Beam me up
A UTS-led research team whose game-changing antenna technology is making Australia safer has taken out one of Australia’s premier science awards.
Prof Karu Esselle (centre) and Dr Dush Thalakotuna discuss their meta-steering technology. Photo Kevin Anastacio.
The MetaSteerers team, led by Distinguished Professor Karu Esselle, was awarded the 2023 Department of Defence Eureka Prize for Outstanding Science in Safeguarding Australia in a ceremony held in Sydney last night.
Using metasurfaces - ultra-thin disks that mimic the functionality of thicker materials – their antenna systems are making defence communication and surveillance more efficient, secure and precise.
The MetaSteerers team includes members from UTS, the Australian Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) and Macquarie University.
"We have developed new technology that has resulted in antenna systems which are thin but can transmit a wide bandwidth of data and can be steered in a range of directions,” Distinguished Professor Esselle says.
“This new method has produced unprecedented performance and will change the way information is transmitted.”
“We’re thrilled to have our innovation recognised with a prestigious Eureka Prize.”
0:00:01 - Karu Esselle, UTS:
Metasteering is a method to steer the beam of any antenna. Take an antenna with a fixed beam and place a metasurface like this and rotate it to steer its beam.
We applied this method with our collaborators in the Defence Science and Technology Group to solve several national security challenges in Australia for example in telecommunications and surveillance.
UTS had two other finalists in this year’s Australian Museum Eureka Prizes, both in the Department of Environment and Heritage Eureka Prize for Applied Environmental Research:
- Protecting water quality at Australian beaches, led by Professor Justin Seymour and his team with partners Central Coast Council and NSW Department of Planning and Environment
- Sustainable wastewater treatment, led by Professor Qilin Wang and his team with partner South East Water.
UTS Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Kate McGrath, paid tribute to the outstanding scientific achievements of the Eureka Prize winner and finalists.
“The Eureka Prizes are the pre-eminent national science awards and it’s a huge achievement for Karu and his team. This is great recognition of the outstanding work of by one of our leading engineering teams who are working at the cutting edge of their field,” she says.
“Congratulations to Karu and our other finalists for so ably representing UTS on the national stage.”
The Australian Museum Eureka Prizes is Australia's most prestigious science and technology awards with 18 categories presented this year including research & innovation, leadership, science engagement and school science.
