua
Angel's role involves providing support to the two teams when required, that being maintaining environmental/H&S registers, assisting with environmental/H&S hazards and incident reporting etc.

Web conference experts

Isaac Devaney-Bray: Professional Engineer

Ethnicity/country of origin: Aotearoa
Iwi: Ngāti Manu, Ngāpuhi
Isaac has a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Auckland and joined the City Rail Link in 2017. He is part of the Link Alliance’s structural team designing the new Te Wai-o-Horotiu (Aotea) station. This is the first project he has worked on since graduating. Isaac has had many opportunities to experience different aspects of engineering on this project.

Francois Dudouit: Link Alliance Project Director

Ethnicity/country of origin: France
As Project Director of the Link Alliance, Francois is in charge of delivering the City Rail Link.

Wilson Fuata: Junior Site Engineer

Ethnicity/country of origin: Rotuman, born in Suva, Fiji
Villages: Savlei and Juju
Wilson's role involves managing some parts of the construction on-site and making sure things are built on time, within budget, and to a high standard.

Field trip experts

Gabriel Kirkwood: Mana Whenua Representative

Ethnicity/country of origin: Aotearoa
Iwi: Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki
Gabriel works in the environmental, cultural, design, and social outcomes space.

Joe McArdle: Alliance Health and Safety Manager

Ethnicity/country of origin: Fifth generation Australian with Irish and German heritage.
Joe's job is to manage the health, safety, and training teams who work to ensure everyone employed by the Link Alliance is trained and safe each day at work.

Antoinette Albert: TBM Assistant Engineer

Ethnicity/country of origin: Māori, Aotearoa
Iwi: Tainui, Waikato
Antoinette reports to the TBM Site Engineer and assists in providing on-site monitoring of tunnelling construction related works to ensure quality, health and safety, and environmental aspects.

Don David: Structures Supervisor

Ethnicity/country of origin: New Zealand born German/Samoan, Tokelauan.
Villages: Dad: Levi – Saleimoa, Upolu. Mum: Lotopa – Apia + Fakaofo in Tokelau.
Don supervises carpenters, steel fixers, and crane crews to build some of the temporary & permanent structures onsite.

Isaac Iopu: Site Engineer

Ethnicity/country of origin: Tuvalu - New Zealand born
Villages: Funafuti and Niutao
Isaac studied a Bachelor of Engineering at UNITEC. Isaac has worked on a few major projects: the renovation of Auckland’s International Terminal; the Tower at Commercial Bay; and now at the Link Alliance. He is currently a Site & Quality Engineer for the Civil team at the Maungawhau (Mt Eden) site.

Pedro Villanueva: Systemwide Senior Designer

Ethnicity/country of origin: European
Pedro's job is ensuring design consistency across all stations, looking after the material selection and interface with suppliers, and combining design ideas with actual products/systems.

Pania-Atarangi Thompson: Environmental Administrator

Ethnicity/country of origin: Aotearoa
Iwi: Waikato Tainui
Pania-Atarangi supports the environmental advisor with protecting and improving the wellbeing of the environment during CRL construction.

Roseanne Ulunga: Site Utilities Engineer

Ethnicity/country of origin: New Zealand born Samoan, Tongan
Roseanne completed a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) from Auckland University in 2016. She is passionate about working on projects that benefit developing countries, such as water management and process. In 2018 she volunteered with the VSA (Volunteer Service Abroad) to work on an assignment in the Solomon Islands. She is now part of the Link Alliance whānau, working as a Site Engineer at the Aotea site in the utilities team.

Kat Howard: CPS Senior Tunnel Engineer

Ethnicity/country of origin: Czech Republic
CPS stands for Construction Phase Services, basically designers’ representative on site. Kat's role involves supervision of construction of mined tunnels at Karangahape and Mt Eden to make sure they get built as shown on the design drawings.

Cecilia (CeCe) Palu: Apprentice

Ethnicity/country of origin: Tonga
Villages: 'Ohonua 'Eua
As part of her apprenticeship, Cece works on the tools, learning all the basics in carpentry and form work.