From study to research: Tackling sustainability in engineering

Haley is undertaking a PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University of Newcastle, researching cleaner ways to produce iron for steelmaking and reduce global carbon emissions. She began her journey at the University through Open Foundation, a pathway that led her into undergraduate study, and ultimately into research.

“I am originally from Sydney and moved to Newcastle six years ago at the start of COVID to complete the Open Foundation program after deciding I wanted to pursue higher education,” Haley explains.

After successfully completing the program, Haley went on to study a combined Bachelor of Chemical Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Science, developing a strong interest in how materials are made and transformed.

Throughout her undergraduate studies, she developed both the technical skills and research experience that would shape her future direction.

“I find both chemistry and chemical engineering fascinating because they are about change and transformation,” Haley shares.

During her final years, Haley had the opportunity to undertake research projects as part of her degree, shaping her future direction and leading her into further study.

“I had the opportunity to complete my final engineering research projects with Jessica Allen. That experience ultimately led to being offered a PhD position, which I was very excited to accept.”

Now in the early stages of her PhD, Haley is focused on one of the most significant challenges facing industry today. Her research explores cleaner ways to produce iron for steelmaking, helping address the environmental impact and demonstrating how engineering research can contribute to real-world industry challenges.

“The iron and steel industry currently accounts for around 7-9% of global CO2 emissions, making it one of the largest industrial contributors to climate change,” she shares.

“My PhD explores how electrolysis, utilising electricity instead of coal and natural gas, could be used to produce iron with zero CO2 emissions directly from Australian iron ores.”

Haley’s work has already been recognised beyond the University through her participation in the Engineers Australia Honours Project Showcase, where she presented her research to a professional audience. The experience also provided valuable insight into communicating complex ideas to a broader  audience.

“It was a fantastic evening. I really enjoyed hearing from the other presenters about their projects,” she says.

Her presentation was awarded ‘Best Presentation’ on the night, a recognition she describes as both unexpected and rewarding.

“Honestly, I was quite surprised because the quality of the other presentations was extremely high,” she says. “It was really nice to receive external recognition from an organisation outside of the university for the work I completed during my honours project.”

For Haley, it was the University of Newcastle’s strong research environment that made continuing her research an easy choice. “A big part of my decision to do my postgrad at the University of Newcastle was the access to expertise, facilities, and the collaborative environment within the Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources (NIER),” she says, highlighting the strong connection between research and industry.

Looking ahead, she hopes to continue working on major sustainability challenges through research and industry collaboration.

“At the moment, I aspire to follow a similar path to my primary supervisor and eventually lead my own research group,” she shares.

Reflecting on her journey Haley encourages others to explore the opportunities in study and research and follow areas that genuinely interest them.

“Ultimately, you need to be genuinely excited about the research you are doing,” she says. “Finding something that sparks your curiosity makes the whole research journey far more rewarding.”

Haley’s journey highlights how studying engineering at the University of Newcastle can lead to opportunities in research, industry and beyond.

My research focuses on cleaner ways to produce iron for steelmaking.