ECU's WA Young Tall Poppy winners (L-R) Dr Brennen Mills and Dr Liezhou Zhong awarded for their exceptional research, science promotion and community engagement.
ECU's Dr Brennen Mills, Senior Lecturer and Lead, Simulation & Immersive Digital Technology Group (SIDTG) in the School of Medical & Health Sciences (SMHS), and Dr Liezhou Zhong Post Doctoral Research Fellow at Nutrition & Health Innovation Research Institute (NHIRI) have been awarded for their exceptional research, science promotion and community engagement.
The Young Tall Poppy Science Awards are run by the Australian Institute of Policy and Science (AIPS) to honour up-and-coming scientists who combine world-class research with a passionate commitment to communicating science.
AIPS says that these accomplished scientists represent the forefront of research in their fields, demonstrating the high calibre of work being conducted within Western Australia. Their projects promise to benefit all Australians well into the future.
Dr Brennen Mills is a Senior Lecturer and active researcher with an interest in leveraging novel technologies for education and training in the clinical and behavioural sciences. Brennen also serves as the Chair of the SMHS Ethics Subcommittee and Co-Chair of the ECU Early-Mid Career Research Network.
Recent examples of Brennen and the SIDTGs work include having had category wins across the last three years at the WA Information Technology & Communications Alliance (WAITTA) INCITE Awards.
For 2024, this includes the Innovating Government category for their ParaVerse virtual reality parachute rehearsal and training simulator developed for Special Operations Command Army. This project was further acknowledged with 2x category wins (Emergency Technology and Collaborative Innovation) at the 2024 Indian Ocean Defence & Security Innovation Awards.
Brennen is also developing "Barry", a virtual reality enhanced digital character fuelled by artificial intelligence to assist training healthcare workers in aggression and violence de-escalation.
Dr Zhong is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Nutrition & Health Innovation Research Institute within the School of Medical and Health Sciences. His research focuses on how new food processing technologies such as 3D food printing can improve human nutrition and health. He established the Future Foods & Digital Gastronomy Laboratory at ECU and is the lead researcher of the lab.
He developed and led a large industry and community engagement and training campaign on 3D food printing based healthy and sustainable eating, and STEM education.
Having delivered over 65 demonstrations and 3D printed food tastings, Dr Zhong has also conducted more than 20 school incursions/excursions, including those for WA regional schools at Pilbara and South West which were funded by the Polly Farmer Foundation.
One of the regional tour sessions on 3D printed food at a school in the Pilbara.
Dr Zhong recently showcased ECU's innovative food technology and leadership to address urgent challenges in Australia and beyond at the Tech Policy Futures event at National Parliament House Canberra.
Dr Zhong's colleagues at ECU said it was fantastic recognition for all the outreach and promotion of STEM Liezhou does across WA and beyond.
Award recipients will be celebrated at the Young Tall Poppy award ceremony at the WA Museum, Boola Bardip in September where one person will be named the WA Young Tall Poppy of the Year.
The Tall Poppy Campaign
The Tall Poppy Campaign was created in 1998 by the Australian Institute of Policy and Science (AIPS) to recognise and celebrate Australian intellectual and scientific excellence and to encourage younger Australians to follow in the footsteps of our outstanding achievers. It has made significant achievements towards building a more publicly engaged scientific leadership in Australia.
In addition, the Tall Poppy Campaign recognises the achievements of Australian scientists through the prestigious annual Young Tall Poppy Science Awards. The Campaign's Tall Poppies engage the winners of Young Tall Poppy Science Awards ('Tall Poppies') in activities to promote interest in science among school students and teachers, as well as an understanding and appreciation of science in the broader community.
