2021 achievements and awards

Professor Mark Burry AO recognised by the Australian Institute of Architects

Director of Swinburne Smart Cities Research Institute, Professor Mark Burry AO has been awarded a fellowship in the Australian Institute of Architects 2021 Victorian Honours list.

Fellowship is awarded to those who have demonstrated a significant contribution to the architecture profession beyond architecture practice. Each nomination requires the endorsement of two voting members and the Chapter Council.

Swinburne’s Centre for Urban Transitions paving the way for a sustainable urban future 

Researchers from Swinburne’s Centre for Urban Transitions have been recognised for their work in enabling healthy and productive urban transitions for sustainable urban futures. 

Professor Peter Newton and Dr Stephen Glackin are the recipients of the Victorian President’s Award for their efforts towards the Greening the Greyfields Project. Described by the International Association of Business Communicators Victoria Executive Leadership Team as ‘inspirational’ and ‘groundbreaking’, the pilot project explores possible areas for landowners to work with their neighbours to amalgamate individual housing lots into one larger parcel of land – known as a “Precinct”.

PhD research student Melissa Pineda-Pinto has been awarded the Peter Harrison Memorial Prize at the State of Australian Cities Conference for her thesis ‘Planning ecologically just cities…’. The prize recognises distinctive contribution to knowledge and capacity for the sustainable development of Australian cities and regions, administered by The Fenner School of Environment and Society and Australian National University Endowment for Excellence, in collaboration with the Australian Cities Research Network (ACRN).

Swinburne’s Centre for Urban Transitions paving the way for a sustainable urban future 

Researchers from Swinburne’s Centre for Urban Transitions have been recognised for their work in enabling healthy and productive urban transitions for sustainable urban futures. 

Professor Peter Newton and Dr Stephen Glackin are the recipients of the Victorian President’s Award for their efforts towards the Greening the Greyfields Project. Described by the International Association of Business Communicators Victoria Executive Leadership Team as ‘inspirational’ and ‘groundbreaking’, the pilot project explores possible areas for landowners to work with their neighbours to amalgamate individual housing lots into one larger parcel of land – known as a “Precinct”.

PhD research student Melissa Pineda-Pinto has been awarded the Peter Harrison Memorial Prize at the State of Australian Cities Conference for her thesis ‘Planning ecologically just cities…’. The prize recognises distinctive contribution to knowledge and capacity for the sustainable development of Australian cities and regions, administered by The Fenner School of Environment and Society and Australian National University Endowment for Excellence, in collaboration with the Australian Cities Research Network (ACRN).

Swinburne sweeps the Nursery and Garden Industry of Victoria’s 2020 Nursey and Garden Student Awards

Three Swinburne representatives have been applauded at the 2020 Nursery and Garden Student Awards by the Nursery and Garden Industry of Victoria. Teagan Faull of Nishiki Nursery won the Young Horticulture Leader of the Year Award, while Jimmy Davis of Gardenworld Nursey was highly commended in the same category. 

The award honours the up-and-coming talent who may only just be starting their career, but exhibit the capability, commitment and vision to become a future leader in the horticulture industry. Swinburne Horticulture teacher Kate O’Grady says it is ‘very significant’ for someone like Miss Faull, who has only recently completed her apprenticeship, to win the award.

Bec Neeson of Warners Nurseries was also highly commended in the blue ribbon category of Horticulture Student of the Year, recognising a strong willingness to contribute to the industry, share learning experiences and is considered an emerging leader in the industry. 

Swinburne's Dr Dimitrios Salampasis named 2021 Blockchain Educator of the Year

Centre for Global Health and Equity Postdoctoral Researcher wins ISOQOL Award

Dr Melanie Hawkins, Postdoctoral Researcher with Swinburne University of Technology’s Centre for Global Health and Equity (CGHE), has won the New Investigator Oral Presentation Award at The International Society for Quality of Life Research (ISOQOL) 2021 Conference.

