2023 Honour Roll

Research Excellence Award Recipients

• FEIT Excellence Award in Early Career Research

  In recognition of the significant research contributions to the field of engineering and IT.

  2023: Dr Feng Liu

  Dr Feng Liu is an ARC DECRA Fellow in the School of Computing and Information Systems. Feng’s research carves a distinctive niche in the rapidly evolving landscape of AI and machine learning. His work introduces a groundbreaking measurement for evaluating the distributional discrepancies between complex distributions. The application of this research supports enterprises by ensuring greater AI reliability and reducing the risk in using predictions by supporting sound decision making.

• FEIT Excellence Award in Mid-Career Research

  In recognition of the significant research contributions to the field of engineering and IT.

  2023: Dr Mengran (Aaron) Li

  Dr Aaron Li’s research is focused on addressing pressing global challenges that impede the application of clean energy systems at scale, for low-carbon energy generation and industrial processing. Through interdisciplinary collaborations with world-leading universities and companies, Aaron’s research has been dedicated to bridging the gap between fundamental scientific study and emerging industrial applications at scale, accelerating the translation of research findings into practice. His research findings have been published in high-impact journals and Aaron was recently awarded an ARC DECRA Fellowship.

• FEIT Excellence Award in Research Excellence

  In recognition of the significant research contributions to the field of engineering and IT.

  2023: Hydrogen production from the air

  A/Prof Gang Kevin Li, Dr Ali Zavabeti, Dr Yuhan Men, Prof Xiaolei Fan (external), Prof Guoping Hu (external)

  This international, multi-institutional research team have successfully developed a Direct Air Electrolyser device that produces hydrogen from air, without any fossil fuel or clean water consumption. The pioneering system is designed to absorb moisture directly from the air and convert it into a form suitable for electrolysis - a feat of engineering brilliance that optimises the hydrogen production process. The researchers have also demonstrated the scalability of the technology by constructing a hydrogen generation tower with multiple modules powered by solar panels or wind turbines. This work has made a significant impact in the development of green hydrogen technology for water scarce regions.

• FEIT Excellence Award in Outstanding Graduate Researcher Supervision

  In recognition of outstanding achievements in supervision and development of the next generation of Australia's scientific researchers.

• FEIT Excellence Award in Interdisciplinary Research

  In recognition of outstanding research outcomes enabled through interdisciplinary collaboration.

  2023: Biomaterials to support stem cell grafting

  Prof David Nisbet, Prof Clare Parish (external)

  This interdisciplinary research team represents expertise in engineering, nanotechnology, chemistry, drug delivery, molecular, neuroscience and stem cell biology. This expertise has been convened to enable ground-breaking discoveries and help to shape translational outcomes in regenerative medicine. The dynamic interdisciplinary collaboration has impacted the fields of neuroscience and biomaterials by seamlessly integrating expertise in neurobiology and material science. This has fostered a comprehensive approach to exploring peptide hydrogels for forebrain progenitor transplantation - significant in treating brain injury and disease. The collaboration has resulted in a University of Melbourne PCT patent, which is currently proceeding through the TRAM Tracks accelerator.

Engagement Excellence Award Recipients

• FEIT Excellence Award in Engagement for Public Value and Social Inclusion

  In recognition of the outstanding contribution towards realising ambitions in the areas of equity, diversity and social inclusion.

• FEIT Excellence Award in Engagement for Industry Research

  In recognition of the outstanding research collaboration undertaken in partnership with industry.

  2023: Cyber Capacity Building in Australia and Malaysia

  Prof Atif Ahmad, A/Prof Sean Maynard

  Together, Prof Atif Ahmad and Assoc Prof Sean Maynard have built a sustained collaboration on Cybersecurity Management spanning a period of 20+ years, including 75+ joint publications, $1.2M in jointly awarded grants, and have seen 9 co-supervised PhD students through to completion. Atif and Sean have developed innovative management practice frameworks that guide organisations on how to respond to organised and sophisticated cyber-threat actors. These frameworks were developed through a series of field studies in Australia and Malaysia to understand how banks maintain an effective cyber-defence practice against sophisticated threat actors. Through this, the research team have acquired deep insights into exemplar practice in cybersecurity and have subsequently worked with several firms to test and refine the framework.

• FEIT Excellence Award in Engagement for Internationalisation

  In recognition of the outstanding contribution to enhancing the Faculty’s international standing.

