A game-changing technology delivering greener and faster production of a critical battery material has taken out the 2025 Curtinnovation Awards’ highest honour to be named the Griffith Hack Overall Winner.
The Curtin Carbon Group’s Dr Jason Fogg, Dr Jacob Martin and Associate Professor Nigel Marks won the annual event’s major prize for RapidGraphite, which uses a new method to create synthetic graphite – a key component of lithium-ion batteries which will play a major role in the global transition to cleaner energy.
RapidGraphite uses catalytic processing and renewable waste carbon such as woodchips, agricultural waste or even plastics to sustainably produce high-performance graphite without the need for conventional mining or energy-intensive refining.
Curtin University Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research John Curtin Distinguished Professor Melinda Fitzgerald said the innovation stood out for its potential to dramatically reduce the environmental footprint of battery production at a time of surging global demand.
“RapidGraphite addresses one of the most urgent challenges in clean energy supply chains: how to source critical minerals in a sustainable, ethical, and scalable way,” Professor Fitzgerald said.
“This breakthrough not only reflects Curtin’s commitment to research excellence but also our impact on real-world challenges such as decarbonisation and electrification.”
The annual Curtinnovation Awards recognise Curtin’s commitment to transforming exceptional research into new products and services that benefit the community.
This year, nine innovations were named category winners, spanning across Curtin’s Faculties of Science and Engineering, Health Sciences, Business and Law, and Humanities, as well as Learning and Teaching, Global Campuses, Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Trailblazer, and the Curtin Entrepreneurs’ Award supported by the Malka Foundation.
Among the award winners was RetiDrop, an eyedrop to replace uncomfortable eye injections for retinal disease, while Organic Oceans uses land-farmed seaweed to create a powerful extract for gut health.
Indrus won the Business and Law Award for camera-based software which transforms CCTV into a GPS-like tracker for vehicles and equipment in ports or yards.
The system calibrates footage to real-world coordinates, linking multiple cameras and enabling live asset tracking without physical tags.
Professor Fitzgerald said the Curtinnovation Awards celebrate outstanding research-driven innovations with commercial and community impact.
“This year’s winners and field of finalists were incredibly impressive and I want to congratulate all of them for their outstanding work in tackling some of the world’s most difficult challenges,” Professor Fitzgerald said.
2025 CURTINNOVATION AWARDS WINNERS
GRIFFITH HACK OVERALL AWARD
RapidGraphite
Dr Jason Fogg, Dr Jacob Martin, Associate Professor Nigel Marks, Dr Irene Suarez-Martinez, Kate Putman
RapidGraphite is pioneering a breakthrough in synthetic graphite production, a critical component in fast-charging lithium-ion batteries.RapidGraphite uses catalytic processing and renewable energy to create synthetic graphite for batteries, cutting emissions and cost. It enables faster, cleaner production from sustainable feedstocks such as biomass.
SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING AWARD
Aquapure Sensor
Dr Elena Gorenskaia, Professor Debbie Silvester
A portable, anti-fouling gel-based sensor detects water contaminants, such as bisphenol A (BPA) used in many plastics and resins, using electrochemical signals. It’s fast, cheap, and accurate – ideal for rural or industrial use. It works like a glucose meter, with readings on a screen.
HEALTH SCIENCES AWARD
RetiDrop
Dr Bozica Kovacevic, Dr Hani Al-Salami, Dr Livia dos Santos Carvalho, Associate Professor Fred Chen, Dr Sam McLenachan
RetiDrop is a nanotech eye drop for retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD). It bypasses eye barriers using hybrid nanoparticles to deliver drugs to the back of the eye‚ non-invasively. This enables at-home treatment with FDA-safe materials.
BUSINESS AND LAW AWARD
Indrus
Ryan Liebregts, Dre Siwela
Camera-based software transforms CCTV into a GPS-like tracker for vehicles and equipment in ports or yards. It calibrates footage to real-world coordinates, links multiple cameras, assigns virtual trackers and builds a digital twin for live asset tracking without physical tags.
HUMANITIES AWARD
Minerva
Dr Michael Ovens, Professor Zhonghua Sun, Dr David Andrews, Dr Ashu Gupta
Minerva is a VR-based tool for surgeons and radiologists to explore 3D medical imaging data instantly. It runs on local hardware, integrates with existing tools and supports collaborative analysis of complex heart defects. Created in partnership with clinicians, it enhances planning, teaching, and clinical confidence.
LEARNING AND TEACHING AWARD
AURA-CXR
Associate Professor Sonny Pham, Chayan Mondal, Dr Ashu Gupta, Professor Tom Gedeon, Professor Tele Tan
AURA-CXR uses generative AI to analyse chest X-rays and generate explainable reports within seconds. It aids diagnosis in remote areas by linking image features with clinical insights. Adaptable for expert or trainee use, it boosts speed and consistency while easing radiologist workload.
CURTIN GLOBAL AWARD
Waste to Bioplastic
Associate Professor Inn Shi Tan, Associate Professor Henry Chee Yew Foo, Dr Tian Foon Howe, Dr Kevin Tian Xiang Tong, Associate Professor Man Kee Lam
DAMMO technology converts macroalgae and agricultural waste into L-lactic acid (a key ingredient for biodegradable plastics), using ozonolysis and acid with microbubbles. It’s zero-waste, low-energy and highly efficient. Industrial trials show strong yields, with applications expanding into palm oil waste.
TRAILBLAZER AWARD
RockAI
Daniel Goldstein
AI-enabled thermal cameras detect rockfalls in real time‚ even in dust, dark, or fog. The system identifies heat patterns and sends alerts to mine control instantly, improving safety and reducing haul road downtime.
CURTIN ENTREPRENEURS AWARD SUPPORTED BY THE MALKA FOUNDATION
Organic Oceans
Dr Alexis Chung, Dr Joel Wynhurst
Combines land-farmed seaweed cultivated in toxin-free, mineral-enriched tanks, with enzymatic processing to create a powerful, bioavailable extract for gut health. The preparation method preserves active compounds better than traditional drying. SeaSoothe helps manage inflammation, improve fibre intake and support microbiome balance.
Visit the Curtinnovation Awards page for more information on this year’s winners.
