Materials scientist, engineer and innovator
New South Wales | 2022 Australian of the Year
Professor Veena Sahajwalla has pioneered research into waste – turning it into new green materials and products. She is best known for her invention of ‘green steel’ technology, which uses carbon extracted from old tyres to replace coal or co*ke in steel manufacturing.
In 2018 she launched the first microfactory, establishing a model of recycling that enables businesses and communities to develop commercial opportunities while addressing local waste problems.
Veena is the founding Director of UNSW Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT) and has built a world-class research hub.
Her programs foster innovation and promote collaboration with industry, ensuring that sustainable materials and processes become commercially viable solutions for dealing with waste.
