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Dr Wahid Ferdous

Dr Wahid Ferdous
Name Wahid Ferdous
Position Senior Lecturer (Structural Engineering)
Section School of Engineering
Office Z433
Location Toowoomba Campus
Email
Qualifications BScCivEng(Hons) Rajshahi UET , GCertEd USQ , MEng UNSW , PhD USQ
Homepage https://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=f2MQ-lwAAAAJ&hl=en
The views expressed on staff homepages may not reflect the views of the University.

Dr Wahid Ferdous is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Engineering at the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ). His professional responsibilities involve teaching, research, and service. He is working closely with industry and government projects to carry out research work in the area of Structural Engineering. In his research, he investigates how to efficiently transform landfill wastes into low emission construction materials that promote circular economies and support net zero emissions.

Dr Ferdous worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Monash University, University of Melbourne, Imperial College London and UniSQ following his MEng and PhD degrees from UNSW and UniSQ, respectively. His PhD thesis won the Postgraduate Thesis Award 2018 from Engineers Australia and Engineering New Zealand. He published over 60 first quartile (Q1 ranked) journal articles and received over $1 million in competitive research grants, including an Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowship and the Endeavour Research Fellowship. The University of Southern Queensland awarded him the 'Excellence Award for Early Career Research' in 2023.


  • Structural Engineering ( 090506 )
  • Construction Materials ( 090503 )
  • Civil Engineering not elsewhere classified ( 090599 )
  • Structural Engineering ( 400510 )
  • Construction Materials ( 400505 )
  • Civil Engineering ( 400500 )

Research Grants: AU$633k (Total)

1. Ferdous W., Manalo A., Flynn M., Burey P. and Alajarmeh O. "Sandwich panels with low carbon emission materials for prefabricated modular low-cost houses" CO2Tech Pty Ltd, 2022-2023, AU$143k.

2. Ferdous W. “Integrating waste plastics into sleeper for sustainable railway infrastructure” Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowship, QLD State Government in collaboration with Industry, 2022-2024, AU$290k.

3. Ferdous W., Mehrinejad M., Abousnina R. and Alajarmeh O. “Value-adding and reusing waste tyres for laminated rubber structures” Capacity Building Grant, University of Southern Queensland, 2020-2021, AU$15k.

4. Manalo A, Ferdous W. and Alajarmeh O. “New generation cable management sleepers” Global Connections Fund-Bridging Grants, 2019: AU $50k.

5. Ferdous W. "Influence of microcracks on the mass transport properties of concrete", Endeavour Research Fellowship, Department of Education and Training, Australian Government, 2017: AU $24.5k.

6. Ferdous W. "Composite railway sleepers-new developments and opportunities", Faiveley Transport Company, 2015: AU $1.5k.

7. Manalo A and Ferdous W. “Innovative rail fastening systems for fibre composite railway sleepers” Enterprise Connect Research, 2013: AU $109k.

Academic Qualifications
• PhD (2017) - University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ), Australia
• MEng (2013) - The University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australia
• GradCertEd (2016) - University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ), Australia
• BScEng (2008) - Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology (RUET), Bangladesh

Postdoctoral Research
• University of Southern Queensland (2018 - 2022), Australia
• Imperial College London (2017 - 2018), United Kingdom
• The University of Melbourne (2017 - 2017), Australia
• Monash University (2017 - 2017), Australia

Research Interests
• Development of low carbon emission construction materials;
• Transformation of landfill wastes into construction materials;
• Development of sustainable structures using fibre composites;
• Development of durable materials using resin based polymer concrete;
• Understand durability aspects of concrete and composites;
• Understand structural behaviour using finite element modelling.

Journal Editorial Board
• Associate Editor, Frontiers in Built Environment (Construction Materials)

Academic Awards
1. Postgraduate Thesis Award (2018), Winner in Australia & New Zealand, RTSA, Engineers Australia;
2. Quarterly University-wide Publication Excellence Award (2017 and 2015), UniSQ, Australia;
3. Top 3 Student Journal Publication Award (2016), Centre for Future Materials, UniSQ, Australia;
4. 3-Minute Pitch Club Challenge Award (2016), UniSQ, Australia;
5. School-Specific Publication Excellence Award (2016), UniSQ, Australia;
6. Higher Degree Research Support (2014 – 2017), Faculty of HES, UniSQ, Australia;
7. Australian Postgraduate Award (2014 – 2017), for PhD study, Australian Government, Australia;
8. University International Postgraduate Award (2010-2012) for MEng study, UNSW, Australia;
9. University Gold Medal Award (2008), RUET, Bangladesh;

Publications
• Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=f2MQ-lwAAAAJ&hl=en
• ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Wahid_Ferdous/research

Press Release
1. A USQ researcher has fast tracked a plan to reach net zero emissions by 2050, by replacing timber railway sleepers with plastic ones, 7News, Nov 18, 2021, https://fb.watch/j9-e9VMkBI/
2. USQ Researcher Wins Award for Composite Railway Sleeper Study, NetComposites (United Kingdom), May 29, 2018


Professional Affiliations
• Member – Australian Composite Structures Society (ACSS);
• Member – Concrete Institute of Australia (CIA).


  • Centre for Future Materials (CFM)

Current courses
ENG4110 – Engineering Research Methodology (S2, 2022)

Previous courses

Postgraduate
CIV8803 – Advanced Mechanics and Technology of Fibre Composites (2019-2020, 2022, UniSQ)

Undergraduate
CIV2502 – Structural and Building Technology (2021)
CIV3603 – Construction Methods (2021)
ENG4110 – Engineering Research Methodology (2021)
CIV2605 – Construction Engineering (2021, 2022, UniSQ)
CIV4803 – Mechanics and Technology of Fibre Composites (2019-2020, 2022, UniSQ)
CIV3506 – Concrete Structures (2014-2016, UniSQ)
ZEIT1500 – Statics (2011, UNSW)
Various Civil Engineering Courses (2008-2010, Overseas University)


7 Years


  • Structural Engineering ( 090506 )
  • Construction Materials ( 090503 )
  • Civil Engineering not elsewhere classified ( 090599 )
  • Structural Engineering ( 400510 )
  • Construction Materials ( 400505 )
  • Civil Engineering ( 400500 )