Her PhD and ISOQOL conference presentation, ‘Making valid decisions using five sources of validity evidence’, investigates the use of the five sources of validity evidence framework in relation to patient-reported outcomes (PRO) measurement and making decisions about health treatment, interventions, programs and policy. 

ISOQOL is the lead organisation for integrating patient perspectives into health research, care and policy. Their Virtual 28th Annual Conference was recently held, and the theme was ‘Making Valid Decisions: Learning from Patient Reported Outcomes’. 

‘Recognition of Dr Hawkins’ presentation by ISOQOL is indicative of the importance and reach of her research across disciplines and research practices,’ says Manager of Strategic Research, Programs and Partnership Ranjit Gajendra Nadarajah.

Swinburne physics student awarded silver for Best Student Paper Awards

Swinburne physics honours student, Daniel Smith, was recently awarded second place for his category in the Best Student Paper Award at the Photonics and Electromagnetics Research Symposium (PIERS) virtual conference. Daniel presented in the ‘Optics and Photonics’ section of the prestigious international conference. His presentation was titled, ‘Rapid Fabrication of Large Area Diffractive Axicons for Astronomical Applications’ and it was up against presentations from PhD candidates from internationally renowned institutions. It is a proud moment for the Nanotechnology Research Facility, led by Professor Saulius Juodkazis.

November 2021

Swinburne student takes home Building Design Awards prize

Swinburne interior design student Sulagna Nanda has won the Best Response to a Design Brief by an Interior Design Student at the 2021 Building Design Awards, hosted by Design Matters National.

Nanda’s designs were praised by the judges as ‘liveable and comfortable’, with a strong focus on ‘natural textures and a muted palette with pops of colour’.

Nanda is currently studying a Diploma of Interior Design at Swinburne and said she was inspired by past students who had won this award to go for it herself.

’It’s been an enriching experience learning the design theories and methodologies here at Swinburne and I am extremely humbled by the recognition given for my work by Design Matters National.’

October 2021

Distinguished Professor Qing-Long Han wins 2021 Norbert Winer Award  

Swinburne’s Pro Vice Chancellor of Research Quality, Distinguished Professor Qing-Long Han has been awarded the 2021 Norbert Wiener Award. Presented at a virtual awards ceremony on 20 October 2021 at the IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man and Cybernetics Society, the achievement marks the first time an Australian researcher has wont this prestigious award.

The Norbert Wiener Award was established in 1980 in honor of Norbert Wiener, who was considered the architect of cybernetics. It recognises outstanding contributions to research in systems science and engineering and cybernetics, and is the highest award in the field.

Carolyn Bendall, Swinburne’s Chief Marketing Officer, named in CMO50 2021

Carolyn Bendall has been named in the CMO50 2021, a prestigious list that acknowledges Australia’s top 50 most innovative and effective Chief Marketing Officers. Coming in at number 19, Carolyn is recognised for her robust strategy for growth, innovative marketing and technology-led approach that embodies Swinburne’s brand belief of people and technology for a better world. Read more.

Dr Emma Lee nominated for Tasmania’s 2022 Australian of the Year Award

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Fellow Dr Emma Lee has been nominated for Tasmania’s 2022 Australian of the Year Award. Dr Lee is a trawlwulwuy woman of tebrakunna country and has been nominated as a key architect of ‘Reset the Relationship’ – a Tasmanian government strategy focused on the themes of recognition, reconciliation and real outcomes for Aboriginal communities in Tasmania.

Dr Lee is also making a profound impact as a sitting member of the Australian Government's National Co-Design Group, developing models so that Indigenous voices can be heard in parliament, and as the first Indigenous Australian to author guidelines for an advisory body to the United Nations.

