Associate Professor Jonathan Bunker

Broad area of research: Infrastructure Research areas

Within the broad field of planning, Assoc Prof Jonathan Bunker and his research team have defined four main research areas:

• Transit Performance
• Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning
• Regional Airport Planning and Management
• Road Safety

Transit Performance

Transit performance deals with analysis of operation of transit systems and their components, through analysis of capacity and passenger quality of service. With rapid population expansion and densification of urban areas, transit systems need to be designed, delivered and managed with a view to more efficient and effective passenger movement that enables this mode to be favoured over private vehicle use. Transit systems also need to be properly integrated for seamless travel, and easy mode transfer in supportive pedestrian and bicycle environments. Transit nodes also need to be planned in concert with land use planning to ensure balanced travel demand.

Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning

Traffic engineering is multi-faceted research with the primary goal of providing and enhancing motoring safety to achieve the safe and efficient movement of people and goods throughout the world. Assoc Prof Bunker’s research deals with the planning, geometric design and traffic operations of roads and their networks, terminals, abutting lands and relationships with other modes of transportation.

• Traffic operations, planning and management
• Transport and location choice modelling
• Intelligent transport systems
• Parking management
• Urban and non-urban freight and logistics
• Heavy vehicle management
• Transport systems modelling

Regional airport planning and management

Assoc Prof Bunker’s research deals with airport planning and management, infrastructure asset management, and regional aviation policy.

Road safety

Assoc Prof Bunker’s research deals with vulnerable road users including motorcyclists, and infrastructure asset management for safety using Risk analysis.

Grants Funding

Assoc Prof Bunker has attracted over AUD$2,374,000 in cash plus in-kind contributions in research at QUT.

Selected List of Awarded Grants

2011 – 2013: Cooperative Centre for Rail Innovation. Project R1.103 Station Access. Participating with RailCorp, Queensland Rail, and The University of Queensland.

2009 – 2011: Cooperative Centre for Rail Innovation. Project R2.103 Train Planning for Robust Scheduling. Participating with Australian Rail Track Corporation and UniSA.

2009: Smart Transport Stakeholder Analysis. Participating with Queensland Motorways Ltd, IBM and Thales.

2009: Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation. Smart Mobility Demonstrator. Participating with QCIF and Thales.

2008-2009: Investigation into Remote, Rural and Regional Airports Chief Investigator of External seeding grant.  Participating with Australian Airports Association.

2007-2009: Asset Management of road surfacing: Risk Based Decision Support modelling for managing skid resistance QUT project leader for CRC for Integrated Engineering Asset Management.  Participating with Queensland Main Roads.

2007: An Innovative Model for Engagement: Integrated Solutions to Sustainable Growth in Coastal Queensland Chief Investigator for Joint QUT/External grant. Participating with Bundaberg Port Authority, Burnett-Mary Regional Group for Natural Resource Management Inc., Qld Department of Local Government and Planning, and Queensland Sustainable Economic Development Working Group.

2005: KGUV Regional Accessibility Study through QUT Sustainable Living Initiative Principal Investigator for Joint QUT/External grant.  Participating with QUT, Sustainable Living Initiative, Qld. Dept. Housing.

2003-2004: Work Integrated Learning in the Bachelor of Engineering Courses Chief Investigator for QUT Large Teaching and Learning Grant.

2002-2006: Impacts of Multi-combination Vehicles in Urban Areas Chief Investigator for ARC Linkage.  Participating with Queensland Main Roads, ARC.

Awards and Recognitions

• 2011: QUT Vice Chancellor’s Award for Excellence Nominee

• 2011: QUT Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Nominee for Outstanding Higher Degree Research Supervision Practice
• 2010: QUT Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Award Supervisor Pedagogy Nominee
• 2008: QUT Vice Chancellor’s Performance Award, $5,000.
• 2008: B-HERT Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Collaboration in Research and Development, Education and Training and Community Engagement, Best Community Engagement, (QUT, Port of Brisbane Corporation and Burnett Mary Regional Group), Title: Sustainable Futures by Design (with L. Dawes, S. Satherley, Glen Thomas et al.)
• 2007: QUT Vice Chancellor’s Award for Excellence Nominee

Career History

2011 – Present Associate Professor in Civil and Transport Engineering, School of Urban Development, QUT

2005 – 2011  Senior Lecturer in Civil Engineering, School of Urban Development, QUT

2006 – 2008 Discipline Coordinator, Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering Programs, QUT

2000 – 2005 Lecturer in Civil Engineering, School of Urban Development, QUT

2004 – 2006 Sessional lecturer (transport engineering), The University of Queensland

1997 – 2000 Senior Transport Engineer, Eppell Olsen and Partners, Brisbane

1995 – 1997 Engineering Associate (Transport), Kittelson & Associates, Inc, Portland, Oregon

1992 – 1995 Sessional Tutor, School of Civil Engineering, QUT

1992 – 1995 Doctoral Candidate, School of Civil Engineering, QUT

1992 Research Assistant, School of Civil Engineering, QUT

1990 Cadet Engineer, Queensland Rail

1989 – 1991    Cadet Construction Engineer, Thiess Contractors