Climate Action Week Sydney speech at Australian Museum

UNSW SMaRT Centre Director Prof Veena will deliver a speech at a free Climate Action Week Sydney event at Australian Museum on 15 March 2025.

She will be joined at the event with a "panel of trailblazers in the fields of energy, engineering and the environment".

Veena will share her vision for a sustainable future, highlight the importance of creating a circular economy and how using waste as a resource must be at the centre of our manufacturing future and innovative decarbonisation efforts.

She will highlight that using recycling innovations such as UNSW SMaRT Centre's MICROfactorie^TM Technologies and its Green Steel^TM Polymer Injection Technology that recover valuable materials from waste and reform them into new manufacturing feedstock and products are central to help achieve the sustainability needed for the future.

Event website

Event host Australia Museum says:

Trailblazers in the fields of energy, engineering and the environment explore some of the innovations and inventions shaping the sustainability landscape. 

Hosted by Richie Merzian, CEO of the Clean Energy Investor Group, this enlightening panel discussion features celebrated inventor Professor Veena Sahajwalla AO, solar pioneer Dr Muriel Watt AM and CEO of the Mulloon Institute Carolyn Hall. Join these inspiring leaders as they showcase the exciting and practical climate technologies and initiatives leading us towards a more sustainable future.

SMaRT tech exhibition

Some of UNSW SMaRT Centre's manufacturing and built environment innovations are being be featured in a virtual exhibition called "Spark" at the Australian Museum.

Do the 'virtual tour' of Spark

The Museum's Spark Exhibition features various Australian innovations around sustainability that are helping to address some of the issues impacting climate change and to learn about cutting-edge technologies and time-tested approaches created by Australian innovators to protect our planet.

The UNSW SMaRT display: image credit Anna Kucera

At an event to launch the exhibition, Veena joined Rae Johnston and Sam Mostyn AO in discussion to uncover how Australia can take the lead in being more sustainable following the Museum's inaugural Talbot Oration by Professor Tim Flannery.

Image credit Anna Kucera

Of the exhibition, the Museum says: "Australia has a long history of developing amazing ideas. From First Nations innovators to the inventors of Wi-Fi, our thinkers have led the way. And now, they're taking on one of our greatest challenges: climate change."

"In this new showcase, learn about inventions and innovative approaches offering positive solutions to the climate crisis. See some of the technology and practices Australians are working on to reduce pollution, create affordable and clean energy, support the richness of plant and animal life, and ensure a liveable future for all."

As one of 10 displays as part of the exhibition, the museum says of SMaRT's 'Building smarter' display: "With increasing populations and sprawling development, we need to be looking at more sustainable ways of building. Engage with exciting new materials that revive waste and reduce emissions: tiles made from broken glass and textile scraps, as well as environmentally-friendly concrete and ‘green steel’."

Image credit Anna Kucera

Details

Do the 'virtual tour' of Spark

Exhibition information

Images taken when the exhibition was launched:

 Images credit Anna Kucera