Category: Centre News

Ruth Knibbe is an ARC Future Fellow, Associate Professor, and Deputy Head of the School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering at the University of Queensland. After earning her PhD in Australia, she worked in Denmark and New Zealand, focusing on high-temperature electrolysis (steam and CO₂) and superconductors. Her research explores materials for energy generation and storage, with a focus on electrochemistry and electron microscopy. She is passionate about research and thrives on collaborating with diverse, interdisciplinary teams.

What role do mentorship and collaboration play in your work, and how have you experienced the impact of these?

More than mentorship, I have benefited from advocacy. You need to know that people have your back when you aren’t in the room. These soft powers are incredibly important in the initial stages of our careers.

What challenges have you faced as a woman in your field of work, and how have you overcome them?

One of the biggest challenges I have faced is managing caring responsibilities in a male-dominated environment. Balancing the demands of caregiving for children and family alongside an intense job that requires travel is difficult. While we can include a brief statement on performance relative to opportunity for funding applications, the impact of caregiving is generally only acknowledged in relation to specific leave, rather than as a continuous factor.

I have navigated this challenge by taking it one step at a time while also advocating for men to take the parental leave they are entitled to. Encouraging shared caregiving responsibilities not only eases the burden on individuals but also benefits society as a whole.

This year’s theme is “March Forward”. What do you think are the next steps towards a gender-equal future?

Ensuring strong collaboration between diverse teams needs to be at the core of what is done – this is how we unpick the most difficult challenges.

We need to listen to the voices of emerging researchers to understand the challenges they are currently facing as the challenges are always evolving.

How do you see the role of women evolving in the field of chemical engineering and sustainability over the next decade?

There are already many prominent women working in this space in industry. What I would love to see is more women leading in the space of entrepreneurship and leadership.

What advice would you give to young women and girls who aspire to pursue careers in STEM, particularly in chemical engineering and sustainability?

Know yourself. Find your own independent voice. Establish your pathway & have lots of fun along the way.

Kaori Sugita is a Senior Project Officer at GETCO2, based at The University of Queensland. She is passionate about sustainable development and the power of global collaboration. With a background in social science (Master of Peace and Conflict Studies, UQ), she spent 4.5 years at UQ Global Partnerships, coordinating international projects across the Asia-Pacific and hosting global delegations. Now, she is proud to contribute to GETCO2’s mission toward NetZero, supporting sustainability initiatives worldwide. 

What challenges have you faced as a woman in your field of work, and how have you overcome them?

Gender bias still exists in the workplace, making career progression challenging. I’ve personally faced inappropriate questions during job interviews about marriage and children, highlighting ongoing biases. While these experiences can be disheartening, I’ve learned the importance of resilience—staying calm, standing firm in my abilities, and not allowing bias to define my worth or career path.

This year’s theme is “March Forward”. What do you think are the next steps towards a gender-equal future?

We need more female leaders in all sectors to drive real change. While progress has been made, we must not overestimate the current situation or assume that gender equality has been fully achieved. Societies should continue strengthening policies, representation, and opportunities to ensure diversity and inclusion remain a priority. Gender equality is an ongoing journey, and we must keep pushing forward together.

How do you see the role of women evolving in the field of chemical engineering and sustainability over the next decade?

Progress is slow, but I see more women stepping into leadership roles. A positive shift is the growing encouragement for women in STEM—at GETCO2, we have nearly equal gender representation among PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. It’s inspiring to see these young women shaping the future, and I hope to see them become the next generation of leaders.

What advice would you give to young women and girls who aspire to pursue careers in STEM (Science, technology, engineering and mathematics), particularly in chemical engineering and sustainability?

STEM fields remain male-dominated, but don’t let that discourage you. Your gender or cultural background should never limit your potential. However, it’s also okay to ask for help—universities like UQ offer crisis lines and counselling services, and many workplaces have support programs.

Most importantly, you don’t need to change yourself to fit in. If a workplace doesn’t allow people to be themselves, that’s a problem with the system—not you. Stay strong, be yourself, and always support others along the way!

Dr Jinshuo Zou is an early career research fellow at the School of Chemical Engineering, University of Adelaide. She leads the catalysis sub-group in Prof. Zaiping Guo’s team, focusing on the development of advanced functional materials for electrochemical CO₂ reduction, electrolyser design, and metal-CO₂ batteries, for efficient CO₂ utilisation and energy storage. Her research aims to drive innovation in sustainable energy solutions and carbon-neutral technologies.

Read Jinshuo’s take on United Nations Australia International Women’s Day 2025 theme, ‘March Forward’.

What challenges have you faced as a woman in your field of work, and how have you overcome them?