Swinburne wins International Education Association of Australia Best Practice award

Swinburne’s International Student Advisory and Support team has won an International Education Association of Australia Best Practice award for their groundbreaking International Student Food Delivery Training Program. It provides educational training on work rights, road safety, and legal rights and responsibilities for international students who supplement their income in Australia through the gig economy.

‘The program is a collaboration and a testament to the work we do with various community groups who also share concerns and responsibility for international students in the Victorian community.  Excitingly, there is national interest in using the training materials,’ says Associate Director, International Student Advisory and Support, Desma Smith.

The program was developed with funding from Study Melbourne by the Fit2Drive network, Swinburne University of Technology, D’Accord OAS, and JobWatch Inc.

Swinburne research quality leader awarded prestigious M A Sargent Medal

Swinburne Distinguished Professor Qing-Long Han has been named joint winner of the prestigious 2021 M A Sargent Medal by Engineers Australia. 

Professor Han is an internationally recognised leader in Control Theory and Control Engineering. He is Swinburne’s Pro Vice-Chancellor in Research Quality, responsible for coordinating research performance and research quality improvement initiatives.

The Sargent Medal is awarded for longstanding eminence in science or the practice of electrical engineering and recognises overall career achievements.

Professor Han is also a Highly Cited Researcher by Clarivate Analytics (Thomson Reuters). He was named one of Australia’s top five lifetime achievers (Research Superstars) in Engineering and Computer Science in The Australian’s Research Magazine in 2019 and 2020. 

September 2021

Professor Chris Berndt appointed Distinguished Professor at IIT Madras

Professor Chris Berndt has been appointed Distinguished Professor of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras.

Distinguished Professor Berndt is Professor of Surface Science and Interface Engineering at Swinburne and the Director of the ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre in Surface Engineering for Advanced Materials (SEAM).

 IIT Madras is a globally recognised, top-ranked institution in India. It is a valued research partner for Swinburne, with a joint PhD program and a joint research centre. 

The offer to Professor Berndt is in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of thermally sprayed coatings, protective coatings and biocompatible coatings. 

As part of the five-year appointment, Professor Berndt is invited to visit IIT Madras periodically to deliver lectures and hold discussions with staff and students.

 Professor Berndt’s appointment is a testament to his sustained contributions and the effective international engagement of Swinburne Research.

August 2021

Swinburne alum wins Emerging Australian Filmmaker award

Swinburne Film & TV alum Jordan Giusti has been recognised with the Award for Emerging Australian Filmmaker at the 2021 Melbourne International Film Festival.

Giusti directed the short film Reptile about a group of schoolboys whose tomfoolery turns primal.

Announcing the awards, the jury described the film as a darkly funny and terrifying interrogation of male aggression and toxicity.

‘The film does a superb job of setting up charming, relatable protagonists and a scenario that seems harmless enough, before demonstrating how something as innocent as school children playing a game can descend into brutality when men are left to their own devices,’ the jury said.

Giusti's achievement represents another step forward in his film and television journey, which began with a Cert IV in Screen and Media at Swinburne. He then successfully progressed to the Diploma and Advanced Diploma of Screen and Media – Film and Television, before completing the Bachelor of Film and Television (Honours). 

Director of Photography on the film, Bonita Carzino, is also a Swinburne alum. Read more on the Melbourne International Film Festival website.

Swinburne joins network to transition Victoria into a circular economy

The Victorian Circular Activator (VCA) has received $397,000 from the Recycling Victoria Innovation Fund for initiatives to transition Victoria to a circular economy.

The activator will provide a physical hub and link with existing digital infrastructure to support circular economy innovations for the state. Swinburne University of Technology is a key partner organisation for the VCA, which will be hosted by RMIT University and supported by Circular Economy Victoria (CEV).   

Swinburne’s Centre for Urban Transitions will provide the conceptualisation of circular economy business models and data collection to build a digital infrastructure while the Data for Social Good – Cloud Innovation Centre (CIC) will help with the implementation of these models. The CIC is a partnership between Swinburne and global tech giant Amazon Web Services (AWS).

