James P. Trevelyan

Trevelyan spent 41 years at the University of Western Australia, where he taught engineering design, sustainability, engineering practice, and project management.{{cite web|title=Professor James Trevelyan Recognised at Western Australian of the Year Awards|url=https://www.news.uwa.edu.au/archive/2018060510668/june-2018/professor-james-trevelyan-recognised-western-australian-year-awards/|website=University of Western Australia}} His most recent research focused on engineering practice, providing insights into the nature of professional engineering work and engineering education.{{cite web|title=James Trevelyan|url=https://research-repository.uwa.edu.au/en/persons/james-trevelyan|website=University of Western Australia}}{{Cite web|date=2021-07-28|title=How air conditioning impacts your health and sleep cycle, according to an expert|url=https://www.asiaone.com/lifestyle/how-air-conditioning-impacts-your-health-and-sleep-cycle-according-expert|access-date=2025-03-19|website=AsiaOne}}

Trevelyan led the development of the first sheep-shearing robot between 1975 and 1993, a milestone in industrial robotics. In 1994, he and his students created the first industrial robot that could be remotely operated via the internet.{{cite web|title=The Necessity of Invention: The Mind of Engineer James Trevelyan|url=https://createdigital.org.au/necessity-invention-mind-engineer-james-trevelyan/|website=Create Digital}}

For his contributions to robotics, he received the 1993 Engelberger Science and Technology Award, one of the highest honors in the field, and twice won the Japan Industrial Robot Association award for best research papers at International Society for Intelligence Research conferences.{{cite web|title=About James Trevelyan|url=https://jamesptrevelyan.com/about-james-trevelyan/|website=James Trevelyan}}

Between 1996 and 2002, Trevelyan researched landmine clearance methods. His work became an authoritative reference on the topic, leading to his honorary membership in the Society of Counter Ordnance Technology in 2002.{{cite web|title=Trevelyan Takes Home Professions Category at Western Australian of the Year Awards|url=https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/news-and-media/2022/07/trevelyan-takes-home-professions-category-western-australian-year-awards|website=Engineers Australia}}

Since 2016, Trevelyan has focused on developing energy-efficient cooling solutions. He founded Close Comfort Pty Ltd, where he invented the Coolzy, an award-winning portable air conditioner designed to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.{{cite web|title=Personal Air Conditioning: A Low-Energy Option for Keeping Your Cool|url=https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au/personal-air-conditioning-a-low-energy-option-for-keeping-your-cool/|website=One Step Off the Grid}}{{cite web|title=Western Australian Inventor Redefining Air Conditioning|url=https://www.energynewsbulletin.net/global/news-analysis/4391206/feature-story-western-australian-inventor-redefining-air-conditioning|website=Energy News Bulletin}}

Trevelyan has authored books and research papers on engineering practice, including The Making of an Expert Engineer (2014) and Learning Engineering Practice (2021). His 1992 book Robots for Shearing Sheep: Shear Magic explained how his team built robots that could shear the entire fleece off an Australian Merino sheep, keeping the fleece in one intact piece.{{cite web|title=Publications by James Trevelyan|url=https://shs.cairn.info/publications-de-james-trevelyan--117750?lang=en|website=Cairn}}

Trevelyan’s robotics research was showcased through a movie presenting their first robot shearing a sheep at the 1982 International Symposium on Industrial Robots in Paris. In the following years, robotics technology was applied in various fields, including container handling at major Australian East Coast ports and the operation of autonomous mining vehicles across the country, both above and underground.{{cite web|title=Cool Runnings: The Aussie Inventor Who Took His Heat Buster to the World|url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/small-business/cool-runnings-aussie-inventor-who-took-his-heat-buster-to-the-world-20180628-p4zodd.html|website=Sydney Morning Herald}}

Trevelyan’s most recent research focus the critical importance of social interactions in engineering practice. His studies have examined the challenges faced by engineers in low-income countries and proposed strategies to improve engineering education and infrastructure development.{{cite web|title=Podcast: What It Takes to Keep Singapore Cool|url=https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/singapore/podcast-what-it-takes-keep-singapore-cool|website=Business Times}}

Trevelyan serves on the Western Australian Engineering Heritage Committee and has been involved in humanitarian initiatives, including his volunteer work with the Red Cross International Humanitarian Law Advisory Committee (1995–2018).{{cite web|title=James Trevelyan Official Website|url=https://jamesptrevelyan.com/|website=James Trevelyan}}

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• Western Australian of the Year (Professions Category), 2018
• Engelberger Science and Technology Award, 1993
• Fellow of Engineers Australia
• Australian Good Design Awards, 2024
• University and national awards for engineering education

Trevelyan is the son of John Trevelyan, former secretary of the British Board for Film Censorship, and Joan Trevelyan. He was married first to Jolin Edmondson and secondly to Samina Yasmeen, a political scientist. He has two sons and a daughter.{{cite web |title=Prof Trevelyan develops new water distribution tech |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/334826-prof-trevelyan-develops-new-water-distribution-tech |website=thenews.com.pk |language=en}}

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Category:1948 births

Category:Living people

Category:Australian engineers

Category:Australian roboticists

Category:Engineering educators

Category:Academic staff of the University of Western Australia

Category:20th-century Australian inventors

Category:Australian businesspeople