An organ transplant pioneer, Telehealth innovator, world-leading oceanographer, community housing champion and researcher at the forefront of neurological rehabilitation are among the nominees announced for the 2027 Australian of the Year Awards for Western Australia.
The University of Western Australia researchers and graduates have been recognised for making an impact across health and medicine, mentoring, community and social support, innovation, marine conservation and science.
Dr Emily Zhen, from UWA's Medical School, and Esther Oh, who graduated from UWA with a Masters in commercial and resources law, are Australian of the Year nominees for WA.
Dr Zhen is developing an innovative preservation technology that aims to give transplant recipients the best chance of a successful outcome.
The founder of Materia Health, Dr Zhen has an unwavering focus on saving lives, is driving change in patient care with the goal of improving health outcomes for people around the world.
After her son lost his vision due to delayed treatment during COVID-19 lockdown and skills shortages, Ms Oh founded Agili8 to teleport the 'virtual’ eyes and hands of multi-disciplinary medical experts – using smart glasses and smartphones – to remote frontline areas.
Despite battling an aggressive cancer, Ms Oh pioneered her telehealth solution with remote Aboriginal communities to deliver a culturally safe model of care.
Agili8’s breakthroughs transcend time, distance, costs, manpower, socio-cultural and language barriers to close the gap for Aboriginal and remote communities.
Professor Charitha Pattiaratchi, from UWA's Ocean Institute, and Michelle Blakeley, who graduated from UWA with Honours in Architecture, are Senior Australian of the Year nominees for WA.
Professor Pattiaratchi's work has been hugely influential in expanding our understanding of how the oceans impact our lives.
Through groundbreaking research techniques, such as autonomous ocean gliders, he has made important discoveries about the behaviour of waves, currents, tides and coastal hazard events such as tsunamis.
His research has practical results in improving marine safety and coastal planning as well as predicting how changing ocean conditions affect us all.
Ms Blakeley brings together community groups, the private sector and government agencies to tackle the challenges of long-term homelessness in WA.
She founded My Home, a philanthropic housing developer delivering projects on unused sites, providing affordable, secure accommodation for people who are experiencing homelessness, particularly single parents and young mothers with newborns as well as older women.
Ms Blakeley's championing of My Home has shown how housing inequality can be addressed project by project, bringing hope and dignity to many vulnerable people in need of a secure place to live.
Dr Dayna Pool, who completed a PhD (physiotherapy) at UWA in 2016, is a WA Local Hero nominee.
Dr Pool is widely recognised as a leader in neurological rehabilitation whose work is transforming the treatment of children and young adults living with neurological conditions and injuries.
She founded Healthy Strides Foundation, a not-for-profit facility that focuses on developing intensive, evidence-based rehabilitation therapies developed on the latest research.
Alongside her clinical practice, Dr Pool is co-creator of the podcast ResearchWorks, which focuses on the latest research from clinicians and disability advocates, and is developing a Healthy Strides Community Hub to support young people with mobility challenges as they transition out of paediatric care.
There were 16 nominees from WA among the 131 people recognised across all states and territories in the 2027 Australian of the Year Awards.
The WA award recipients will be announced on Friday 30 October 2026 at a ceremony in Perth. The WA recipients will then join recipients from the other states and territories as finalists for the national Australian of the Year Awards announced in Canberra on 25 January 2027.
Image top: Professor Charitha Pattiaratchi, Dr Emily Zhen, Michelle Blakeley, Esther Oh and Dr Dayna Pool.