CIC Program Manager, Marco Krischer says the CIC will use Amazon’s ‘Working Backwards’ design methodology, which takes the ideal customer end-state as a starting point in developing a new product, process or service. ‘This approach is behind some of the most popular products in the market, such as the Amazon Kindle. Additionally, the AWS cloud will be used to develop a prototype data platform that supports the circular economy,’ he explains.

Swinburne’s Chief Investigator, Associate Professor Magnus Moglia says the activator will strengthen and accelerate fit-for-purpose circular innovations within Victoria.

‘We have an opportunity to create practical support pathways for circular economy innovation by connecting various stakeholders to transition to new practices and business models. It is about finding opportunities to reduce waste, increase recycling and create more value from resources,’ Associate Professor Moglia concludes. 

Alumni recognised at the Designers Australia 2021 Awards

Alum Edward Linacre has been awarded the President’s Award at the Designers Australia 2021 Awards, in recognition of his contribution to the profession. Since studying industrial and product design at Swinburne, he has forged an impressive design career in social and sustainable practice by supporting local manufacturing and using renewable materials. Linacre is co-founder of Mycelium Studios, Symbiosis Lab, Copper Design and founder of his self-titled studio, Edward Linacre. He is co-author of eight international patents for medical device designs.

Taking out an Award of Merit, the Cobalt Design team were recognised for their improvements to the original design of the KeepCup thermal cup and press fit lid. Design Team Leader Kate Bednarz studied industrial design at Swinburne, Davis Tolley and Rob Cuzner are graduates of Swinburne’s Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) Product Design and founder of Cobalt Design Steve Martinuzzo is chair of Swinburne’s Product Design Engineering course advisory board.

July 2021

Swinburne-led project receives funding to develop new model of care for cancer patients

A Swinburne-led project has received funding from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF). The project, which will run at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and involve researchers from Deakin University and The University of Melbourne will be looking to solve a rare condition known as Cancers of Unknown Primary (CUP). Read more.  

May 2021

Swinburne joins national network for mental health research

Swinburne has joined a new national collaboration to transform the way mental health treatments are developed and tested as part of the ‘Mental Health Australia General Clinical Trial Network’ (MAGNET) project.

MAGNET, which will be led by Deakin University has also received $12 million in funding from the federal government’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF). It will build Australia’s research capacity in mental health by bringing together leading research institutions and community groups to develop new treatments.

To support the network’s activities, MAGNET will fund four core platforms: Assessment, Data Management, Health Economics and Governance and Policy.

Professorial Research Fellow at Swinburne’s Centre for Mental Health, Professor Susan Rossell, will oversee the Assessment platform, which will allow researchers to develop a standardised set of clinical training and resources to be used across trials. Applied statistician also from the Centre for Mental Health, Professor Denny Meyer, will oversee Data Management, which will include biostatistics support.

‘We are excited to be a part of these important national platforms. They are critical national resources that will greatly benefit all mental health researchers in conducting clinical trials,’ says Professor Rossell.

Additionally, Swinburne will be a trial site for the four signature trials to be initially conducted by MAGNET. These trials will lead to important advances in the treatment of mood disorders. As the network grows, further clinical trials will be supported across a wide range of mental health conditions.

Australian Space Awards

Swinburne staff and students have been shortlisted in three categories for the 2021 Australian Space Awards.

Kim Ellis, the major discipline coordinator for Swinburne’s Innovative Space Technology co-major, is a finalist for Academic of the Year.

SHINE, the only program providing the opportunity for students to conduct experiments on the International Space Station, led by Dr Rebecca Allen, is a finalist for Space Education and Outreach Program of the Year.

Mikaela Verhoosel, Swinburne Robotics and Mechatronics graduate and previous SHINE mentor, is a finalist for Graduate of the Year.

The awards will be announced on 4 June 2021.

