Brett Paull Awarded Tasmanian STEM Researcher of the Year Award

Brett Paull of the University of Tasmania’s School of Natural Sciences has been honored with the Premier’s Tasmanian STEM Researcher of the Year Award for his outstanding contributions to analytical chemistry.

Brett Paull

The Tasmanian STEM Excellence Awards celebrate leaders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), who are helping to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers in Tasmania. Established in 2016, the Awards are supported by the Tasmanian Government, Inspiring Tasmania (an organization dedicated to connecting science and community), and the University of Tasmania. They aim to highlight the outstanding achievements of Tasmania’s top scientists, researchers, educators, and innovators, while also underlining the vital role STEM plays in driving economic growth and community well-being.

The award ceremony was held in Hobart, Tasmania in November, where Paull was presented with a $5000 cheque and a trophy. This recognition is a testament to his pioneering research and dedication to the advancement of analytical chemistry. His work primarily focuses on enhancing industrial processes through separation science, which is crucial for environmental monitoring, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and food quality control.

Paull is also involved in designing miniaturized analytical equipment, which can be utilized across various industries (1–3). At the recent International Symposium on Chromatography conference in Liverpool, UK, Paull presented his team’s work on developing a portable ion chromatography (IC) platform designed for reliable in-field analysis of nitrogen-containing anions and cations in environmental and industrial waters. This innovation addresses significant limitations of traditional methods, which rely on grab sampling and laboratory-based analysis, offering the potential to make analytical processes more efficient and accessible and potentially revolutionizing how industries monitor and maintain quality standards. Paull currently serves as the Director of the ARC Training Centre for Hyphenated Analytical Separation Technologies (HyTECH), which is dedicated to advancing separation science through cutting-edge research and collaboration.

In a statement, Paull expressed his gratitude for the award, emphasizing the collective efforts of his research team. “I’d have to say the most pleasing thing about such an award is it provides a point in time for me to turn around and thank all my research group, past and present, for all their collective efforts. As is often the case, it’s the academic leader of a group who gets the gong, but of course all the great outcomes from our research are actually driven by a big talented team of students and early career researchers. So it nice to be able to show them that we are making a difference in what we do, and people are recognizing that,” he said.

Paull also drew attention to the impact that separation science is having in the wider STEM setting. “Further I must say that its really great that separation science is also getting noticed as a big underpinning and impactful capability across the STEM disciplines, as this may open up more collaborative projects and hopefully greater funding going forward."

References

(1) Chromatography Online. The Potential of Portable LC Instruments: An HTC-18 Interview with Brett Paull.https://www.chromatographyonline.com/view/the-potential-of-portable-lc-instruments-an-htc-18-interview-with-brett-paull(accessed 2024-12-16).

(2) Mai, Y.; Debruille, K.; Edwards, S.; et al. Portable and Field‑Deployable Liquid Chromatography for Environmental Studies. LCGC Europe 2022, 35 (10), 422–424. DOI: 10.56530/lcgc.eu.ux5882h7

(3) Botcherby, L. Building Small But Thinking Big. The Column 2022, 18 (11), 2–6.