Our research

The School’s researchers are developing high-performance structural and functional materials, as well as designing new products and technologies that substantially benefit society. They achieve this by creating materials and sustainable processes that positively impact the environment, improve human health, increase our standard of living, enhance national security, increase productivity of vital resources, and promote economic prosperity.
Our Research Structure
The School’s research programs are contained within four interconnecting societal impact themes, shown below. Our enabling platform forms the foundation for designing and manufacturing advanced materials and products, utilising a deep understanding of fundamental phenomena, computational methods, correlative structural analysis techniques, and the behaviour and properties of materials. Advanced manufacturing is the cornerstone of this platform and is critical in creating materials that benefit contemporary society. For instance, we are developing new materials for use in renewable energy technologies and medical devices, among other applications.
Our four Theme Leaders are responsible for coordinating the research groups within their respective themes, encouraging communication and collaboration among the groups, as well as fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration among Themes, other Schools, Research Centres, Hubs and Institutes both within and outside of UNSW.
The relationship between our four research themes and the enabling platform is illustrated below.
Our Research Themes
Key Areas of Materials Expertise
Within the impact theme framework shown above, our staff bring expertise across diverse materials disciplines, contributing to advancements in specific materials and processes aligned with one or more of our research themes. This approach has fostered clusters of excellence in various emerging areas of materials science, where our researchers are conducting leading-edge work in the discovery, design, development, and application of materials across the following six main areas:
Sustainable & Recycled Materials
Overview
We design and develop environmentally friendly materials and processes, focusing on material life-cycle strategies, recycling innovations, and green material technologies to reduce environmental impact.
Academic staff
Scientia Professor Veena Sahajwalla AO
Emeritus Professor Oleg Ostrovski
Associate Professor Pramod Koshy
Associate Professor Rakesh Joshi
Relevant Impact Themes
Energy Storage & Conversion Materials
Overview
We combine experimental research with AI-assisted computational discovery to design and optimise 2D and 3D materials for energy applications, including batteries, supercapacitors, fuel cells, solar cells, catalysts, and thermoelectric devices.
Academic staff
Associate Professor John Daniels
Associate Professor Pramod Koshy
Relevant Impact Themes
Electronic & Quantum Materials
Overview
We work on the experimental and AI-assisted computational design of 1D to 3D materials for electronic and photonic applications, including ferroelectrics, multiferroics, semiconductors, quantum dots, topological insulators, and superconductors.
Academic staff
Associate Professor John Daniels
Associate Professor Shery Chang
Relevant Impact Themes
Functional & Structural Biomaterials
Overview
We create advanced materials for medical and biological applications, including implants, tissue engineering scaffolds, drug delivery systems, aerosols, wearable electronics, and bio-inspired functional materials.
Academic staff
Associate Professor Damia Mawad
Associate Professor Tushar Kumeria
Associate Professor Shery Chang
Relevant Impact Themes
Advanced Structural Materials
Overview
We design strong and durable materials for the aerospace, automotive, construction and consumer goods sectors, including advanced steels, light alloys, polymers, ceramics, and composites, manufactured through both additive and subtractive processes.
Academic staff
Associate Professor Kevin Laws
Relevant Impact Themes
Extreme Environment Materials
Overview
We develop metallic, ceramic and composite materials and surface coatings that maintain exceptional performance under harsh, complex conditions, such as elevated temperatures, highly abrasive and corrosive environments, intense radiation, and severe mechanical and thermal stresses.
Academic staff
Emeritus Professor David Young
Associate Professor Kevin Laws
Professor Alan Crosky
Associate Professor John Daniels
Relevant Impact Themes
Engagement with Centres, Hubs and Institutes
Our societal impact framework has empowered staff to pursue and successfully secure funding for major multidisciplinary research centres, hubs, and institutes, among other initiatives. These efforts have fostered extensive collaborations with researchers across other universities, industries, and research organisations, as well as within UNSW, as shown below: