BY LEIAO GEREGA
A young scientist from India Dr Mahdu Bhaskaran is the winner of the 2018 APEC Science Prize for Innovation, Research, and Education.
Dr Bhaskaran, who is a professor at RMIT University, Melbourne Australia, was presented the award known as ASPIRE prize yesterday by the PNG Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology Pila Niningi in a ceremony attended by young scientists, government officials and representatives from member economies.
The award recognises Dr Bhaskaran’s innovative research on flexible electronics, which has led to the development of wearable elastic electronics and sensors including UV sensors and flat optical devices.
Mr Niningi said with research comes commitment and sacrifice and has congratulated Dr Bhaskaran on her enormous contribution towards a “healthy society.”
This year, ASPIRE received 13 nominees contributing to the ASPIRE theme of smart technology for healthy society for which
Papua New Guinea as the host economy has selected.
“Smart technology for healthy society is essential to all APEC economies which are key drivers for economic development and well-being,’’ said Mr Niningi.
“We need to support and recognise young scientists like Dr Bhaskaran, whose research helps science fiction into reality for generations to come.”
Launched in 2011 and sponsored by Wiley and Elsevier, the prize recognises young scientists who have demonstrated a commitment to excellence in scientific research and cooperation with scientists from other APEC member economies.
United States Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, Catherine Ebert-Gray said innovation is important to achieving human rights, transparency and improving healthier society.
“ASPIRE goes beyond the academic achievement of the individual we are here to honour; rather it’s about the commitment that purports to the next level of innovation,’’ Ms Grey said.
“Each nominee exemplifies that sphere, that science is a cooperation that flows throughout the APEC region and that the PPSTI (APEC Policy Partnership on Science, Technology and Innovation) thrives through that.”
The winner Dr Bhaskaran has been recognised for her research through several more awards won over a period of eight years while working as a professor with her research focused on electronics materials engineering.
Winners are selected by the PPSTI representatives based on how well they demonstrate excellence in research as evidenced through scholarly publication, commitment to cooperation with scientists from APEC economies and contribution to the theme selected that year’s host economy.