Dr Amr Omar
Research Staff Level B
Engineering
Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering
Dr Amr Omar is a senior postdoctoral research associate at the School of Mechanical Engineering at UNSW, with a research portfolio that bridges sustainable energy and water systems. His work focuses on decarbonising water-intensive processes using solar-driven technologies, with applications in desalination, PVT, green hydrogen production, evaporative cooling, data centres, and membrane-based nanobubble generation techniques.
He has served as Chief Investigator on multiple industry and government-funded projects, including the development of solar PVT heat pump systems, evaporative cooling roadmap, membrane distillation for carbon capture, and nanobubble irrigation technologies. His contributions have led to the deployment of pilot plants, strategic planning reports for the NSW government, and the creation of the first in-situ Flocculant Strength Instrument, now operational at the Nepean Water Treatment Plant.
Dr Omar’s research also addresses critical infrastructure and policy gaps in data centre development, including water-energy feasibility mapping, waste heat recovery using MED systems, and benchmarking water use efficiency (WUE) across climate zones. His work aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG6 (Clean Water) and SDG7 (Affordable and Clean Energy).
In addition to his research, Dr Omar is a dedicated educator, teaching subjects such as Solar Thermal Engineering, Sustainable Energy, and Material and Energy Balances. He has supervised over 20 thesis students (as well as exchange and industrial students), including HDRs working on solar-driven desalination, hydrogen systems, and concentrated PVT optimisation. His mentorship has led to award-nominated student research and international conference presentations.
Dr Omar actively engages with industry and the public through keynote talks and public outreach. He is a member of the Early Career Academic Network Committee, a reviewer for top-tier journals and international funding bodies (Chilean Research Agency (ANID)), a member of interview panels for rural scholarships, and a contributor to health and safety initiatives at UNSW. His work has been featured in Water Desalination Report, Thermopedia, and HelioCSP, and has earned him multiple awards, including the Malcolm Chaikin Prize for Research Excellence, Asian Union of Thermal Science and Engineering Young Scientist Award Nominee, and Research Excellence Award (ECA) Nominee.
E-mail
Location
Room 505, Level 5, Science & Engineering Building, Kensington campus
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
Grants as Chief Investigator
Solar PVT Heat Pump Optimisation (RACE for 2030: 0519) (In Progress)
- Funding: $154,000
- Duration: 2024 – 2027
- Outcome: Commercial installation at North Sydney Olympic Pool.
Evaporative Cooling Roadmap for Regional NSW
- Funding: $95,000
- Duration: 2024 – 2025
- Outcome: Final roadmap report 1st authored; industry–government workshop hosted; 2 refereed conference outputs; poster at Industrial Decarbonisation Summit.
Membrane Distillation Development in Carbon Capture Applications (with CSIRO)
- Funding: $20,000
- Duration: 2022
- Outcome: Published in Separation and Purification Technology (Q1 Journal).
Grants as Project Manager / Postdoctoral Researcher
Feasibility Study of Using Ultrafine Bubbles in Turf Irrigation (SFIRP-BC-019)
- Funding: $1.54 million
- Duration: 2023 – 2025
- Outcome: Pilot plant installed; 1st authored strategic drought resilience report submitted to the NSW government.
Adapting Catchment Monitoring and Potable Water Treatment to Climate Change (ARC Linkage: LP160100620)
- Funding: $468,000
- Duration: 2022 – 2023
- Outcome: Developed in-situ Flocculant Strength Instrument; published in Water Research (Q1 journal).
Membrane Distillation Development for Concentrated Solar Thermal Systems (ARC Linkage)
- Funding: $249,000
- Duration: PhD project
- Outcome: 6 Q1 publications; 3 refereed conferences; 1 book chapter; 1 media output; Malcolm Chaikin Prize for Research Excellence.
- Nominated for Research Excellence Award (Early Career Academic) category for UNSW's Faculty of Engineering Excellence Awards 2023.
- Awarded the Prestigious Malcolm Chaikin Prize for Research Excellence in Engineering, 2022.
- Asian Union of Thermal Science and Engineering Young Scientist Award Nominee, 2022.