Throughout my PhD and early career, I have faced the constant challenge of balancing work and life. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I juggled the demands of motherhood while successfully completing my studies. Even now, I continue to navigate the dual challenges of raising children and managing my professional responsibilities. Despite these obstacles, I have remained unwavering in my pursuit of scientific research, demonstrating resilience, determination, and an enduring dedication to my career.

What role do mentorship and collaboration play in your work, and how have you experienced the impact of these?

Mentorship and collaboration are key to my research journey. The guidance of my mentors has been invaluable, not only in shaping my scientific approach but also in helping me navigate the delicate balance between work and life. In turn, I support PhD students, fostering an environment of shared knowledge and innovation. Collaboration, especially within our GETCO2 centre, has been vital in advancing research, expanding scientific horizons, and building lasting friendships while creating new opportunities.

How do you see the role of women evolving in the field of chemical engineering and sustainability over the next decade?

I believe women will play an increasingly vital role in chemical engineering and sustainability. As awareness of gender diversity grows, more women will rise to leadership, drive groundbreaking research, and tackle global challenges. Strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration and policy support will further amplify their impact, paving the way for greater innovation and progress in these fields.

What advice would you give to young women and girls who aspire to pursue careers in STEM, particularly in chemical engineering and sustainability?

Follow your dreams with courage. The journey may be long and full of challenges, but if you are determined, you will achieve your goals. As a woman in STEM, you may face additional difficulties, but these experiences will only make you stronger. Stay curious, be persistent, and surround yourself with supportive mentors and peers who inspire you to grow.

Mengmeng Yang is a PhD candidate in the School of Chemistry at the University of New South Wales, working under the guidance of Prof. Chuan Zhao. Her research centers on electrochemical CO₂ reduction utilizing copper-based catalysts. She aims to deepen the understanding of catalytic mechanisms and develop innovative strategies to enhance the performance of these catalysts, enabling the efficient conversion of CO₂ into valuable fuels and chemicals. Through her exploration of advanced technologies and materials, she aspires to drive the practical applications of electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction forward.

What are you most proud of in your career/work in GETCO2?

In my work with GETCO2, one of the things I am most proud of is the opportunity to connect with many outstanding scholars. Regularly engaging in discussions with them on academic topics has not only deepened my knowledge and expertise but has also helped me overcome numerous challenges in my research. These interactions have been invaluable in broadening my perspective and advancing my work, and I am grateful for the collaborative and intellectually stimulating environment that GETCO2 provides.

What role do mentorship and collaboration play in your work, and how have you experienced the impact of these?

In my work, mentorship and collaboration play a vital role. My supervisor, Prof. Chuan Zhao, has provided me with opportunities to grow and contribute to meaningful projects. I’ve already collaborated with peers in our GETCO2, which has brought diverse perspectives and enriched my research. Looking ahead, I hope to expand these collaborations and work with even more researchers to foster innovation and achieve greater impact in our field.

This year’s theme is “March Forward’. What do you think are the next steps towards a gender-equal future?

• Mentorship and Networking Programs: Establish mentorship initiatives connecting early-career female researchers with experienced professionals. Create networks to share opportunities, resources, and support.
• Visibility and Recognition: Highlight the achievements of women in research through awards, conferences, and publications. This not only celebrates their contributions but also inspires the next generation.
• Career Development Resources: Offer training in grant writing, leadership, and technical skills to help women advance in their research careers.

How do you see the role of women evolving in the field of chemical engineering and sustainability over the next decade?

I think women will increasingly take on leadership positions in research, academia, and industry, shaping the direction of projects.
Women will be driving sustainable innovation by contributing significantly to the development of sustainable technologies, such as renewable energy systems and carbon capture methods, addressing critical issues. And as more women advance in their careers, they will mentor and inspire the next generation, creating a stronger support network for young women entering the field.
I am also confident women will play a key role in fostering interdisciplinary collaborations, bringing together diverse expertise for research.

In early February 2025, a delegation from GETCO2 visited the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology (RCAST) at the University of Tokyo as part of our strategic engagement initiative. The three-day workshop brought together researchers from the University of Queensland (UQ), RMIT and RCAST to explore potential avenues for collaborative research in CO2 conversion technology.

In this interview Professor Sugiyama discussed his expectations for the workshop, the immediate opportunities for collaboration in electrochemical technology, and his vision for the future of the partnership between RCAST and GETCO2.

What were your expectations for the GETCO2 & RCAST workshop and what did you hope to achieve?

