The dynamic and life-changing inventions of five Hunter researchers have been recognised at the 2010 Newcastle Innovation Awards.

With two inventions and their inventors named finalists in the 2010 New Inventors program, screened on ABC television, the Newcastle Innovation Excellence in Innovation and Rising Star awards will further shine the spotlight on the revolutionary research being undertaken in the Hunter.

The Excellence in Innovation award recognises some of the top innovators at the University of Newcastle. The Rising Star award acknowledges the innovations of early career researchers.

The award winners comprise:

• Professor Paul Dastoor has won an Excellence in Innovation award for developing organic and water-based solar cells that can be used to develop a photovoltaic paint. The project was a finalist on the New Inventors.
• Professor Behdad Moghtaderi will be awarded an Excellence in Innovation award for his GRANEX technology platform that is set to revolutionise the way we use geothermal energy in Australia. GRANEX was one of five finalists on the New Inventors program.
• Professor Roger Smith will be awarded an Excellence in Innovation award for the computer program he has developed that measures the hormones in the blood of a pregnant woman to better predict the onset of labour.
• Dr Frances Kay-Lambkin has won a Rising Star award for developing a computer-based program to treat patients with depression and co-morbid factors such as alcohol and substance abuse.
• Dr Craig Wheeler has won a Rising Star award for his work that is redesigning conveyor belts to minimise their power consumption and improve their durability.

The awards are given by Newcastle Innovation, the commercial arm of the University that matches the intellectual capital of the University’s researchers with the commercial needs of industry and business partners.

"It is wonderful to see the hard work and research conducted at the University applied to viable products that benefit industries, businesses and everyday people," said Dr Brent Jenkins, CEO of Newcastle Innovation.

Photo opportunity: The award-winning innovators will be available for photograph and interview at a ceremony held tonight (October 28) from 5.30pm at Longworth House, 129 Scott Street, Newcastle.