- Research student award from UNSW's postgraduate council, University of New South Wales, 2020.
- First place in the three-minute thesis (3MT) in the school of mechanical and manufacturing engineering, University of New South Wales, 2020.
- Australian postgraduate award full scholarship, University of New South Wales, 2017.
- Engineering top-up award, University of New South Wales, 2017.
- Runner up to the best postgraduate thesis in the School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Sydney, 2017.
- Research assistantship position, American University of Sharjah, 2014.
- Merit and Dean's List Awardee, American University of Sharjah, 2010 - 2014.
Dr Amr Omar’s research focuses on advancing sustainable water and energy systems through solar-driven technologies, with a strong emphasis on real-world application and infrastructure integration. His work spans membrane distillation, multi-effect distillation, green hydrogen production, and nanobubble technologies, all aimed at decarbonising water-intensive processes and improving resource efficiency.
He currently leads several externally funded projects, including:
- Solar PVT Heat Pump Optimisation for aquatic centres, with commercial deployment at the North Sydney Olympic Pool.
- The Evaporative Cooling Roadmap for Regional NSW, addressing climate-resilient cooling strategies.
- A nanobubble irrigation pilot for turf farms, translating lab-scale innovations into field-scale drought resilience solutions.
He also investigates infrastructure and policy gaps in data centre development with current thesis projects:
- Water and energy demand modelling for data centres across Australian climate zones, including GIS-based feasibility mapping and utility engagement frameworks.
- Waste heat recovery using MED systems, evaluating the potential to repurpose thermal energy for water production and establishing water-use efficiency (WUE) benchmarks tailored to local conditions.
His research has led to the development of Australia’s first in-situ Flocculant Strength Instrument, now operational at the Nepean Water Treatment Plant, and has informed strategic planning at the state level through government reports and workshops. Collaborating with institutions such as NSW DCCEEW, DPIRD, RACE for 2030, CSIRO, and Sydney Water, Dr Omar’s work contributes to both academic advancement and societal impact, aligning with SDG6 (Clean Water) and SDG7 (Affordable and Clean Energy).
Technology Translation to Industry & Government
- Developed the first in-situ Flocculant Strength Instrument, now operational at the Nepean Water Treatment Plant, improving water treatment monitoring and decision-making.
- Led the installation of a nanobubble pilot plant for turf irrigation in Richmond, NSW, translating lab-scale innovation into field-scale application.
- Authored a strategic drought resilience report for the NSW government, contributing to policy and planning for water sustainability in agriculture.
- Chief Investigator and lead author of the Evaporative Cooling Roadmap for Regional NSW, including hosting an industry–government workshop to guide future cooling strategies.
Public Outreach & Knowledge Dissemination (Non-conventional Research Outputs)
- Delivered keynote addresses at the NSW Turf Field Days (2023, 2025), engaging directly with growers and stakeholders.
- Published open-access articles in Thermopedia (over 42,000 views), and contributed to the Water Desalination Report and Elsevier’s Solar-Driven Water Treatment book.
- Featured in HelioCSP, a solar thermal energy news portal, highlighting student-led research under your supervision.
Academic & Professional Service
- Member of the Early Career Academic Network Committee (2025).
- Reviewer for Q1 journals, Chilean research agency (ANID), and Saudi Scientific Symposium, contributing to global research quality.
- Active contributor to UNSW’s Health & Safety Committee, and member of the interview panel for rural scholarships.
My Research Supervision
-
Triple Bottom Line Assessment for Inland Green Hydrogen Developments (PhD Project)
Evaluating the environmental, economic, and social sustainability of inland hydrogen production systems, with a focus on integrating water and energy infrastructure. -
Development of a Solar-Driven Membrane Distillation System for Seawater Desalination (PhD Project)
Designing and optimizing a solar-powered membrane distillation unit to provide sustainable desalination solutions for remote and coastal communities. -
Enhanced Nanofluid-Based Hybrid Photovoltaic/Thermal (PVT) System (Master by Research)
Investigating the performance improvements of hybrid PVT systems using advanced nanofluids for simultaneous electricity and heat generation.