– Upon my last visit and the previous encounter with UQ, I fully recognised that UQ has tremendous potential for research and implementation of the developed CO2 conversion technology itself. I was hoping that we could identify some specific items and have more practical discussions to find out which items will be a good target of joint research for the coming couple of years.

I was very happy to participate in this series of discussions because not only myself but also my colleagues in RCAST really enjoyed the conversations with the researchers from UQ. The workshop actually exceeded my expectations in terms of productivity and the outcome of identifying suitable items to be pursued. Now it’s time to think about the practical actions to kick off the real collaboration and go from our initial conversation stage to the next stage of real research collaboration.

Looking at electrochemical technology, what can you see are the immediate opportunities for collaboration, both small scale, large scale, short term and long term?

– In the short term, small scale, I am excited to see that your GETCO2 activities – especially in CO2 electrolysis for utilisation of CO2 – have a very wide aspect of overlapping with our activities in my project sponsored by the Japanese Government, and the research activities are quite parallel. In the near future, I expect that we exchange samples of catalysts or even electrodes for the CO2 reduction and test their performance.

Also, I think that future implementation of this CO2 recycling technology takes advantage of Australia’s abundant renewable electricity sources. Japan has a scarcity of renewable energy resources to power that particular technology, so there is opportunity to export the products of CO2 conversion to Japan. So, in that sense, it is not only about the initial academic and scientific exchange of in-depth research content, but also a more broad conversation about how stakeholders in industry and government in both Japan and Australia can imagine the future global supply chain of carbon utilisation.

How can RCAST contribute in this collaboration and vice versa?

– As mentioned, my research team is closely connected to GETCO2’s research areas, so there are several groups in RCAST that can be tightly associated with the activity of GETCO2, for example, the Life Cycle Assessment team in RCAST will be a good counterpart to GETCO2’s team. I also found the proposal for the use of protein for capture of methane very interesting. We have a very strong bioengineering team, so I hope those groups can also jump in and contribute to this interesting framework of collaboration between RCAST and GETCO2.

Technology solutions to reach carbon neutrality are not a simple task. Only a clever combination of multiple technologies can lead to the realisation of net zero. In that sense, since RCAST is a multi-disciplinary research institute, I hope that the multiple aspects of RCAST’s activities can be connected to GETCO2’s projects.

GETCO2 itself is also quite interdisciplinary, and the depth of the center’s research is wonderful. So, the viewpoint from the RCAST side is that we can incorporate the advanced activities in GETCO2 to strengthen our research activities in RCAST.

Thinking about the future, what do you imagine we have achieved in the partnership in two years’ and five years’ time?

– I think we will have achieved researcher mobility. I hope that several researchers from both sides are exchanged, so RCAST researchers or students are conducting research and learning from each other at UQ and vice versa. And that’s the core of our collaboration, I think.

And another five years ahead, it is my hope that we will have a joint research center for the net zero approach – from the scientific aspect to the political advocacy aspect, as well as industrial collaboration. The Australia-Japanese relationship is quite essential for net zero. So yes, we need the actual collaboration unit.

Ruirui Liu is a PhD candidate from UNSW under the supervision of Prof. Chuan Zhao. Her research area is in Single-atom catalysts and device systems for CO₂ reduction. She is designing a single-atom catalyst to address the mass transfer limitations in CO₂ reduction reactions. Ruirui’s work has already shown promising results, and moving forward, she aims to scale up and translate her research into industrial applications.

What are you working on at the moment?

Currently, I’m working on designing a hierarchically porous single-atom Nickel (Ni) catalyst with nanoconfined ionic liquids for enhanced mass transfer in CO₂ electroreduction. Although there has been progress in the design of single-atom catalysts, the simple single-atom structure limits the number of available active sites. Given that CO₂ reduction is a complex three-phase reaction, the restricted number of active sites further challenges effective mass transfer across the three phases. Therefore, we are looking at combining porous engineering with surface modification as an effective strategy.

This approach improves the accessibility of active sites and enables more active sites to participate in the reaction. It also enhances the CO₂ diffusion and ions transport during the process, which increases the electrochemical performance even further.

Which of GETCO2’s Research Themes does it fit into and how?

My work fits into Theme 2 – Catalyst. For this work, we focus on developing advanced catalytic materials to make CO₂ electroreduction more efficient by improving mass transfer and reaction kinetics. The innovative design of the single-atom Ni catalysts with ordered hierarchical porosity and confined ionic liquids solves a key challenge of mass transfer in electrocatalysis, achieving high activity, selectivity, and stability. This aligns perfectly with the goals of the Catalyst Research Theme, which aims to push the boundaries of catalyst design for sustainable CO₂conversion.

What do you enjoy the most about this?

