Tasmania has honoured its best and brightest innovators at the recent Tasmanian STEM Excellence Awards, recognising breakthroughs in agricultural sustainability, disease prevention, and 3D printing.
Minister for Science and Technology Madeleine Ogilvie said the awards highlighted the crucial contribution of science, research, and innovation to Tasmania’s industries and economy.
The event, held on 19 November, featured 19 finalists across six different categories including primary and secondary teacher of the year, communicator of the year, innovation of the year, early career researcher of the year, and the $10,000 Tasmanian STEM Researcher of the Year.
Among the winners is Associate Professor Matthew Harrison, director of the Carbon Stage Partnership at the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, who took home the Premier’s Tasmanian STEM Researcher of the Year award for his achievements in agricultural sustainability, climate change adaption and greenhouse gas mitigation.
Dr Vipul Gupta from the School of Natural Sciences at the University of Tasmania clinched the STEM Early Career Researcher of the Year award for his research in developing new 3D printed materials and microfluidic analytical systems.
The Minister’s STEM Innovation of the Year award went to the Potato Pathology Team at the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, which developed a groundbreaking product inhibiting powdery scab disease in potato crops.
“Amongst our finalists today were world-renowned researchers working on transformative medical breakthroughs, scientists at the forefront of tracking the changing global climate system and adapting our traditional industries, and innovators developing new technologies across numerous applications,” Ogilvie said.
“The remarkable stories of endeavour and discovery from our finalists and winners will be the stories that write the future of our state and inspire the next generation.”
Since 2016, the STEM awards have become a valued annual celebration of the diversity of science being undertaken in Tasmania.
“The Awards today are an example of government and research institutions working together to recognise the impact and develop the potential of STEM in our community.”
To view the full list of winners, visit premier.tas.gov.au.
