Oct 7 2013
Swinburne University of Technology Associate Professor Baohua Jia has been awarded a Young Tall Poppy Science Award.
The awards recognise the achievements of Australia's outstanding young scientific researchers and communicators.
Associate Professor Jia has been acknowledged for her contribution to research in developing high efficiency, low cost solar energy as part of a team of researchers in the Centre for Micro-Photonics.
The award was presented at a cocktail reception at the Bio21 Institute on 3 October 2013.
As a Young Tall Poppy award winner, Associate Professor Jia receives a certificate and a trophy and becomes a science ambassador participating in education and community outreach programs to inspire school students and the broader community about the possibilities of science.
"This award is a great recognition of Swinburne's consistent investment in solar research," Associate Professor Jia said.
"With this award I hope I can tell the community that science is not about cold hard equations, but about simple and beautiful rules in our daily life."
Associate Professor Jia said she hopes to influence more young people to love and work in science.
Swinburne Vice-Chancellor Professor Linda Kristjanson said: "At Swinburne, we value expertise in science, technology and innovation and the importance of women working in these fields.
"Associate Professor Jia is a wonderful role model for young women considering a career in science. We are incredibly proud of her achievement in winning this Tall Poppy award."
Recipients of the Young Tall Poppy Science Awards must undertake at least two voluntary outreach activities and be listed as an expert in their field with the Australian Science Media Centre for potential media approaches.
Associate Professor Jia studied science and economics at Nankai University in China, as well as completed her masters in science in optical communications, before coming to Swinburne 2002 and completing her PhD in optics.
Her work combines nanotechnology and optics to create thin silicon films that may make solar technology more cost-effective and competitive in the household electricity supply market. Importantly, the new technology is compatible with existing solar cell technology rather than rendering it obsolete.
Associate Professor Jia won the L'Oreal Australian and New Zealand for Women in Science Fellowship for 2012 and won a prestigious Victoria Fellowship in 2010.
Watch a video in which Associate Professor Jia describes her work.
The Young Tall Poppy Science Awards are sponsored nationally by the Department of Health and Ageing and partners.
Source: http://www.swinburne.edu.au/