Four Young Tall Poppy Science Awards for University of Sydney

Dr Deanna D’Alessandro, one of the four University of Sydney winners.

Four University of Sydney scientists have won Young Tall Poppy Science Awards from the Australian Institute of Policy and Science, announced at an awards ceremony on 3 November 2011.

The prestigious annual science awards recognise young scientists who are doing outstanding work in their field and actively engage and educate the community about their work.

The University of Sydney winners are: Deanna D’Alessandro, from the School of Chemistry; Boris Kuhlmey, from the School of Physics; Peter Liddicoat, from the Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis; and Michelle Peate, from the School of Psychology.

Receiving their awards at the Powerhouse Museum, the University of Sydney winners are four of the eleven scientists honoured with 2011 Young Tall Poppy Science Awards in NSW.

"I’d like to congratulate our four Young Tall Poppy Science Award winners this year. It’s a wonderful recognition of not only their excellent research, but also their engagement with schools and the wider community," said Professor Trevor Hambley , Dean of the Faculty of Science.

"The University of Sydney has done extremely well in having four of our scientists win Young Tall Poppy Science Awards of the eleven award recipients this year in NSW," said Professor Hambley.

"Over the past eleven years of the Young Tall Poppy Science Awards, University of Sydney scientists have been honoured every year, which is a great of the research outputs and engagement with community fostered at our university," said Professor Hambley.

Professor Bryan Gaensler , from the School of Physics and Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for All-sky Astrophysics (CAASTRO), at the University of Sydney, was the Keynote Speaker at the awards ceremony.

The Young Tall Poppy Award winners will spend the next year engaging with teachers, school students, parents and the broader community around NSW and across Australia as part of the Tall Poppy Campaign.

The four University of Sydney Young Tall Poppy Science Award winners in 2011 are:

Deanna D’Alessandro , from the School of Chemistry , is developing ’Metal-Organic Frameworks’ (or MOFs) to capture and convert carbon dioxide emitted from power plants and natural gas wells. These materials have unique optical and electronic properties and can act as ’molecular sponges’ to mop up greenhouse gases - one teaspoon full can have a surface area equivalent to an entire football field. They have the potential to significantly reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by power plants and may help to reduce the penalty for capture using current technologies.

Boris Kuhlmey , from the School of Physics , researches and develops optical fibres used in microscopes and for medical tools. His work focuses on how the fibres’ microscopic structure affects light travelling through it. Boris has been developing fibres perforated with microscopic holes. Kuhlmey has also been working on inserting metallic nano-strands into fibre to adjust its optical properties.

Peter Liddicoat , from the Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis , focuses on observing the atomic structure of metals in order to engineer and improve properties. Liddicoat has significantly contributed to the research in alloy materials design through his engineering of an advanced aluminium alloy in 2010. Thismaterial possesses the strength of ultra high strength steel, yet weighs only a third as much.

Michelle Peate , from the School of Psychology , is passionate about helping individuals affected by cancer through her research which looks at the needs of cancer victims and developing accessible tools to meet those needs. With a focus on a younger demographic, Peate specifically looks at the issues affecting women who have been affected by cancer, such as fertility, menopause and life after cancer.

George Hobbs from CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science received the UNSW Medal and prize for the Young Tall Poppy Scientist of the Year. Hobbs also has a University of Sydney connection as an adjunct senior lecturer in the School of Physics.