High fives for UTS finalists in 2024 Eureka Prizes
Five researchers from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) have been announced as finalists in the prestigious 2024 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes, the nation's highest-profile science awards.
The five researchers are recognised for their ground-breaking contributions to environmental engineering, biomedical science, data science and art/science collaboration. Their innovative work is transforming wastewater management, social media dynamics, environmental biotechnology and science photography.
Sustainable wastewater treatment (Professor Qilin Wang)
2024 Eureka Prize for Environmental Research
Wastewater facilities in Australia and around the world cause significant environmental damage. Professor Qilin Wang and his team have partnered with South East Water to create a new methodology for sewage treatment. His work is focused on removing undesirable microplastics, microbes, pathogens, antibiotic-resistant genes and forever chemicals from sewerage sludge.
In collaboration with SE Water and Water Research Australia, we have developed a new technology that addresses the environmental challenges related to wastewater treatment. Our onsite close loop solution reduces the discharge of antibiotic resistant GM's pathogens, micro plastics and forever chemicals into the environment. Our technology also cast waste discharge carbon emissions as a physical footprint of treatment tanks.
Behavioural data science and combating disinformation (Associate Professor Marian-Andrei Rizoiu)
2024 Department of Defence Eureka Prize for Outstanding Science in Safeguarding Australia
Dr Marian-Andrei Rizoiu's research has made significant contributions to online popularity prediction, real-time tracking and countering disinformation campaigns, and addressing labour market mismatches. He developed theoretical models for online information diffusion, explaining why certain content becomes popular and how problematic content can be detected based on its spread.
My research builds stochastic models. These are mathematical approximations of how information travels from one individual to the other within online social networks. This allows us to understand phenomenon like popularity, virality, or even why misinformation catches on successful solutions will allow us to design countermeasures and to approximate the effectiveness in order to be able to safeguard Australia's future.
Advancing environmental biotechnology (Dr Wei Wei)
2024 Macquarie University Eureka Prize for Outstanding Early Career Researcher
Dr Wei Wei’s research aims to transform waste from a troublesome pollutant to a valuable resource with maximised energy recovery. Her work addresses the adverse impacts of emerging contaminants such as microplastics and nanoplastics on energy recovery in wastewater and sludge treatment systems. She is recognised as a pioneer in revolutionising urban wastewater and sludge management science and practice.
Australian aviation industry faces energy shortage and high carbon emission. My research aims to build a sustainable bio aviation energy network by fully exploring the resources in biowaste for renewable jet fuels, reducing the aviation industry’s reliance on fossil fuels. I provide a series of novel and sustainable technologies to transform biowaste from a troublesome waste to various valuable but largely untapping renewable energy. By these new technologies, I hope to create a more sustainable future for both the aviation and waste-management sectors.
Innovative regenerative therapies (Dr Jiao Jiao Li)
2024 Eureka Prize for Emerging Leader in Science
Dr Jiao Jiao (JJ) Li is a biomedical engineer specialising in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, envisions a future where stem cells and bioactive materials are personalised to offer optimal treatments for major diseases. Leading a dedicated research team, she is pioneering regenerative therapies for bone and joint disorders—debilitating conditions that impact hundreds of millions of individuals worldwide irrespective of age.
I believe that everyone is entitled to healthy ageing. My research programme in regenerative medicine finds new ways to treat bone and joint diseases using stem cell biotherapeutics, biotic materials and organochip devices. My goal is to bring medical technologies from the laboratory to patients in this journey. I'm passionate about supporting people emerging underrepresented groups and fostering the growth of a diverse and inclusive STEM community.
The CLOAK Project (Associate Prof Cherine Fahd along with Dr Todd Robinson (UTS), Associate Professor Alice Motion (USyd), Professor Lee Wallace (USyd), Dr Victoria Rawlings (USyd), Kelly Panchyshyn (USyd))
STEM Inclusion prize in 2024
In a field where many professionals remain closeted, Cherine Fahd from UTS undertook an inspiring project. This cross-disciplinary initiative celebrates diversity in science through fashion photography and video performance. Cherine Fahd’s new video work capturing this sustainable co-design experiment features the vibrant backdrops of the UTS Fashion Lab and the University of Sydney’s School of Chemistry.
For LGBTIQA+ people to enjoy learning science or reach our full potential in STEMM careers we need to feel included and that we belong. “CLOAK” celebrates the diversity of science and scientists by transforming the traditional white lab coat into a vibrant tool for queer self-expression and visibility in science. As an interdisciplinary collaboration among professional and emerging scientists and designers, our team blends science, art and queerness to create a more inclusive future.
UTS Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Kate McGrath, expressed pride in the achievements of these researchers.
“Congratulations to our Eureka Prize finalists – this is a significant achievement for them and their teams. Everyone at UTS is proud of the groundbreaking research conducted by these teams and we look forward to seeing the impact their work will have in the future,” she said.
The winners will be announced at a ceremony on 4 September 2024, recognising leaders across diverse scientific fields, including environmental sustainability, cutting-edge technology, citizen science initiatives, and leadership and mentoring.
