NSSN Ambassador named Superstar of STEM
NSW Smart Sensing Network (NSSN) Ambassador at Macquarie University Dr Noushin Nasiri has been named one of Australia’s Superstars of STEM.
Science & Technology Australia Chief Executive Officer Misha Schubert said the program gave women in STEM stronger skills to step into expert commentary roles in the media.
“The Superstars of STEM program sets out to smash stereotypes of what a scientist, technologist, engineer or mathematician look like – these powerful role models show girls that STEM is for them.
“Sustaining this type of program for the long-term is more important than ever amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic on women in the STEM workforce.”
Dr Nasiri is the Head of the NanoTech Laboratory at Macquarie University School of Engineering.
As a nanotechnologist, Dr Nasiri works with nanostructured materials with health and energy applications. She designs and fabricates wearable electronics and miniaturised sensor technologies for personalised and preventive medicine.
Dr Nasiri has developed a personalised wearable device that alerts users with different skin types to overexposure before their skin is damaged.
The small device can easily slide onto watches and sunglasses, or woven into clothes and pings the user’s smartphone.
Another technology developed by Dr Nasiri is an ultra-sensitive breathalyser that detects a range of diseases such as breast or lung cancer in early stages and faster than regular medical examinations.
The fingertip-sized sensor used in the breathalyser is made of billions of nanoparticles, enabling the device to be sensitive enough to detect small concentrations of disease biomarker in human breath immediately.
Outside the lab, Dr Nasiri is a passionate science communicator, presenting her research at high-profile events such as TEDx Sydney Salon, TEDx Macquarie University, TEDx Bligh Street and ABC Ockham’s Razor.
Dr Nasiri’s eloquence and passion for science communication have been recognised with several awards including NSW Tall Poppy Award 2019, first prize in 2017 AMP Amplify Ignite, runner-up in the 2016 Famelab Australia Grand Final and the People’s Choice Award for the ANU 3MT Grand Final.
To learn more about how to collaborate with Dr Nasiri for commercialisation, industry and governments projects, please contact NSSN here.