In asset-driven industries like mining, even a single hour of downtime can be financially damaging, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. So, when a piece of machinery needs maintenance, handling this efficiently can make the difference between an affordable delay and a costly setback.
Once you’ve worked for multiple years in an operational team, like Girish Hebbani has, you start to notice the patterns:
- communication gaps that slow things down
- siloed processes that prevent teams from coordinating effectively
- a fragmented system that struggles when unexpected events occur.
Frustrated after seeing the same issues arise time and again, Girish decided to take action in an unexpected way – by starting a PhD.
“I chose research because I wanted to stop watching problems repeat and start creating real solutions,” he says.
“I wanted to prove that it’s never too late to learn, grow, and make a difference, and that anyone with passion and curiosity can rewrite their own future.”
After years in industry, I realised that experience gives insight, but research gives power – the power to transform ideas into broader impact.
Inefficient systems are a particular pain point for Girish, who has witnessed their impact not only at work, but also in his personal life. During a life-threatening medical emergency, when he needed to be taken from one hospital to another, the wrong ambulance arrived.
“The delay that followed slowed the transfer between ICUs at a time when every minute mattered,” says Girish.
“I was in a coma at the time and unaware of what was happening, but my family experienced the stress and uncertainty firsthand.”
Reflecting on the incident later, it struck Girish that in high-stake environments – whether health care or mining – breakdowns in coordination, communication and system integration can have serious consequences.
“The same inefficiencies I’d seen repeatedly in industrial maintenance were playing out in a completely different setting,” he says.
“This reinforced to me that delays are rarely caused by one individual or task – they are usually the result of fragmented systems that don’t work seamlessly together.”
This insight became the foundation of his research.
Developing a new framework to optimise asset productivity
The core concept of Girish’s PhD research is to improve equipment availability and productivity by reducing maintenance downtime.
Why a ‘pitstop’?
Girish likes to compare maintenance in the mining industry to the pitstop in a Formula One race.
“When a race car pulls into the pitstop, every second counts – the faster the team works together to refuel, change tyres, and check safety, the quicker the car gets back on the track,” he says.
“And if the pitstop takes too long… they lose the race.”
Similarly, large mining machines require regular maintenance to keep operating smoothly, but when they stop for maintenance, production stops as well. And this downtime is expensive – every minute equals real revenue and productivity lost.
This perspective is what led to Girish naming his PhD project “Pitstop Perfection”.
In pursuit of this pitstop perfection, Girish is designing a fully integrated framework that will straighten out the kinks in the standard Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) value chain.
“My PhD aims to find a better, more efficient way to organise everything that happens before, during, and after these maintenance stops: from planning, parts supply and tools, to people, communication and technology,” he says.
“By improving how all these pieces work together, we can reduce downtime, improve safety, increase production, and deliver major savings for industry.”
Girish hopes his research will have a positive impact on overall workforce wellbeing, and this vision isn’t limited to the mining sector. The scalable model he’s developing could be applied across other asset-heavy industries as well, such as energy, rail, defence, and aviation.
“Ultimately, the goal is to create research that delivers tangible impact, helping Australian organisations operate smarter, safer and more sustainably while setting a global benchmark in asset productivity."
Girish’s collaborative PhD experience
Girish is completing his PhD with the UQ School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering, supported by his supervisory team:
- Professor Peter Knights, his primary supervisor and the school’s Discipline Lead for Mining
- Associate Professor Saiied Aminossadati, an internationally recognised and highly cited researcher in systems engineering, computational thermofluids, fibre optic sensing and underground mine ventilation
- Associate Professor Mehmet Kizil, program leader for mining engineering at UQ.
A complex problem like equipment downtime requires expertise across a variety of disciplines, so it was essential for Girish to complete his research in a collaborative environment.
“At UQ, I’ve been able to work with academics and peers from multidisciplinary backgrounds, each bringing unique perspectives that strengthen the research,” he says.
“This collaboration has allowed me to challenge assumptions, explore innovative methods, and translate industry experience into academically rigorous and practical solutions.”
Girish’s research sits at the intersection of multiple fields:
- operations
- engineering
- supply chain
- data analytics
- leadership
- human behaviour.
Merging the knowledge from mining professionals on the ground and engineering academics has also been vital to his PhD so far.
“My research combines real-world operational insight with structured research methodology to identify systemic bottlenecks, quantify improvement potential, and propose a practical model that industry can adopt.”
What led Girish to studying a PhD at UQ?
The push to complete a PhD came after years of working alongside operational teams in asset-intensive environments, where Girish saw firsthand how costly and frustrating equipment downtime could be.
“What inspired me was the belief that there had to be a better way – a more integrated, data-driven, end-to-end approach to the MRO value chain,” he says.
“My thesis was born from the desire to transform real operational pain points into structured research that could genuinely improve asset availability, reduce downtime, and unlock productivity at scale.”
“The potential to create meaningful impact for industry and fellow maintainers is what fuels my passion every day.”
While choosing a university for his PhD, Girish recognised that UQ provides a research environment where academic excellence and practical application go hand in hand, supported by both world-class scholars and strong industry connections.
“UQ is a university that values tangible impact and embraces diverse perspectives, including mature-age professionals with deep industry experience,” he says.
“I felt genuinely welcomed, listened to, and encouraged to transform an industry problem into meaningful research.”
“The opportunity to work with leading supervisors, access cutting-edge research capability, and be part of a collaborative and innovative community made UQ the ideal place to pursue my PhD. It is a place where bold ideas are supported, and where research has the power to create real change.”
And how did Girish know UQ was like this before he started his PhD? Well, he comes from a purple household.
“I was the only one in my family who didn’t have a UQ email address,” he says, smiling.
“So I had to close that gap!”
Girish’s advice for future PhD candidates
If you’re on the fence about starting a PhD, Girish’s top tip is a simple one: Just start. He doesn’t believe in waiting until you feel ‘fully ready’, because that feeling never truly comes.
“If you have a question that keeps you awake at night or a problem you believe deserves a better solution, that’s your signal,” he says.
“A PhD is not about being the smartest person in the room. It’s about being curious, persistent, and willing to learn. You don’t need to have all the answers – you just need the courage to ask the right questions.”
Finding the right people to encourage and mentor you is also an important step.
“Surround yourself with people who support your vision, and don’t be afraid to reach out for guidance,” says Girish.
“The journey will challenge you, stretch you, and change you, but it is one of the most rewarding experiences you can undertake.”
“Your voice, your story and your perspective matter. And the world needs them.”
Ready to embark on your own research journey?
