Veena inspires students at regional STEM event

UNSW SMaRT Centre Director Prof Veena Veena inspired students at a NSW regional STEM event to mark International Women's Day, recently.

Veena delivered a keynote address at the International Day of Women and Girls in STEM event hosted by the Muswellbrook Shire Council STEM Innovation Lab.

Approximately 50 students from across the region participated in the day, taking part in a range of hands-on activities spanning different areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Muswellbrook Council said: "Professor Sahajwalla's passion and expertise left a lasting impression on everyone in the room — and we know her words will continue to inspire the next generation of women and girls in our region to pursue careers in STEM."

And Muswellbrook General Manager Derek Finigan said: “We were honoured to have Professor Veena Sahajwalla deliver the keynote address for our International Day of Women and Girls in STEM event. 

"Even joining us virtually, Professor Sahajwalla's passion for innovation and sustainability resonated with our students and sparked plenty of curiosity and conversation. It was a valuable opportunity for our young people to hear from one of Australia's leading STEM innovators and see what's possible through a career in science and technology.”

Veena's talk also highlighted 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 materials sustainability and for the energy system needed for the future.

And she discussed SMaRT's work on researching solutions for materials resource recovery using innovative and collaborative opportunities are crucial to help create circular economies while enhancing sovereign capability and reducing reliance on vulnerable global supply chains, as we highlight here in a newly published article.