Two Greek Australians win in South Australia’s science and innovation awards

·

Professor Maria Makrides from the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) and artist Niki Sperou from the Centre for Marine Bioproducts Development (CMBD) at Flinders University have won in the 2022 SA Science Excellence and Innovation Awards.

The awards, held at the SA Film Corporation’s Glenside studios, recognise South Australians excelling at Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM), while showcasing the importance of science, research and innovation.

Professor Makrides took out the prestigious SA Scientist of the Year award for her working on improving the lives of pregnant women and young children through nutrition.

The SAHMRI congratulated her on her achievement on Twitter and said she has done “such an amazing job over many years… in pursuing ground-breaking research into preterm birth and other perinatal health issues.”

In an interview with The Greek Herald in August, Professor Makrides detailed how her multidisciplinary team of over 70 staff and students led the clinical studies that changed international food laws, and established specific nutrient recommendations for pregnancy and infancy worldwide.  

“To have the work my team and I have done over the last 20 odd years recognised is great,” the Professor said at the time.

Elsewhere, Ms Sperou and the team at the CMBD, led by Professor Wei Zhang, won in the Excellence in Science and Industry Collaboration category. 

Ms Sperou and her team work collaboratively with SA industry to transform sustainable materials into high-value products such as medicines, biodegradable plastics, bio-inks, nutrition drinks, and eco-friendly fertilisers.

In a previous interview, Ms Sperou had said that her Greek language skills are useful in the lab, while she often uses philosophy and mythology to explain science. 

SA’s Deputy Premier and Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Susan Close, attended the awards night and congratulated all the winners.

“With winners representing health, education, geology—as well as the cutting-edge fields of quantum physics and marine bioproducts—our future looks bright!” Ms Close said.

Almost 400 guests attended the award night which was sponsored by Novatech Creative Event Technology, Commonwealth Bank and Telstra.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

‘Is it just fun, or do they learn?’ A guide to Greek immersion

This Pharos Tip arose from a parent at a ‘bilingual homes’ seminar who asked how to encourage children to actively use the Greek they were learning.

Basic things you need to know about the acceptance of inheritance

Sooner or later, we will all be called upon at some point to settle the inheritance matters of a beloved relative.

Parramatta to come alive with the Let’s Go Greek Festival this September

Parramatta will come alive on Sunday, September 21, when Let’s Go Greek Festival returns to the grounds of St Ioannis Greek Orthodox Church.

Federation of Pontian Associations of Australia elects new leadership team

The Pontian Federation of Australia has elected a new leadership team, with Maria Anthony and Peter Papoulidis stepping in as Co-Presidents.

The Governor Olive Oil: Tradition, innovation, and science

Corfu has a deep-rooted olive oil tradition, but in 2010 its oil had the worst reputation in Greece, and production was about to stop.

You May Also Like

Sophie Cotsis demands improved cyber security and digital access

"In bushfire-ravaged communities, the Government still has a lot of work to do," Sophie Cotsis says.

Year’s worth of rain pours over island of Crete in first week of 2020

The latest storms which have swept across parts of Greece over the last several days brought extensive rainfall to many parts of the country, primarily in the eastern and southern mainland and the islands.

Stefanos Tsitsipas praised by Novak Djokovic after defeat at Dubai Championships

Novak Djokovic paid tribute to Stefanos Tsitsipas after coming through a hard-fought final. Novak Djokovic tipped Stefanos Tsitsipas for greatness after beating the Greek star...