Dr Rebecca Davies awarded Gruber Foundation Fellowship

Dr Rebecca Davies from the Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing has been awarded a 2021 Gruber Foundation Fellowship. Rebecca is currently researching feedback processes in galaxy evolution and the galaxy baryon cycle.

“I am very honoured to have been selected for this prestigious fellowship,” Rebecca says.

“This fellowship will enable me to bridge the geographical gap between Australia and the US and Europe, providing opportunities to consolidate the international collaborations I established during my PhD and to forge new scientific partnerships.

“As well as advancing my research, these collaborations will facilitate the transfer of scientific expertise into Australia, mitigating the impact of the country's geographical isolation as we emerge from the current pandemic.”

Each year, The Gruber Foundation, in collaboration with the International Astronomical Union, funds a US$75 000 fellowship programme for promising young astronomers.

The evaluation panel has awarded this year’s fellowship jointly to three outstanding candidates, each of whom will receive US$25 000.

March 2021

Swinburne Online wins 2021 ITNews Benchmark Award for Education

March 2021

Swinburne Online has won the 2021 ITNews Benchmark Award for Education for the HEPP-funded Mursion project that provides simulated classroom experiences for pre-service teachers.

On-campus students in Education and Design also have access to the system, which combines augmented reality with live actors who manipulate the scenario. Students are able to test areas where they are not confident, such as sequencing a lesson or responding to unruly behavior. Students can then debrief with a lecturer and receive feedback and coaching.

In Design, Mursion was used to set up panels for students nearing the end of their degree to practice industry interviews.

Swintopia wins at Festival of Media APAC Awards

Swinburne and global media agency, Initiative Media have won two awards at the Festival of Media APAC awards for Swintopia.

Swintopia re-defined the traditional university Open Day experience by providing a gamified, virtual campus in the form of an interactive “open world” experience - a virtual university world accessible to all prospective students, anytime and anywhere.

Swinburne and Initiative were awarded the gold award for Best Response to COVID-19 and the silver award for Best Engagement Strategy.

February 2021

Swinburne lecturers win Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning 

Mark Strachan and Dr Mun Wong from Swinburne’s School of Design have been awarded a Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning through the 2020 Australian Awards for University Teaching implemented by Universities Australia.

One of only 100 citations awarded, the recognition was given for excellence in scaffolding students’ authentic learning experience using a model developed by the two academics – the Authentic Learning Transformation through Immersive Scaffolding (ALTIS) model.

Through the model developed by Mr Strachan and Dr Wong, students studying Design Systems and Services are provided with hands-on learning activities to help them overcome challenging and unfamiliar concepts.  The model accommodates a range of learner abilities and promotes interdisciplinary learning by encouraging diverse perspectives, ways of working, habits of mind and nurturing a strong community of practice.

Since ALTIS was introduced in 2017, student feedback has shown a notable improvement in perceived learning outcomes.

“It’s very rewarding… and gratifying to research, design and contribute to the scholarship of student learning through active classroom participation with our students witnessing how they have progressed in their personal transformative learning experience,” said Mr Strachan and Dr Wong.  

Swinburne astronomers win prestigious American science prize

A brief flash of radio waves from a distant galaxy has landed a group of Swinburne astronomers and their international collaborators the prestigious 2020 AAAS Newcomb Cleveland Prize. 

The Newcomb Cleveland Prize is awarded to the most impactful research paper published in the journal Science. In this year’s winning paper, the authors describe how they were the first to pinpoint the location of a fast radio burst upon discovery. Fast radio bursts are intense pulses of radio emission that last only a fraction of a second and had confounded astronomers for more than a decade.

The Swinburne recipients of the Newcomb Cleveland prize are Associate Professor Ryan Shannon, Associate Professor Adam Deller, Ms Cherie Day, Dr Chris Flynn, Dr Stefan Oslowski and Dr Wael Farah. Read more about the team’s research. 

January 2021