Dudley Roach recently retired from CQUniversity after a long association with this institution which began in 1973.  He joined the University's research effort in railways in 1994 with the train dynamics project.  This project was the beginning of a series of research activities, with budgets totalling millions of dollars, that continue to this day.  In 2001, Dudley was appointed as Chief Executive Officer, Cooperative Research Centre for Railway Engineering and Technology and assumed the role of Professor at that time.  Without his drive, vision and personal industry contacts, the Centre could not have succeeded.  It is through his ongoing board membership for Rail Innovations Australia, that Dudley will retain his involvement with this University.

Dudley's early work in the train dynamics area has had a direct positive effect on the operations of Queensland Rail.  His work in simulation and driver training has had an impact on energy consumption that has been highlighted as a major greenhouse abatement achievement in the Queensland Rail annual reports.  The importance of his research group is best reflected by the international recognition and linkages Dudley has been able to develop, including a reciprocal membership with the Transportation Technology Centre in Pueblo Colorado, the world's largest and most prolific railway research institute.

Dudley's distinguished research career is in an industrially-focused field.  He has made a significant contribution to research, producing numerous publications and co-authoring many project reports, as well as being guest speaker at several conferences and receiving millions of dollars in research grants.