A lifetime revolutionising polymers and radio waves
(PhysOrg.com) -- Polymers make up many parts of our modern life; from the scent in laundry detergents, to coatings on houses, to key aspects in electronics, to new and improved medical therapies.
For more than three decades, CSIRO scientist Dr Ezio Rizzardo has been studying polymers and how to make them more functional.
In 1998, Dr Rizzardo and his team developed a revolutionary technology called RAFT polymerisation, which offers unprecedented control over the design and features of polymer molecules.
This technology has given rise to a new, highly practised, branch of polymer chemistry.
Approximately 2500 papers have been published on RAFT developments, coupled with over 200 patents granted to research and commercial institutions globally.
Today in Melbourne, CSIRO recognised this pioneer of polymer research with one of its greatest honours, the CSIRO Lifetime Achievement Medal.
"I'm honoured to receive the prestigious medal," Dr Rizzardo said.
"This technology has had a global impact and has been taken up by a wide range of Australian and international companies - it is pleasing to see the results of this technology in the marketplace."
Dr Rizzardo started at CSIRO in 1976 as a Senior Research Scientist. He is currently a CSIRO Fellow at Molecular and Health Technologies.
The Lifetime Achievement Medal is awarded to an individual who has a record of sustained and meritorious achievement over a prolonged period of CSIRO service.
The second recipient of the medal is the Australia Telescope National Facility Senior Principal Research Engineer Dr Warwick Wilson for his inspirational leadership spanning 27 years at CSIRO in radio astronomy.
The NSW scientist is recognised internationally for his outstanding contributions to the design and development of receiver systems, which transform the signals from the Cosmos into data, in a form that astronomers can use.
Dr Wilson has contributed towards a worldwide set of advanced radio astronomy research instruments that are used by scientists to help us gain a better understanding of the universe.
He played a major role in the development of the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) in Narrabri, building the correlator, an instrument that processes the radio waves, and more recently, the Compact Array Broadband Backend, which helps the ATCA increase its bandwidth and sensitivity.
"Working in radio astronomy is an extremely interesting area of science, you never know what you are going to find- it’s been a very exciting 27 years working with terrific colleagues," Dr Wilson said.
"I not only get great satisfaction out of building the instrument I know I am also helping to increase man’s understanding of the universe."
Provided by CSIRO
