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Zahra Champion

2017 Prime Minister’s MacDiarmid Emerging Scientist Prize winner Dr Carla Meledandri

A University of Otago scientist who is at the forefront of developing applications from tiny science to power a new technology sector has won the 2017 Prime Minister’s MacDiarmid Emerging Scientist Prize.

American-born Dr Carla Meledandri, who credits some of her success to the collaborative environment that flourishes in New Zealand’s science sector, is exploring ways to solve problems using ultra-small materials that look, act and react differently when they are reduced to the nano-scale.

Early applications of her award-winning science include silver nanoparticles to treat and prevent dental disease and finding ways to store and use clean energy technologies that have the potential to replace fossil fuels.

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Zahra Champion Zahra is Executive Director of BIOTechNZ and is working to bring together a national community of biotech innovators, investors, researchers, educators and policy makers; and connecting this community to global biotech ecosystems.