A chemical engineer from The University of Western Australia was announced as the joint winner of the top prize at the 2024 WA Young Tall Poppy awards ceremony last night.

Forrest Fellow Dr Neil Robinson, from UWA’s Department of Chemical Engineering, was recognised as an overall winner of the award by the Australian Institute of Policy and Science.

The awards recognise academics’ research and passion for communicating science beyond the walls of the laboratory.

Dr Robinson works at the forefront on designing porous materials for energy and decarbonisation applications, including the transformation of hydrogen into easily transportable liquids, and the production of low-carbon fuels from waste.

“I’m really honoured to receive this recognition,” Dr Robinson said. “Energy is such an important topic — one that impacts every moment of our lives.

“Enhancing scientific engagement in this area is critical in accomplishing an energy transition that is valued and sustained across the entire community, and it’s a privilege to get to talk about my research in such an important context.”

He shares the prize with Dr Liezhou Zhong from Edith Cowan University. Dr Zhong’s research focuses on how new food processing technologies such as 3D food printing can improve human nutrition and health.

Three other UWA researchers were announced as finalists last month: Lecturer and Research Fellow Dr Kelsey Pool, from UWA’s School of Agriculture and Environment, who works with the livestock industry to understand how the environment challenges reproduction; NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow Dr Lucy Furfaro, from UWA’s Medical School, who leads research to tackle infections during pregnancy and early-life; and Dr Danuta Sampson, from UWA’s School of Allied Health and a Senior Research Fellow at the Lions Eye Institute, who designs and constructs non-invasive ophthalmic imaging instruments.