Teaching and Learning Excellence Award Recipients

• FEIT Excellence Award in Teaching and Learning for Engagement

  In recognition of outstanding contributions that improve student engagement on campus, with industry and/or in the community.

• FEIT Excellence Award in Teaching and Learning for Tutors and Demonstrators

  In recognition of teaching excellence.

  2023: Liam Saliba

  Liam Saliba’s teaching philosophy embraces “learning by doing”. Liam’s teaching innovation include development of ccheck – a formative feedback tool that enables computing students to evaluate and improve their coding style. In its first year, the tool has been used by more than 500 students. The tool has led to a research paper being accepted to the Association for Computing Machinery conference, the Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education – demonstrating not only the practical, but scholarly value of Liam’s teaching innovation.

• FEIT Excellence Award in Teaching and Learning for Early Career Academics

  In recognition of teaching excellence.

  2023: Dr Davood Shojaei

  Dr Davood Shojaei’s teaching approach centres on interactivity and engagement through innovative methods, such as “flipped classrooms” and “blended learning”. Davood empowers students to take charge of their educational journey, transforming them into motivated and inspired learners. During COVID-19 when we were unable to access campus, Davood’s students benefited from “Mapica” – an app he developed which assisted students to learn how to collect data and create maps. This innovation enabled remote students to participate in surveying activities using their smartphones. His teaching practice has been recognised by peers, students and the professional community - evidenced by his guest lecturing at other institutions both nationally and overseas.

• FEIT Excellence Award in Teaching and Learning for Innovation in Teaching Programs

  In recognition of innovative teaching that enhance, inspire and motivate student learning.

  2023: The Bionic Limb Project: Enhancing student learning through project-based learning in bioengineering

  A/Prof Vijay Rajagopal, Dr Catherine Emily Davey, Dr Sam John, Dr Lionel K Lam, Dr Pholpat Durongbhan, Fatemeh Nemati, Ryan Tiew, Saampras Ganesan, Sarah Safawi, Yihang Yu, Zhou Fang, Dr David Chan, Jonathan Yip Zhi Heng, Dr Shakthivesh Shakthivesh, A/Prof Thomas Cochrane

  The project team identified a challenge in the isolated delivery of fundamental concepts in subjects across the undergraduate Biomedical Engineering Systems Major. The team developed an approach that sought to bring together the compartmentalised concepts in each subject and create learning activities and assessments that bridged across four key subjects. To do this, the team employed a design-based approach to the curriculum, and co-developed the Bionic Limb Project – a robotic arm that gave students an integrated, holistic and practical leaning experience across subjects in the Biomedical Engineering Systems Major.

• FEIT Excellence Award in Teaching and Learning – The Kelvin Medal

  The Kelvin Medal in recognition of teaching excellence.

  2023: Dr Shaanan Cohney

  As the pandemic posed new challenges for teaching, Dr Shaanan Cohney’s teaching practice pivoted to employ technology and custom prop design to replicate an immersive classroom environment for his students. Shaanan places a distinct emphasis on community and personal identity in his teaching practice. Through his creation of the CIS Learning Centre, 1,500 students were engaged in one-on-one consultations. Shaanan has integrated his core research in computer science with his passion for education - notably, his 2021 paper on biases in digital exam proctoring made the front page of the New York Times.

Professional Services Excellence Award Recipients

In recognition of professional staff contribution towards fulfilling the goals, values and mission of the Faculty and the University.

• FEIT Excellence Award in Professional Excellence and Innovation

  2023: Bouverie Creek Living Laboratory

  Michelle Mackay, Steve Adams, Steve Beard, Elise King, Arezoo Boroomandnia, Claire Dixon, Dr David Barry, Mark Latham, Sam Brumale, Tobias Selkirk, Dr Dilara Kaymakci, Darren Rowe, Georgie Meagher, Dr Gerard Healey, Danielle Rostan-Herbert, Dominic Napoleone, Sue Hopkins, Joel Streete, Raveena Grace, Rachael Miller, Virginia McNally, Chris Malcolmson

  The project team came together to provide a unique opportunity for students undertaking the Environmental Management ISO14000 subject. Leveraging the development of the New Student Precinct, the team identified and developed a learning experience that engaged students with interdisciplinary practices, Indigenous knowledge, and industry professionals. Identifying an opportunity for the Student Precinct to act as a living lab, the project team combined a field trip, a multidisciplinary environmental risk assessment activity and a university management system audit to provide a new, multifaceted student learning experience.