For Dr Gillian Miles, the transport and infrastructure sectors present a range of puzzles that she loves to try and solve.
The Portarlington woman was honoured with a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her service to the industry during this year’s Australia Day Honours.
“It felt slightly weird for a second to be named an AM, but then I felt very honoured that my peers and community had done that for me, and I’m very privileged to have been honoured in that way,” Dr Miles said.
Dr Miles has worked across various sectors, including the Australian Transport Industry, Roads Australia, Transport for Victoria, the Victorian Transport Industry, and TAFE Victoria.
“It’s the complexity and scale of infrastructure, particularly transport, that I’ve never been able to keep away from…and I just love solving big and little problems,” she said.
“Most of my career has been in infrastructure, mostly on the transport side, and I got into it because I was fascinated by this big, complex system that everyone has to use every day.”
Dr Miles said the transport and infrastructure industry “was much better now than it was 25 years ago” for women.
“A lot of work has been done, both within the government and sector, to recognise and allow for the emergence of gender balance,” she said.
“I used to front up to meetings with maybe 20 people in the room where I’d be the only woman, and now that would not happen, so the whole infrastructure industry has changed.”
