The Warren Prize

The Warren Prize was established by the Royal Society of NSW to acknowledge Professor William Henry Warren (1856 – 1926), the first Dean of Engineering at The University of Sydney.

Warren’s contribution both to the Society and to the technological disciplines in Australia and internationally were substantial. He established the first Faculty of Engineering in New South Wales and was appointed as its Professor at the University of Sydney in 1884. Professor Warren was President of the Royal Society of New South Wales on two occasions, in 1892 and 1902. He had a career of more than 40 years and during this time was considered to be the most eminent engineer in Australia. When the Institution of Engineers, Australia (now Engineers Australia) was established in 1919, Professor Warren was elected as its first President. He established an internationally respected reputation for the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Sydney and published extensively, with many of his papers being published in the Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales.

He was a keen golfer and the owner of prize-winning bulldogs, Warren was also passionately fond of music and had a fine tenor voice, trained by an Italian master. He was a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and was awarded an honorary LL.D by the University of Glasgow in 1913.

The Warren Prize recognises research by engineers and technologists in their early to mid-careers. Early-career researchers will have established a publication record in top-tier journals and wish to reach a broader audience. Mid-career researchers will have completed a larger body of work relevant to society. In both cases, the research must have originated or have been carried out principally in New South Wales. Entries may be submitted by researchers from any public or private organisation that encourages original research and development.

Warren Prize 2022

The Warren Prize for 2022 has been awarded to Professor Anita Ho-Baillie FRSN FAIP of the Sydney Nanoscience Hub and the School of Physics of the University of Sydney. Professor Ho-Baillie is a pioneer in the development of next-generation solar cells that are key to transitioning to a carbon-free-economy. Focussing on multi-junction solar cells, the aim of her research is to increase their power conversion efficiency towards 40% and 50% when the efficiencies of commercially available silicon solar cells are around 25%. In addition, her recent breakthroughs in improving the durability of perovskite solar cells are critical steps towards commercial viability. Despite the early stage of her career, her outstanding contributions to the important field of energy research are recognised around the world. Four times a Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researcher, in 2021 she was named Top Australian Researcher in Sustainable Energy by The Australian and by leading journal ACS Energy Letters, one of 30 leaders in advancing perovskite solar cells and one of 40 Women Scientists at the Forefront of Energy Research in the World.

Warren Prize 2021

The Warren Prize for 2021 has been awarded to Dr Noushin Nasiri, a Senior Lecturer in the Macquarie University School of Engineering and Head of the Macquarie Nanotech Laboratory. Dr Nasiri is a dynamic early career researcher whose work, which is highly regarded and recognised, combines multidisciplinary techniques in the field of nanomaterials, nanoelectronics, and chemistry to develop innovative nanomaterials that transform nanosensing technologies. Her work has already resulted in practical, beneficial outcomes, such as the world’s first wearable sensor, capable of differentiating between UVA and UVB rays, that alerts users in real-time to over-exposure to UV radiation. The technology is tailored for individuals, taking into account different skin types when calculating sun-safe limits.

Warren Prize 2020

The Warren Prize of the Royal Society of NSW has been awarded to Dr Simon Devitt of the Centre for Quantum Software and Information at the University of Technology Sydney. The judges were impressed with Dr Devitt’s portfolio of achievements, including his publication in top-tier journals, and his activity in commercialising ideas in the realm of quantum computing through start-up companies. Dr Devitt, who completed his PhD in 2007 at the University of Melbourne, has held positions at the National Institute of Informatics, Ochanomizu University, Keio University and Riken in Japan, and has worked as research fellow for the ARC Centre of Excellence in Engineered Quantum Systems (EQUS) at Macquarie University. He has developed key quantum computing architectures in atom-optics, diamond and ion trap systems, and invented quantum communications designs, second and third generation repeaters and the quantum sneakernet. Most recently, his work has focussed on the design of programming, compilation, and optimisation techniques for large-scale quantum technology.