21 August 2008

UNSW Engineering researchers have recorded an outstanding result at the 2008 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes, winning four awards as part of an unprecedented six-award haul by the University of New South Wales.

Professor Robert Clark, a Federation Fellow with the School of Electrical and Telecommunications Engineering and Director of UNSW’s Centre for Quantum Computer Technology, was awarded the CSIRO Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science for his pioneering research in the field of quantum computing. Hailed as “a pivotal figure and visionary” in his field, Professor Clark is leading research which promises to fundamentally change computing science.

In a major achievement, the entire UNSW School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering took out the IAG Eureka Prize for Innovative Solutions to Climate Change for its groundbreaking and consistently strong record in solar cell research.

Solar cell engineering PhD student Nicole Kuepper, from the School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, stood out by winning two major awards. The 23-year-old’s work to create a low-cost solar cell that can bring clean, green energy to developing nations captured the Australian public’s imagination – winning her the People’s Choice Award. The patented technology, which uses common, low-cost items such as a pizza oven, nail polish and an inkjet printer, also won Nicole the British Council Eureka Prize for Young Leaders in Environmental Issues and Climate Change.

The other winners for UNSW were Professor Richard Kingsford from the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, who received the Australian Government Eureka Prize for Promoting Understanding of Science, and Federation Fellow Professor Matthew England and his team at the UNSW Climate Change Research Centre, who received the Land & Water Australia Eureka Prize for Water Research and Innovation.

Winners of the awards were announced at a gala dinner held at Sydney’s Royal Randwick Racecourse on August 19.