Veena Sahajwalla facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Veena Sahajwalla
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Veena Sahajwalla (2013)
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| Nationality | Indian |
| Education | IIT Kanpur |
| Occupation | Materials scientist, inventor |
| Known for | 'Green Steel', 'Recycling science', 'Micro factories' |
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Materials science Metallurgy |
| Institutions | University of New South Wales |
Veena Sahajwalla is a brilliant inventor and scientist from India and Australia. She is a Professor of Materials Science at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Australia. She also leads the UNSW SM@RT Centre, which focuses on making materials more sustainable.
Professor Sahajwalla is well-known for her work on the independent Australian Climate Council. She was also a judge on the ABC TV show The New Inventors. She appeared on the ABC science show Catalyst in 2008.
Veena Sahajwalla was born in Mumbai, India. She studied for her master's degree in Vancouver, Canada. Later, she moved to Australia. In Canada, she met and married her husband, Rama Mahapatra.
Contents
Working as a Scientist
Professor Sahajwalla has been teaching at the University of New South Wales since 2008. In the same year, she started the Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT) Lab at UNSW. This lab focuses on recycling and managing waste.
Publishing Scientific Ideas
Since 1989, Professor Sahajwalla has published many scientific papers. These papers focus on material engineering. She has written over 380 papers. Her work has been published by the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur and the University of New South Wales.
She has also written many summaries for international engineering and environmental conferences. Professor Sahajwalla has written or co-written chapters in books about recycling science. One of these books is called Unmaking Waste in Production and Consumption: Towards the Circular Economy.
Amazing Inventions
Professor Sahajwalla is famous for her ideas on creating a world with less waste. One of her most important projects is finding a cleaner way to make steel. This process is called polymer injection technology, or "green steel."
What is Green Steel?
Professor Sahajwalla found that recycled truck tires can replace some of the coal used in making steel. This is good for the environment. It stops over 2 million tires from going into landfills each year. It also creates a renewable energy source.
Tires can be ground into small pieces called pellets. These pellets can be used instead of coal. They release fewer greenhouse gases. Making steel in the traditional way creates about 7% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. Using tires helps lower carbon emissions and reduces waste.
Green Steel Around the World
Professor Sahajwalla has worked with Australian steel companies like OneSteel and MolyCop. They are working to improve polymer injection technology. Green Steel technology is now used in steel-making factories worldwide. This invention has made Australia a leader in making steel with lower emissions.
Her green steel project has won Professor Sahajwalla many awards. It has also helped her get grants to continue her environmental research. This project has given her international recognition. It led to her joining several government groups focused on climate change.
In 2012, the US Society for Manufacturing Engineers listed her green steel process as one of the "innovations that could change the way we manufacture." She also won the Australian Innovation Challenge in 2012. In 2019, her green steel innovation earned her the BHERT Award.
Micro-factories: Recycling on a Small Scale
Professor Sahajwalla is also known for inventing "micro-factories." She found that small factories with special machines are more sustainable. These small factories can be set up in existing businesses. They can recycle waste that is available nearby.
Recycling E-Waste
In 2018, she opened her first micro-factory at the SMaRT Lab at UNSW. This factory focused on recycling e-waste from old technology. She discovered that old electronics contain valuable metals and rare minerals.
This micro-factory saved gold, electrical conductors, and other rare materials. These materials were then processed using heat. This way, they could be recycled into new technology. Glass and plastic from electronics could also be melted down. They could be used to make industrial ceramics and plastic for 3D printing. This new idea changed how e-waste is recycled.
Recycling Glass and Textiles
In 2019, Professor Sahajwalla launched her second micro-factory. This one recycles glass and textiles into "green ceramics." Glass is easy to recycle, but it can be expensive. This is because glass often gets mixed with lids and labels. Professor Sahajwalla's method does not require separating these materials.
Her ceramics are made from a mix of different materials. This mix makes the ceramics strong and good at absorbing sound. These ceramics can be used for tiles and furniture. They are used in new green buildings. Professor Sahajwalla has worked with many architectural firms. Some projects include a collaboration with Mirvac and Co., the Hunters Hill library, and recycled rubbish bins for the city of Canberra.
