Research Scientist Dr Bhagya Dissanayake’s work as a Proteomics Specialist sees her applying the expertise she gained as a PhD student with the School of Molecular Sciences at The University of Western Australia to the early detection of plant and human diseases by precisely identifying protein biomarkers associated with the conditions.

Based at Proteomics International in the Harry Perkins Institute her studies seek to help improve salinity and drought tolerance in crops such as wheat and chickpea.

Professor Michael Small is the Director of the UWA Data Institute where he researches the development of modern mathematical techniques and data science innovations to solve real world problems – from engineering and resource challenges, to modelling the spread of disease, to predicting and assessing mental health risks.

As AI and machine learning tools become more ingrained in our everyday lives, Professor Small, who is also the CSIRO-UWA Chair in Complex Systems, is working to better understand how the tools we increasingly rely upon to inform our decisions actually work – and to identify the potential flaws in their processes – be they ethical or system based.

According to Anna Faber’s UWA profile page, the School of Molecular Sciences PhD candidate is a science all-rounder – it’s an apt description, with three majors in biology, chemistry, and high school teacher training, she is also a passionate science communicator.

Her current research involves tackling one of our oceans’ biggest pollution problems by training bacteria to eat plastics in marine conditions to improve recycling efforts – and potentially converting the byproduct into useful bioplastic materials in the process.