Advancing dairy research and industry collaboration

George's academic career has had real, industry-based impact highlighting the value that networks and partnerships can have on producing research that can influence an entire sector.

George Chen joined the University of Melbourne in 2014 as part of the ARC Dairy Innovation Hub. Working with Professor Sandra Kentish to specialise in separation technology and environmental and business sustainability, George has been a part of the Dairy Innovation Hub for over ten years, while also progressing from a postdoctoral researcher to Senior Lecturer in Chemical Engineering.

As his career has progressed, working alongside industry partners at the Dairy Innovation Hub has enabled George to collaborate in an interdisciplinary environment that has supported his research and make contributions to enhancing sustainability in the Australian dairy industry. He has developed and evaluated over ten separation technologies, primarily membrane-based, for manufacturers to value add to by-products, reduce waste disposal costs and mitigate environmental impact. This focus on sustainability and a cost-effective approach to work has been a cornerstone of George’s career.

George’s work in the ARC Dairy Innovation Hub has involved regular on-site consultations with industry personnel and factory trials, allowing him to tailor his research to address industry needs and enhancing the practical applicability of his findings. By working directly with industry partners and establishing long-standing networks through the Dairy Innovation Hub, George’s research has had tangible application to the problems identified by these partners.

I’m always excited to see the processes we develop proceed from lab-scale validation to pilot-scale demonstration. This provides us the opportunity to collect meaningful and industry-relevant data to conduct economic analyses, enabling us to work towards implementing technologies on a commercial scale. It’s helped our member companies make informed decisions on how and when to adapt these processes to improve their business sustainability.Dr George Chen
Dr Chen is a Senior Lecturer in Chemical Engineering at the University of Melbourne.

Through an Industry Advisory Committee and with regular meetings with industry partners, George has also worked with large Australian and international dairy manufacturers to perform technology reviews/screenings and techno-economic analysis to examine technology readiness levels (TRLs) and assess business viability. These are critical steps towards technology translation, thanks to the industry-academic collaborations allowing development of such capabilities which are now accessible by the broader industry. The large-scale companies highlight the potential for improvement on a grand scale based on George’s research, which also incorporated the needs of smaller-scale dairy companies represented through Dairy Australia. Having companies of various sizes and scales involved within the research program ensures sector-wide issues and competing company needs are being addressed in a non-competitive environment.

The recognition of the development of several breakthrough techniques has enabled the dairy industry to reduce waste and energy usage while enhancing sustainability and turnover.

George’s work has been recognised through the 2022 ICM Agrifood Award from the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering. He has also been instrumental in securing ongoing research funding. The practical application of George’s research and his capacity to extend knowledge and influence to the broader food industry sector highlights the value of expanding research activities beyond the lab: it's connections and collaborations like those facilitated by the Dairy Innovation Hub that can bring real-world impact to both academic and industrial communities.

His work has addressed critical issues, such as improving process efficiency in dairy processing and optimising by-product valorisation, all aimed at enhancing the sustainability and profitability of the dairy industry.

Reflecting on his journey, George highlights the significance of the Dairy Innovation Hub's structured approach to research and development.
Our research enabled industry partners to observe emerging processes that they may not have been exposed to previously. This kind of translational research also benefits the scientific community as our studies can inform researchers and engineers of the technical challenges and potential for implementation and improvements. Dr George Chen

"With industry partners and our researchers working together, we can benefit from the different expertise and application of skills – gaining these kinds of insights to the best industry practices and market trends has been so valuable to me as a chemical engineer," explains George.

George Chen's career is a shining example of how dedicated research, strategic University programs and partnerships, and strong industry collaboration can drive innovation and create lasting impact. George’s ongoing contributions to the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology continue to shape our future food research, ensuring that the University of Melbourne is at the forefront of industry-relevant scientific advancements.

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