Congratulations to Kai Westlake, winner of the 2026 Maptek Computer Science prize at the University of Adelaide, who describes his keys to success and career aspirations. The annual prize is awarded by the University of Adelaide to the top performing student in second-year Computer Science subjects.
Favourite things about computer science
What I love most about computer science is how versatile it is. Software is used in so many areas, from video games and productivity apps to healthcare systems and robots. The underlying skills are also highly transferable, which makes the field feel flexible and full of possibility.
I also like that there are always new applications for software. Recent advances in generative AI, for example, have made it possible to tackle problems that once seemed almost impossible. It makes the field feel forward-looking and exciting.
Key to achieving meaningful results
Two of the main factors for me have been time management and understanding requirements.
Roughly planning each week helps me spread work out more evenly and avoid the pressure of leaving things to the last minute. I also try to set aside blocks of time to work with full focus and no distractions. Aiming to finish assignments a few days early makes study less stressful and gives me more time to improve the final result.
For school or university assignments, understanding requirements comes down to carefully reading both the task sheet and the marking rubric, identifying what is expected, and clarifying any ambiguities with a teacher if needed. That has been a habit since high school, and its importance has only become clearer through software and systems engineering studies.
Kai Westlake at the University of Adelaide prize ceremony with Simon Ratcliffe, Professor of Practice in Software Engineering and Head of Experimentation and Technology at Maptek
Describe your dream career
In high school I was interested in areas like space exploration, robots and artificial intelligence, and that interest is still there.
More broadly, I would like to work on systems that are genuinely useful and have a meaningful impact. I have not yet settled on one specific area, but I know I want to contribute to work that makes a real difference.
Impact of the award on your career
I think this award will help me stand out to employers as proof of my ability to work hard and build competence across different areas of the field. I hope this recognition from a respected company like Maptek will help me pursue opportunities and begin my career in the industry.
Aspirations for the future
I look forward to continuing to learn and eventually contributing to something that makes a positive impact on people’s lives.
The Maptek Geology Challenge returned for its fifth year in 2025 with the theme: Is machine learning here to replace implicit modelling, or can the two work together to drive better outcomes?
Maptek, a global leader in innovative mining technology, today announced the acquisition of PETRA, a pioneer in orebody learning and data fusion technology, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of mining decision‑support solutions.
On the back of successful demonstrations at MINExpo International in Las Vegas in September, Maptek is excited to announce that its Maptek Vestrex ecosystem for automation and orchestration is open for early access customers.
Maptek has awarded the 2024 Maptek Mine Design prize to University of Adelaide Mining Engineering students Ryan Braes, Ben Barrow, Mitchell Roberts, Guillaume Stander and Mitchell Jakab for their outstanding effort in this year’s competition.
Estimates of the capital expense and operating costs during mine life, along with internal rate of financial return, were determined based on the principles taught during the semester.
First prize in this year’s Maptek Geology Challenge has been awarded to Miguel Aliaga Oblitas, who showed how DomainMCF improved model consistency and reduced processing time in advanced multivariable geological modelling.
For additional information about Maptek, including use of the Maptek logo, product images
and reproduction of case studies, please direct inquiries to info@maptek.com.au
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