What do cybersecurity, humanitarian engineering, quantum computing and AI all have in common? 🎙️ They're all covered on our podcast! Listen now 🎧 unsw.to/ETF

☀️ New @unsw.edu.au study finds that 20% of solar panels fail faster than expected. By understanding why some panels degrade faster than others, the experts say we can improve performance, cut waste and get more clean energy from the solar systems we already rely on.

📱As social media platforms step up their age-verification efforts, privacy expert Dr Rahat Masood, warns that whenever people feel pressured to ‘prove their age’ online, scammers are quick to take advantage. Learn more about how age-verification systems work 🔗 www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/new...

👏 Congrats to Prof. Andrea Morello who has secured $35m in funding to set up the new ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computer Performance and Integration. The centre will serve as a national research hub, enabling workforce growth and strengthen Australia's leadership in quantum technologies.

☕️🫐 Turning coffee scraps into longer-lasting blueberries? UNSW researchers just did that. A new edible coating made from spent coffee grounds is helping soft fruits stay fresh for longer - cutting food waste and reducing the need for plastic packaging.

UNSW has topped the country for Career Impact for the third consecutive year in The Australian Financial Review's 2025 Best Universities Ranking 🏆👏 And the good news doesn't end there: UNSW also moved up to rank equal second for Overall Best University and equal third for Research.

🤳 In a few weeks, new rules will block under-16s from having an account on #socialmedia channels like Facebook and Instagram. However, UNSW's Dr Rahat Masood and Dr Hammond Pearce warn age-verification checks could spark new #privacy challenges.

🏆 We're 1st in the Australia, and equal 7th globally, in the 2026 QS World University Sustainability Rankings. UNSW ranked 1st worldwide in the Social Impact category with a perfect score of 100, an Environmental Impact score of 94.4 and a Governance score of 97.7.

Australia has an early advantage in the race for green metals – but the nation’s real opportunity lies not in what it digs up, says UNSW’s Dr Rahman Daiyan, but in what it can transform.

🙌 A new residential college dedicated to women studying #STEM will be established at UNSW Sydney, thanks to a record $30 million donation from the H.S. Chau Foundation in Hong Kong.

@unsw.edu.au engineers are taking an innovative solar cell inspection technology to market, thanks to a grant from the Trailblazer Recycling & Clean Energy Fund and investment by their industry partner, BT Imaging. The tool is expected to save the solar manufacturing industry $US1.4 billion a year.

Innovation starts with people. In our latest Engineering the Future podcast, @unsw.edu.au's Prof. Rita Henderson, and Kath Richards, Chief Engineer of Engineers Australia, dive into how diversity, inclusion and leadership can shape the future of engineering. ✨ 🎧 Listen now: unsw.to/etf-leadership

@unsw.edu.au and the Dili Institute of Technology have co-hosted a two-day forum to address some of Timor-Leste's environmental challenges. The symposium brought together researchers, policymakers, practitioners and leaders to chart future pathways using Nature-based Solutions in local communities.

👏 @unsw.edu.au's Prof. Martin Green has been awarded the Faraday Medal - the UK's most prestigious engineering honour. Awarded by the Institution of Engineering and Technology, the medal recognises his outstanding achievements in solar photovoltaics. Read more 🔗 www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/new...

#Cyberattacks are rising – is your data safe? 🔐 🎙️ On the Engineering the Future podcast, @unsw.edu.au's Dr. Hammond Pearce, and Director of InTune AI, Sharat Madanapalli, break down how cybersecurity is evolving and what you can do to stay protected. Listen now 🎧 www.unsw.edu.au/engineering/...

🌳💧 Deforestation can increase risk of #flooding by up to 700%, says new research led by @unsw.edu.au's Prof. Ashish Sharma. The loss of forest canopy has long been linked to more flooding - but actually proving it has been difficult, until now.

👏 Prof. Ashish Sharma has been elected a Fellow of the @agu.org, the world's largest Earth and space science association. Prof. Sharma studies how extreme floods and droughts are changing with our climate, and what that means for rural and regional communities.

🌟 Energising conversations, big ideas, and new collaborations! In partnership with the UNSW Energy Institute, our latest Empowering Excellence Breakfast brought students and industry leaders together to share insights on clean energy, innovation and net-zero.

💡 Big step for quantum computing! @unsw.edu.au spin-out Diraq, working with imec, has shown that silicon-based #quantum chips can be industrially manufactured with over 99% accuracy. This breakthrough means scalable, real-world quantum computers are closer than ever.

🙌 We're pleased to announce that A/Prof. Murad Tayebjee has been named as the faculty's new Associate Dean (Equity, Diversity and Inclusion). Passionate about equity in education, A/Prof. Tayebjee champions opportunities for disadvantaged high schoolers through community engagement.

👏 Congratulations to Prof. Maurice Pagnucco and Prof. Yansong Shen who has been appointed Fellows of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences & Engineering. The researchers are recognised for their work in advancing the field of artificial intelligence and creating sustainable technologies.

