On Friday 31 July, the Faculty of Science and Engineering celebrated the achievements of its student elite with an evening to recognise the hard work of students across the entire Faculty.

“Tonight is about our students and their achievements,” said Professor Barbara Messerle Executive Dean Faculty of Science and Engineering in opening the event. “Scientific research and discovery has been an integral part of the Macquarie Science and Engineering story since our beginnings.”

Professor Messerle says discovery in Science and Engineering at any stage – be it during study or working in industry or at a university – comes from a deep understanding of the fundamentals as well as from being creative.

“I believe creativity is a key to success in Science and Engineering,” she said. “Any success in scientific endeavour comes also from hard work, and those students who have demonstrated these abilities are here tonight.”

More than 50 awards were presented during the evening, with many provided with support from industry partners and bequests.

In her welcome, Professor Messerle shared with guests some of Macquarie’s pioneering firsts. “Our first 50 years have seen us participate in the world’s first ever attempt to synthesise complex life, turn Wi-Fi into a reality with the CSIRO, discover dancing dwarf galaxies, and set the groundwork for the development of blue LED light – the future key ingredients in everything from your smartphone and TV to the lights in your home.”

Professor Messerle also thanked staff for their efforts on the night. “Our lecturers are not only at the cutting edge of their field and highly active in research and development, but they are all accomplished and dedicated teachers. They’re passionate about what they do, and that passion extends to sharing their knowledge with our students and research teams.”

Congratulations to all our winning students.