A bio-engineer who is finding ways to 3-D print replacement body parts, a star astronomer and the inventor of the world’s most accurate clock are among the stellar crop of 25 new Fellows elected this year to the Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE).
The new Fellows are trailblazers whose work is changing the world for the better.
They encompass experts in a range of fields including medical technology, agriculture, civil engineering, space and mining.
Professor Hala Zreiqat AM FTSE from the University of Sydney invented a type of ceramic biomaterial that can be used as a scaffold to regrow bone, and then developed the 3-D technology to individually tailor the prosthetics for accident and cancer patients.
Dr Sarah Pearce FTSE heads up CSIRO’s new space program and has a leading role in Australia in the creation of the Square Kilometre Array – the world’s largest radio telescope.
Professor Andrew Luiten FTSE is a precision measurement expert from the University of Adelaide whose high-performing clock has been incorporated by the Jindalee Over-the-Horizon Radar system to make Australia safer.
The new Fellows also include Dr Steve Jefferies FTSE who founded Australian Grain Technologies in 2002 and grew it into a $220 million company, and Gordon Naylor FTSE who turned the fortunes of vaccine-producer Seqirus around and is now an angel investor in many Australian tech start-ups.
ATSE President Hugh Bradlow said the collective impact of the group’s work cannot be underestimated.
“ATSE Fellows are elected by their peers for outstanding contributions to advancing engineering, technology and applied science: these are the best of the best,” Professor Bradlow said.
“They have advanced health care and food production, found new ways to purify water, grown the renewable energy sector, created new building materials, and transformed computing power.
“Many of the Academy of Technology and Engineering’s 2020 new Fellows have had a transformative influence on entire sectors, and established world-leading Australian businesses.
“As Fellows, their expertise will be put to use to contribute to ATSE’s mission to provide expert evidence-based advice to governments and society.”
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.
The new Fellows for 2020 are:
ACT
• Professor Elanor Huntington FTSE – Dean, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Australian National University
• Dr Steve Jefferies AO FTSE – former Managing Director, Grains Research & Development Corporation
NSW
• Trevor Danos AM FTSE – Chair, Northern Sydney Local Health District
• Professor Renate Egan FTSE – Professor, University of New South Wales
• Professor Stuart Khan FTSE – Professor, University of New South Wales
• Dr Sarah Pearce FTSE – Deputy Director, CSIRO Astronomy & Space Science
• Professor Simon Ringer FTSE – Academic Director, Core Research Facilities, University of Sydney
• Professor Cordelia Selomulya FTSE – Professor, University of New South Wales
• Distinguished Professor Daichao Sheng FTSE – Head and Distinguished Professor, University of Technology
• Professor Mark Stewart FTSE – Professor, University of Newcastle
• Professor Hala Zreiqat AM FTSE – Professor and Director, University of Sydney
• Professor Willy Zwaenepoel FTSE – Dean of Engineering, University of Sydney
VIC
• Richard Bolt FTSE – Adjunct Professor of Energy Transformation, Swinburne University of Technology
• Professor Sally Gras FTSE – Professor, University of Melbourne
• Robert Klupacs FTSE – Chief Executive Officer, Bionics Institute
• Gordon Naylor FTSE – Retired President of Seqiris
SA
• Professor Andre Luiten FTSE – Director, Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing, University of Adelaide
• Professor Anton van den Hengel FTSE – Co-Director, Australian Institute for Machine Learning, University of Adelaide
WA
• Professor Liang Cheng FTSE – Winthrop Professor, University of Western Australia
• Distinguished Professor Kingsley Dixon FTSE – John Curtin Distinguished Professor, Curtin University
• Vanessa Torres FTSE – Chief Technical Officer, South32
QLD
• Professor Vicki Chen FTSE – Executive Dean of Engineering, Architecture and IT, University of Queensland
• Professor Alice Clark FTSE – Deputy Director, Strategy Sustainable Minerals Institute, University of Queensland
• Professor Darren Martin FTSE – Professor, University of Queensland
• Professor Shazia Sadiq FTSE – Professor, University of Queensland
Note to media: Profiles of the new Fellows can be found here www.atse.org.au/NewFellows2020
Media contact: Liz Foschia E | liz.foschia@atse.org.au M | 0419 976 903