Dr Eddie Banks 2021 Young Tall Poppy Science Award Winner
Three Flinders University researchers, Dr Yee Lian Chew, Dr Ash Hopkins and Dr Eddie Banks, have been recognised for their research excellence and enthusiasm for science communication, after being named in the Young Tall Poppy Science Awards for 2021.
Each are emerging leaders in their fields of neuroscience, precision medicine and hydrogeology respectively, alongside their commitment to increasing the understanding and passion of science in the broader community.
Flinders University Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Robert Saint congratulated the Tall Poppy recipients on being recognised for their achievements.
“It is wonderful to see our researchers being rewarded not only for their exceptional research but also for their strong commitment to communicating science to a larger audience and encouraging science participation,” says Professor Saint.
“As we have seen more than ever in the last 18 months, it is vital we support the broader community to understand science and share in the joys of research, and I know Doctors Chew, Hopkins and Banks will be outstanding advocates for their fields.”
Dr Eddie Banks
Dr Eddie Banks is a Senior Research Fellow in the National Centre for Groundwater Research & Training.
A hydrogeologist, Dr Banks’ research seeks to investigate the availability and long-term sustainability of freshwater resources and figure out how they come to exist.
“The availability of freshwater around the world is finite and there’s an increasing proportion of the global population that are struggling to access safe and reliable sources of water. We need to understand these processes to create better water management outcomes,” says Dr Banks.
Dr Banks says he decided to find out more about water while working as a landscaper in his final year of school.
“I was particularly interested in the sustainable development of groundwater resources in less developed countries,” says Dr Banks.
“Now, I spend a lot of my time teaching people about water, including where it comes from and how we go about protecting it, and I appreciate the opportunity the Tall Poppy awards presents to me to continue inspiring the younger generations and get them interested in water.”