These micro-factories have helped local and federal governments recycle materials. These materials would otherwise end up in landfills. The micro-factories have also created recycling centers in rural areas. This has created jobs for many Australians. Before, waste from rural areas had to travel to bigger cities for recycling. This created unnecessary carbon emissions.
Helping Government Organizations
Professor Sahajwalla has been a member of important Australian organizations. These include the Australian Climate Council, NSW Circular, and the Australian Climate Commission.
She is a councillor on the independent Australian Climate Council. In 2014, she received the Australian Research Council Laureate Fellowship and the Georgina Sweet Award.
In 2019, the state government appointed her director of the NSW Circular Economy Innovation Network. NSW Circular is a government-funded group. Its goal is to make NSW a zero-carbon circular economy. Professor Sahajwalla helps manage the environmental efforts of this organization.
She was also a commissioner on the Australian Climate Commission. Other commissioners included Professor Tim Flannery and Professor Will Steffen. This commission provided reliable information about climate change to the Australian public.
Professor Sahajwalla also leads the green manufacturing department of the ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub. This department connects academic research with Australian industries. This helps improve technology. It brings environmental and economic benefits to Australia.
Recognition and Awards
Professor Sahajwalla is one of Australia’s most famous engineers. She has been invited to speak at many international conferences. These include the Farm2Fork Summit in 2019 and the Falling Wall conference in 2018.
In 2015, Engineers Australia named her one of Australia’s 100 most influential engineers. In 2016, she was named one of Australia’s most innovative engineers.
Professor Sahajwalla also runs a mentoring program for women in science. It is called Science 50:50. This program works with the Australian Research Council (ARC). It aims to inspire Australian women to study and work in Science and Technology.
Television Appearances
- Professor Sahajwalla was a judge on ABC TV’s show “New Inventors.”
- She was featured on ABC’s “Australian story.” This episode focused on her achievements and research.
- She was a guest on ABC TV’s 2020 Q&A program. They discussed the future of the world.
- Professor Sahajwalla was featured in ABC TV’s show Catalyst in 2008.
- She gave a Ted Talk at the 2011 Sydney Event called Reviving Waste.
Major Achievements
Professor Sahajwalla is known internationally as the inventor of green steel. Her research has changed how we understand carbon materials. These include coal, coke, graphite, plastics, and rubber.
Her work has greatly impacted the iron-making, steel-making, and ceramics industries. She showed that waste plastics and rubber can partly replace coal and coke in steel-making.
Professor Sahajwalla's focus on how carbon changes at high temperatures has advanced scientific understanding. It has also given industries affordable ways to use sustainable and eco-friendly production methods.
She has also changed recycling methods in Australia. Her work to introduce small, specialized recycling factories has greatly reduced carbon emissions. It has also given rural communities a way to recycle used items.
Honours and Awards
- 2005: Won the Eureka Prize for Scientific Research.
- 2006: Won the Environmental Technology Award for her work in Engineering Sciences.
- 2008: Named NSW Scientist of the Year for Engineering Sciences by the NSW Government.
- 2011: Won the Nokia Business Innovation Award at the Telstra Business Women's Awards.
- 2011: Won the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award from the Government of India.
- 2012: Won the Banksia Environmental Foundation GE Innovation Award.
- 2012: Won the Australian Innovation Challenge for her work turning recycled rubber tires into steel.
- 2013: Won the AIST Howe Memorial Lecture award.
- 2014: Won the Georgina Sweet Australian Laureate Fellowship by the Australian Research Council.
- 2015: Won the Innovation category in the Australian 100 Women of Influence 2015.
- 2016: Was a finalist for the NSW Premier's Award for Woman of the Year.
- 2018: Became a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (FAA).
- 2019: Won the BHERT Award for her Green Steel innovation.
- 2022: Named NSW Australian of the Year.
- 2022: Won the Celestino Eureka Prize for Promoting Understanding of Science.
- 2023: Won the Women in Design Award as part of Australian Good Design Awards.
- 2025: Appointed Officer of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day Honours.
See also
In Spanish: Veena Sahajwalla para niños
