Research and Publications

Relevant Fields of Interest

Engineering Management

Engineering Education

Production and Operations Management

Energy management especially with respect to electricity production

Mechanisation of cheese production in the food processing industry.

From 1991 to 1993 I acted as the Research Engineer and Engineering Coordinator to the IAMP cheese project involving the USQ; Faculties of Sciences, Business and Engineering as well as Queensco Unity and South Coast and Warwick Dairy Cooperatives, DPI and Austrade. The Engineering budget being $54K for 1991 to 1992 inclusive and extended to $42K for 1993. Prototypes were invented and tested for mechanising the dewheying and forming processes in the production of blue vein and camembert cheeses. Further work continued in manufacturing and installation of production size machines. This was mainly funded by the said Cooperatives.

Fulcher R (1994) "Mechanised Camembert Cheese Production", National Conference on Engineering in Agriculture, Christchurch, New Zealand.

Fulcher R (1994) "Blue Vein Cheese Mechanisation", National Conference on Engineering in Agriculture, Christchurch, New Zealand.

Engineering Education with respect to practical learning and course development

Fulcher R, Pemberton P and Walkington J (1994) "Better Practicals For Future Engineering Practitioners", AAEE 6th National Conference on Engineering Education, Sydney.

Fulcher R (1995) “Mechatronics Without Tears”, AAEE 7th Annual Convention and Conference , Melbourne University, Melbourne.

Morgan M J, Fulcher R L and Ku H S (1996) “Higher Diploma in Engineering in Hong Kong and Bachelor of Technology in Engineering in Australia: Similarities and Differences”, Hong Kong Institute of Engineers Journal - Asian Engineering.

Morgan M J, Fulcher R L and Ku H S (1996) “Articulation of Engineering Courses: Australia, Hong Kong and Malaysia”, Asia Pacific Forum on Engineering And Technology Education, Monash University, Clayton, Melbourne, Australia.

Ku H S, Fulcher R L, and Morgan M (1997) "Credit Transfer and Flexible Delivery of Engineering Degree Courses: Australia, Malaysia and Hong Kong", Institution of Engineers Malaysian Bulletin, Malaysia.

Ku H S, Fulcher R L, and Morgan M (1998) "Innovative Residential School for Engineering Degree Courses", Journal Singapore Institute of Engineering Technologists, Singapore.

Fulcher R L and Snook C P (1999) "Articulation of Mechanical Engineering Courses at the University of Southern Queensland", AAEE 11th National Conference on Engineering Education, Adelaide, Australia.

Morgan M J, Fulcher R L and Ku H S (1999), "Graduate Engineering Courses Through the Internet", Journal of the Institute of Engineers. Malaysia.

Fulcher R L and Snook C P (2000), "Fast Tracking New Courses in Mechatronic Engineering", 7th Annual Conference on Mechatronics and Machine Vision in Practice, Hervey Bay, Queensland.

Snook C P and Fulcher R L  (2002) "A Review of Teaching Strategies in Practical Work for Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering Students Studying Via On-Campus and Distance Education", AAEE 13th National Conference on Engineering Education, Canberra, Australia.

Fulcher R L and Snook C P (2003), "Mechatronic Engineering By Distance Education", 10th Annual Conference on Mechatronics and Machine Vision in Practice, Perth, Western Australia.

Fulcher R L  (2004) "Teaching Engineering Management In a Flexible Learning Environment", AAEE 15th National Conference on Engineering Education, Toowoomba, Australia.

Thorpe D and Fulcher R L (2005), “Educating Engineers For A Sustainable Future”, Engineers Australia Southern Engineering Conference, Toowoomba.

Fulcher R L and Snook C P (2006) "Problem based learning in system design teams ", AAEE 17th National Conference on Engineering Education, Auckland, New Zealand.

 Thorpe D and Fulcher R L (2007), "Experiences in Implementing a Postgraduate Engineering Management Program", AAEE 18th National Conference on Engineering Education, Melbourne, Australia.

 Ku H and Fulcher R L (2007), "The process of updating Engineering Management Science in an Australian Regional University excellence in developing e-learning", European Journal of Engineering Education, Vol 32, No 5, October 2007, 527-538.

Revised January 2008