Content
Young Leaders in Environmental Issues and Climate Change
WINNER - Nicole Kuepper
Global Warming - Ink Jet to the Rescue
A 23 year old PhD student who developed cutting-edge photovoltaic (solar) technology using a low-cost inkjet printing process has won the British Council Eureka Prize for Young Leaders in Environmental Issues and Climate Change.
This prize is part of the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes, the Oscars of Australian science. Coveted among science prizes, the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes were announced at a glittering event in Sydney on 19 August attended by a ‘who's who' of Australian science, government, academia and industry.
"Two billion people around the world have no access to reliable electricity. Imagine if this could be provided with energy that was both cheap and green." This thought motivated prize winner Nicole Kuepper's iJET research.
Current production techniques for photovoltaic cells makes them expensive and out of reach for most people in developing countries. The iJET solar cell represents a breakthrough: a simple, affordable solar device that can be made without high- tech environments or high cost inputs. Using Inkjet printing, aluminium spray and a low temperature pizza oven, Ms Kuepper created the metal contacts necessary for a solar cell to generate electricity.
"Nicole's iJET solar cell will potentially bring affordable electricity to the poorest people in the world. But, more than this, it will be clean and renewable energy," says Australian Museum Director, Frank Howarth.
While photovoltaics is the world's most rapidly growing energy source, the production of solar cells currently requires sophisticated and expensive manufacturing facilities and highly trained personnel. These conditions are not easily available in developing countries. Nicole Kuepper's low cost and low-tech solar cells could offer a way to remove the dependence of developing countries on greenhouse gas-producing energy sources.
Beyond her work as a scientific innovator, Ms Kuepper has also taken up the role of communicator and educator. She lectures in engineering at UNSW, where she has developed courses on the ethics of manufacturing and sustainable energy in developing countries.
Ms Kuepper has taken her message out of the University and into the broader community, using a creative and accessible approach to her subject matter. She has held miniature solar car races to teach Indigenous children about renewable energy and incorporated pop music into a waste management course in the Philippines.
Her leadership credentials are demonstrated by her past presidency of the Photovoltaic Society, and her Directorship of the Sydney Energy Cooperative, which helps households reduce their CO2 emissions. Through the Green Geeks program, she has presented solar energy workshops for the ACT Greens party and conducts public lectures to help the local community around UNSW to understand this issue.
Recently, Ms Kuepper was selected to attend the Australian Government's Youth Summit2020 where she presented her idea for the ‘Australian Sustainability Challenge', a program which would present incentives for local governments to improve their sustainability. The idea was voted the best in the Climate Change and Sustainability category and was presented to the Australia2020 Summit proper.
The British Council Eureka Prize for Young Leaders in Environmental Issues and Climate Change, which will provide Ms Kuepper with a study tour to the UK to the value of $10,000, is awarded to a young Australian aged 21-30 for scientific or technological leadership in responding to the challenges that threaten our environment and our climate.
Contents
Sponsor
The British Council Eureka Prize for Young Leaders in Environmental Issues and Climate Change is sponsored by British Council.
Description
The British Council Eureka Prize for Young Leaders in Environmental Issues and Climate Change is awarded to a young Australian aged 21 - 30 for scientific or technological leadership in responding to the challenges that threaten our environment and our climate.
The winner will receive a $10,000 study tour to the United Kingdom, organised by the British Council.
The tour program will be developed by the British Council in consultation with the winner. It is designed to enable the winner to interact with appropriate British counterparts and to facilitate British and Australian cooperation in the winner's field.
While the trip will be organised at a time convenient to the winner, it needs to be taken within 12 months of the winning announcement.
Travel for the trip needs to have been finalised, booked and paid for by 31 March in the year following the announcement of the winner. The duration of the trip will be finalised in consultation between the winner and the British Council, but would typically last between 4 and 6 weeks.
The British Council will be responsible for organising travel, accommodation and program details.
prize
$10,000 study tour to the United Kingdom, organised by the British Council.
Purpose
The British Council Eureka Prize for Young Leaders in Environmental Issues and Climate Change is awarded to a young Australian aged 21 - 30 for scientific or technological leadership in responding to the challenges that threaten our environment and our climate.
The prize is intended to benefit outstanding young people who have demonstrated:
• scientific or technological leadership which aims to improve the environment or reduce the impact of climate change, and
• the potential to accelerate quickly into leadership positions in fields relevant to this prize.
Judging Criteria
Entries must address each of the following criteria:
1. Leadership
How has the applicant's scientific or technological leadership contributed to improving the environment or reducing the impact of climate change?
2. Communication
How has the applicant been effective in communicating to colleagues, the public and the media the value of what he or she is doing?
Conditions of entry
This prize is open only to individuals. Entries consisting of more than one individual are not eligible.
Entrants can either enter themselves or be nominated by others. If nominating an entrant, please ensure that they have the opportunity to provide input to the documentation provided in support of their nomination.
Activity entered for this prize must have been undertaken in Australia by an Australian resident between the ages of 21 and 30 at the time of the closing date of entries.
Online entry forms close 5pm AEST Friday 2 May 2008. Hard copy entries will not be considered until and unless an online entry form has been completed.
Completed entries must be received by the Australian Museum no later than 5pm AEST on Friday 9 May 2008. Entries delivered to the Australian Museum after this time will not be considered.
Entries with insufficient sets of documentation will not be considered.
Submitted material will not be returned.
The activity entered/nominated for this prize may not be entered/nominated for another Australian Museum Eureka Prize.
The deliberations of the judging panel remain confidential. All recommendations and decisions taken are binding and final and no correspondence will be entered into on such matters.
Information provided by the entrant(s) in relation to the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes (including photos), may be used by the Australian Museum for promotional/publicity purposes.
Personal information provided in connection with the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes will be used only by the Australian Museum and only in connection with the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes.
How to enter
1. Complete an online entry form
Complete the online entry form by 5pm AEST on Friday 2 May 2008. Make sure you print out a copy.
2. Prepare five (5) sets of the entry, with each set consisting of:
1. a printed copy of the online entry form as submitted (this can be accessed at site)
2. a brief description of the activity/research entered, including objectives and results to date (two page maximum)
3. a brief explanation of how the work addresses the criteria of leadership and communication (two page maximum)
4. no more than four written assessments from people familiar with the work, addressing the criteria of leadership and communication (two page maximum for each assessor). NOTE: Judges rely on assessor's reports to provide additional perspective and informed opinion on the entry. Assessors should not be personally or directly involved in the work entered in this prize.
3. Submit the entry
Submit five (5) complete and separate sets of the entry clipped together (not bound). Please do NOT bother with elaborate presentation when submitting the entry. This will be removed before material is sent to judges. The five (5) sets of the entry should be sent to:
Eureka Prize for Young Leaders in Environmental Issues and Climate Change
Australian Museum
6 College Street
SYDNEY NSW 2010
4. DEADLINE for submission of entries
The five (5) sets of the entry must be received at the Australian Museum by 5pm AEST on Friday 9 May 2008. Entries received after this time will not be considered.