It’s exciting to see how small structural adjustments can lead to significant improvements of mass transfer during the CO₂reaction process, thereby improving reaction efficiency and selectivity. Also, contributing to sustainable energy solutions and addressing global challenges makes the work meaningful and rewarding.

What is the key challenge you are trying to overcome?

I think the biggest challenge for me is synthesising the materials. We need a highly uniform template to control the hierarchically porous structure effectively, but it is difficult to maintain precise experimental conditions.

Are there any technology applications or problems that your work might play a part in solving?

In our work, we develop a hierarchically porous single-atom Ni catalyst with nanoconfined ionic liquids that possess the CO₂ enrichment capability. Accordingly, we conducted tests under diluted CO₂ concentrations. The results show that, at low CO₂ concentrations, this material significantly enhances the CO partial current density compared to the normal single-atom NiNC. This discovery highlights the crucial role of the catalyst’s CO₂ enrichment capability and showcases its significant potential to solve the challenges of low activity and selectivity in CO₂ electroreduction under low CO₂ conditions.

Are there other GETCO2 members who might be able to help or you could collaborate with?

I hope we get an opportunity to collaborate with Assoc Prof. Tom Rufford and Prof. Xiwang Zhang. Beyond catalyst design, the development of a new device system and the anion exchange membrane is equally crucial for enhancing CO₂ diffusion and ion transport to improve overall performance. Looking ahead, I would like to optimise the CO₂ electroreduction system by integrating our designed catalyst with advanced electrolysers and membranes, further achieving industry-level performance.

From October 29-31, 2024, we hosted GETCO2’s First Retreat in the picturesque Yarra Valley, Victoria. This milestone event brought together researchers and students from our seven nodes, advisory committee members, associate investigators, and industry partners for the first time.

The retreat featured a mix of engaging research presentations, panel discussions, meetings, and workshops. One highlight was the “Intellectual Property – What Does It Mean to Researchers?” session led by solicitor and IP expert Johnathon Hall. He guided us through the complexities of Intellectual Property (IP) and patents, from idea to commercialisation, and facilitated an insightful panel discussion with our experienced researchers on protecting research innovations.

Another standout session, “Secrets to Success in Delivering a Great Academic Presentation,” was presented by Associate Professor Jingwei Hou. He shared his journey from a young, shy researcher to a confident presenter, offering valuable techniques such as effective body language, authenticity, and simplifying PowerPoint slides to keep the audience engaged.

During the retreat, we also laid the groundwork for forming an Early-/Mid-Career Researcher (EMCR) Committee to represent the voice of GETCO2 EMCRs. This committee will focus on mentoring, capacity building, and networking opportunities for our students and researchers. A dedicated working group presented suggestions for the upcoming work, including research exchange programs, an EMCR seminar series, and an online network hub.

The retreat provided ample time for our research theme and flagship group members to collaborate and refine the strategies for 2025, and for our Centre Management team to review the centre’s performance and develop the annual plan with input from our Advisory Committees, portfolios and node Directors.

Overall, the retreat laid a fantastic foundation for our collaborative efforts towards achieving our goals for 2025 and beyond.

Retreat Highlights

• Participants: 77, including:
  • 4 Advisory Committee Members
  • 8 Associate Investigators
  • 1 Casual researcher
  • 16 Chief Investigators
  • 1 Guest speaker
  • 25 PhD Students
  • 2 Partner Investigators
  • 16 Postdoctoral researchers
  • 4 Professional staff
• Activities: 33 presentations, meetings, workshops, and teambuilding activities
• Special Events:
  • 1 yoga session
  • 1 Halloween Dinner
  • countless kangaroos!

On July 30, 2024, GETCO2 held its inaugural industry workshop in conjunction with the launch of the new research centre at the University of Queensland.

The workshop aimed to engage industry partners early on, to better understand the sustainability, net zero, and decarbonisation challenges they face. Discussions also explored how GETCO2’s scientific and technological innovations could help address these critical challenges.

Chaired by industry expert Simon Smart, the panel featured distinguished speakers including Leeanne Bond, Sarah Ryan, and John McGagh. They provided valuable insights on the sustainability, net zero, and decarbonisation issues impacting Australian industry.

Our researchers, Fengwang Li, Chuan Zhao, Thomas Rufford and Ruth Knibbe presented on the potential of our science and technology innovations to meet these challenges, and GETCO2 Advisory Committee Chairs, Prof Robin Batterham and Dr Anita Hill, outlined the centre’s strategic focus areas going forward.

The GETCO2 Industry workshop discussions provided valuable input to help GETCO2 prepare for early collaborations with government and policymakers, and laid the foundations for working together toward the shared goal of decarbonisation.