A team of @unsw.edu.au engineers have developed a spray that could slow the rate at which cotton materials catch fire – and reduce risk of burning. 🔥 The water-based spray coats fabric with a virtually invisible layer of protection without altering the fabric’s softness or breathability.

💻 ChatGPT is coming to @unsw.edu.au! In the biggest education deal in Australia with OpenAI, the agreement will enable researchers, educators and professional staff to harness advanced AI tools on a secure platform.

🩺 Not all healthcare is created equal. In this episode of Engineering the Future, A/Prof Lauren Kark and Dr Kathryn Currow explore how we can build fairer, more accessible healthcare systems - no matter your postcode, income or identity. 🎧 Listen now: unsw.to/ETF-Equitable-healthcare

👏 Congratulations to Prof. Nicholas Ekins-Daukes on his appointment as the new Head of School for Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering. He joined @unsw.edu.au in 2017 and leads a large R&D program to improve the efficiency of silicon solar cells. Read more: www.unsw.edu.au/news/2025/09...

And that's a wrap on Open Day! 🙌 We had a blast welcoming students and their families to campus to explore what UNSW Engineering is all about. And a huge thank you to our amazing staff and student ambassadors who made it all happen! 💛

🥈 Well done to PhD candidate Rachel Gray who was runner up in @unsw.edu.au's 3 Minute Thesis finals earlier this week. Rachel presented on smarter radar systems that cut through sea clutter to improve real-time target detection, with applications in maritime search and rescue. 📸: Isabella Moore

🏆 A big congratulations to Dr Hasindu Gamaarachchi who has won the Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Outstanding Early Career Researcher. Dr Gamaarachchi has developed scalable, efficient computing that makes genomic sequencing more accessible in fields such as agriculture, medicine and ecology.

The Sunswift team have finished 5th in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge after suffering from technical problems early on in the race. While it's not the result they hoped for, team principal Richard Hopkins says he's proud of the team's hard work in the gruelling race across the desert.

We’re taking our Makerspaces off campus and into the community! 🚌🔧 Currently in the Northern Territory visiting rural schools and community centres, the UNSW Engineering Makerbus is filled with a range of tools and equipment designed to give young kids hands-on STEMM experiences.

🔋🌱 Solar & wind can power our homes in a Net Zero way, but what about aviation, shipping & heavy industry? Enter green fuels. On this ETF podcast, Dr Emma Lovell & Constantine Tsounis explain how these eco-friendly fuels cut emissions in hard-to-abate sectors. 🎧 www.unsw.edu.au/engineering/...

@unsw.edu.au brought together global experts, industry leaders and government to explore the future of #nuclear technology in Australia. The event also launched Australia’s first undergraduate degree in Nuclear Engineering, preparing the next generation for roles in clean energy, AUKUS and beyond.

UNSW spinout company Diraq has won the Technology Platform category at the prestigious NSW iAwards, hosted by the Australian Information Industry Association. Founded by Prof. Andrew Dzurak, Diraq aims to redefine scalable #quantumcomputing and bring practical commercial applications to the world.

📡 “Our results indicate that certain beaches can be modelled nearly as well as they can be remotely observed." A global benchmarking study, led by Dr Yongjing Mao from @unsw.edu.au's Water Research Lab, has found that models are just as effective as satellite images at forecasting beach changes.

🙌 Congratulations to Xiaojing Hao, Hasindu Gamaarachchi, Yansong Shen and Ned Ekins-Daukes who have been named as finalists in the @eurekaprizes.bsky.social. The award recognises academic excellence in research & innovation, leadership and science engagement. 🔗 www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/new...

🤖💬 Can AI understand sarcasm? Not quite—especially if you're not American. New research from @unsw.edu.au shows that large language models struggle to detect sarcasm in non-American varieties of English.

A patient with scoliosis is breathing much better thanks to a team of engineers from Tyree IHealthE who created an exact replica of his trachea. The model was used to help clinicians determine the safest way to insert a breathing tube ahead of surgery. Read more: news.unsw.edu.au/en/solving-c...

🧺 Thank you to Ngumpie Weaving for helping us celebrate #NAIDOCWeek with a hands-on workshop creating baskets and bracelets using natural materials! It was a meaningful chance to come together to honour the deep cultural knowledge and creativity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

#PFAS: they’re in your water, your raincoat, your bodies—and they don't break down. 🧪 The "forever chemicals" are everywhere—and engineers are trying to clean them up. 🎧 Listen to the latest episode of Engineering the Future podcast to learn more: www.unsw.edu.au/engineering/...

Last week, #UNSW proudly hosted the 2025 State of Energy Research Conference, where leading researchers, policymakers and industry experts discussed a faster, fairer and more secure energy transition to net zero.

👏 Congrats to UNSW's Prof. Ewa Goldys who has been awarded an Industry Laureate Fellow from the Australian Research Council to develop low-cost water testing technologies with environmental and commercial impact.

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