One of Australia’s most esteemed Aboriginal educators, Australia’s leading net zero emissions innovators, a bush-fire predictor and an inventor of rapid COVID-19 saliva testing are among the trail-blazing group of Fellows elected this year to the Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE).
The new Fellows are at the top of their fields, encompassing sustainable agriculture and construction, renewable energy, telecommunication, mineral resources, civil engineering, pharmaceuticals, robotics and artificial intelligence.
Renowned Indigenous leader, Distinguished Professor Marcia Langton FTSE from the University of Melbourne, has been named an Honorary Fellow for championing the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge systems and science in shaping Australia.
Professor Richard Eckard FTSE from the University of Melbourne has developed the first greenhouse gas accounting tools for agriculture. His research has provided the scientific basis for carbon offset methods, including sequestering carbon in soil.
Professor Jason Sharples FTSE from the University of NSW, a Bundjalung man, uses predictive mathematical models to prevent catastrophic bushfires fires. His research framed the recommendations of the NSW Bushfire Inquiry (2019-2020).
Dr Sue Keay FTSE, one of Australia’s most influential leaders in artificial intelligence and robotics, led Australia’s first robotics roadmap.
The group of Fellows have also been at the forefront of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr Andrew Nash FTSE from CSL, one of the world’s largest biotech companies, has been at the vanguard of combatting the virus through vaccine manufacturing. Distinguished Professor Dayong Jin FTSE from the University of Technology helped developed a saliva test for COVID-19 that detects the virus within 10 minutes.
The new Fellows also count private sector leaders including sustainable mining champion, Sandeep Biswas, who has set his company Newcrest’s goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050; and Kelly Bayer Rosmarin FTSE, who has transformed telecommunications company Optus through launching its ‘Living Network’, a collection of on-demand network features which adapts to customer needs.
ATSE President Hugh Bradlow said the new Fellows are front-runners in growing Australia’s standing as a top technologically driven nation.
“ATSE Fellows are elected by their peers for outstanding contributions to advancing engineering, technology and applied science: they are shaping Australia’s future,” Professor Bradlow said.
“They are at the forefront of combatting climate change – creating alternatives to cement for construction; and new lupin and oat varieties in the face of surging demand for plant-based protein.
“They are shaping Australia’s digital future by equipping children with computing skills urgently needed for their careers, transforming our telecommunications landscape, and using artificial intelligence to counter electronic warfare.”
Ten of the new Fellows are women and nearly half are from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, reflecting the Academy’s commitment to gender equity and diversity.
New Fellows 2021
Chief Operating Officer, Aurecon
Louise Adams is an engineer, business manager and a prominent leader in infrastructure.
Professor Kenneth Baldwin FTSE
Director, ANU Grand Challenge: Zero-Carbon Energy for the Asia-Pacific
Professor Ken Baldwin is a leader in the global energy transition and has created significant initiatives to address energy change in response to climate change.
CEO, Optus
Kelly Bayer is behind the evolution of Optus as a technology company, with the industry-leading launch of the ‘Living Network’ to empower and enrich customer experiences and interactions with their mobile network.
Managing Director and CEO, Newcrest Mining Limited
Sandeep Biswas is a global leader in sustainable mining and his company has become a leader in the mining technique known as block-caving, resulting in reduced downtime and increases in productivity and safety.
Professor Elizabeth Croft FTSE
Dean of Engineering, Monash University
Professor Elizabeth Croft is an expert in human-robot interaction and her research seeks to advance the collaboration between people and robots in safe, predictable and helpful ways.
Director of ARC Nanocomm Hub, Monash University
Professor Wenhui Duan is a structural engineer building a more sustainable and liveable Australia by using the science of the ultra-small to transform construction materials.
Professor of Sustainable Agriculture, University of Melbourne, and Director, Primary Industries Climate Challenges Centre
Professor Richard Eckard is a world authority on sustainable agricultural production and he developed the first greenhouse gas accounting tools for agriculture.
Executive Dean of Science, Engineering and Built Environment, Deakin University
Professor Karen Hapgood is a leading chemical engineer whose research on engineering powder particles is used worldwide by the pharmaceutical industry to enhance manufacturing processes for new drugs.
Distinguished Professor Dayong Jin FTSE
Australian Laureate Fellow, Director, Institute for Biomedical Materials & Devices (IBMD), University of Technology Sydney
Distinguished Professor Dayong Jin is an acclaimed scientist who develops biomedical, analytical, and imaging devices that will detect diseases much earlier, including cancer.
