Research helps build circular economy

Two outstanding Flinders University researchers, Dr Maximilian Mann and Yunzhong Wang, have received State Government Green Industries SA Circular Economy awards.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Climate, Environment and Water, Dr Susan Close, presented four SA university recipients with this year’s Circular Economy Student Awards to support building greater circular capacity in South Australia.

Dr Max Mann in the Chalker Lab at Bedford Park.

The awards recognise innovative thinking and research in the sector for South Australian honours and postgraduate students who are developing realistic solutions that can accelerate the state’s transition to a circular economy

Yunzhong Wang’s honours project is investigating the design, fabrication and evaluation of a novel, low-frequency ocean wave-driven generator that produces no pollution, has a lower cost and is environmentally friendly.

The generator uses recyclable and sustainable material to fabricate an energy converter that can harvest electricity from the low-frequency movement of an ocean wave, and reduce carbon emissions during generation.

For best overall application, Dr Mann, who is a leading researcher in the Chalker Research Lab at Flinders University’s College of Science and Engineering, was presented  with the Chief Executive’s Award.

His research investigates new technologies for e-waste recycling and includes the development and patenting of safe and low-cost methods to extract gold from e-waste. He is also inventing new methods to convert plastic and fibreglass from printed circuit boards into new construction materials.

Read more about Dr Mann’s studies at the Chalker Lab and Yunzhong Wang’s wave generator project at Flinders University’s civil engineering pod at Tonsley.

 

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College of Science and Engineering