MEI Symposium 23
Showcasing interdisciplinary research on the transition to a clean energy system
The Melbourne Energy Institute’s annual flagship event delivered a packed schedule of new multi-disciplinary research focused on creating a clean energy future.
On 8 December, the Melbourne Energy Institute hosted MEI Symposium 23, an all-day showcase of the latest in multi-disciplinary energy research from across the University of Melbourne and beyond.
The theme was set in an opening plenary keynote on Prospective pathways to decarbonise heavy industry from Australian ores, delivered by Professor Graham (Gus) Nathan, Research Director of the Heavy Industry Low-Carbon Transition CRC (HILT CRC), and Professor in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Adelaide.
Above: Prof. Graham (Gus) Nathan discussing prospective pathways to decarbonise heavy industry from Australian ores (Photo by Tony Zara Photography)
A packed schedule of speakers represented disciplines from across the University of Melbourne, as well as from industry and interstate.
Parallel sessions throughout the day covered MEI’s four Research Programs: Energy Systems, Energy Materials, Power Generation and Transport, and Heavy Industry and Resources.
The Energy Systems session opened with a keynote by Professor David Hill from Monash University, on the energy transition and engineering science. For Energy Materials, the keynote came from Dr Marzi Barghamadi from CSIRO, who discussed CSIRO manufacturing activities along the battery value chain.
In the afternoon session on Power Generation and Transport, Associate Professor David Keith from the Melbourne Business School discussed his research on transitioning to sustainable mobility in a car-dependent world. In the parallel Heavy Industry and Resources stream, Associate Professor Kathryn Mumford from the University of Melbourne’s Chemical Engineering department, presented on direct air capture being a key technology to achieve net zero.
MEI Director Professor Michael Brear thanked all presenters for sharing their knowledge at the Symposium.
"It was such a pleasure to showcase the wonderful energy research being undertaken by the University of Melbourne’s graduate researchers, post-docs and early-to-mid career academics. And to also host our friends from CSIRO, Monash and the University of Adelaide, all of whom generously shared their deep experience and insights on how we might enable the energy transition."
And the winners are...
In total, more than 60 people presented their research during the Symposium. Students and Post-Doctoral Research Fellows competed for $8,000 in prizes for Best Presentation and Best Poster in four categories, following the themes of the four MEI Research Programs.
The results are now in for our student poster and presentation competitions at MEI Symposium 23. Thank you to all who participated, and congratulations to our prize winners!
ENERGY SYSTEMS
Best Poster: Eshan Karunarathne, Constructing low voltage network models using smart meter data
Best Presentation: Jing Zhu, Making EVs and the grid work together: New challenges and opportunities
POWER GENERATION AND TRANSPORT
Best Poster: Joel Mortimer, Use of water injection to control autoignition and knock in a heavy duty, hydrogen fuelled, reciprocating engine
Best Presentation: Tom Jelly, High-fidelity computational studies of roughness effects on high pressure turbine performance
HEAVY INDUSTRY AND RESOURCES
Best Poster: Qiang Ge, Cryogenic hydrogen experiment and study
Best Presentation: Zhenbiao Zhou, Comparing powertrains for heavy duty long haul trucks and their implications for liquid hydrogen
ENERGY MATERIALS
Best Poster: Yuchen (Jimmy) Sun, C60 as a versatile electron contact material for crystalline silicon solar cells
Best Presentation: Shi Tang, High efficiency perovskite solar cells for space applications