CEO, Geoscience Australia
Dr James Johnson is a geologist with over 35 years’ experience and is an international leader in applying geoscience to solving society’s major economic, social and environmental challenges.
Chief Executive Officer, Queensland AI Hub, and Chair, Robotics Australia
Dr Sue Keay is one of Australia’s most influential leaders in artificial intelligence and robotics. She led the development of Australia’s first robotics roadmap.
Chief of Cyber and Electronic Warfare Division, Defence Science and Technology Group
Dr Dale Lambert is a world class scientist in high-level information fusion, using artificial intelligence to integrate and analyse multiple data sources enabling decision superiority for the defence and intelligence communities.
Professor and Director, Western Crop Genetics Alliance, Murdoch University and Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
Professor Chengdao Li is a geneticist and breeder who has developed breeding technologies and released world leading varieties to facilitate Australia’s barley industry transformation.
Distinguished Professor Ivan Marusic FTSE FAA
Deputy Dean (Research), The University of Melbourne
Distinguished Professor Ivan Marusic is an eminent researcher on fluid mechanics – Ivan’s discovery of ‘superstructures’ in wall-bounded turbulence was a breakthrough.
Director, Manufacturing Futures Research Institute, Swinburne University of Technology
Professor Sally McArthur is a leading biomedical engineer, passionate about using engineering principles to improve human wellbeing. At CSIRO, she was a member of the team that developed extended wear contact lenses.
CSIRO Fellow, CSIRO Manufacturing
Dr Graeme Moad is a renowned chemist at the forefront of polymer science. Graeme was a key inventor of CSIRO’s RAFT technology, which has garnered worldwide acclaim.
Chief Scientific Officer, CSL
Dr Andrew Nash is a global leader in biopharmaceuticals. CSL is one of the world’s largest biotech companies and has invested more than US$4 billion in R&D in the last five years.
Provost and Vice-Chancellor, University of Technology Sydney
Professor Andrew Parfitt is a respected university administrator with a strong background in engineering and technology, including telecommunications and space science.
Deputy Director, CSIRO Agriculture and Food
Dr Michael Robertson is an outstanding agricultural scientist playing a crucial role in research addressing the existential challenges facing Australian farmers in a changing climate.
Professor of Bushfire Dynamics, University of NSW
Professor Jason Sharples is a mathematical scientist and internationally recognised expert in dynamic bushfire behaviour and extreme bushfire development.
Chief Executive Officer, Bellberry Limited
Kylie Sproston is a chartered engineer and internationally experienced leader in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries with a strong focus on manufacturing.
Enterprise Professor, Melbourne Business School and The University of Melbourne
Professor Hugh Williams is best known as one of the inventors of Infinite Scroll and leader of Google Maps’ product and engineering teams. He also held executive roles at eBay and Microsoft.
Cisco Chair and Professor of Digital Health Systems, Flinders University
Professor Trish Williams is passionate about improving healthcare through technology. Trish led a project to develop a benchmark for hospitals to evaluate their digital infrastructure. This benchmark is now an international standard.
Distinguished Professor Irene Yarovsky FTSE
School of Engineering, RMIT University
Distinguished Professor Irene Yarovsky is a world leading researcher. She is co-leader of the Australian Steel Innovations Research Hub where academia and industry work in an integrated, value chain-wide approach on projects including sustainability of iron and steelmaking.
Associate Dean (International), Faculty of Engineering, UNSW Sydney
Professor Xiao-Lin Zhao leads research into sustainable alternatives to cement, the world’s single biggest industrial cause of carbon pollution, including work on concrete utilising seawater, sea sand, recycled aggregate and industrial waste such as slag and fly ash.
Honorary Fellow
Distinguished Professor Marcia Langton AO FTSE FASSA
Associate Provost, University of Melbourne
Distinguished Professor Marcia Langton is an anthropologist, geographer and public intellectual and is recognised internationally for her ground-breaking work modernising the mining industry’s engagement with Indigenous people, particularly in the difficult area of negotiating and settling agreements.
Foreign Fellow
Distinguished Professor Menachem Elimelech FTSE
Sterling Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University
Distinguished Professor Menachem Elimelech is an acclaimed environmental engineer, widely known for his work addressing the global water crisis.