Aussie STEM Stars: Veena Sahajwalla

Book excerpt: Age range 10-13 Aussie STEM Stars is an inspiring children’s series that celebrates Australia’s world-leading experts in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics One person’s trash is another person’s treasure! Veena is literally revolutionalising the processes to transform waste into amazing products which she calls ‘re-forming’, and that goes way beyond recycling! She and her team have invented machines that can do it on a micro level so you could have one in every suburb and town in Australia, and the world! Plus, her ‘green’ steel is cheaper to make and will use millions of old car tyres and other plastics instead of coal in steel-making, reducing carbon emissions by 80%. No wonder she’s getting awards all over the place! About this series Each book is written by an award-winning children’s author and follows the real-life stories of some of Australia’s top scientists and inventors, chosen on the basis of their pioneering work. Themes explored include childhood, school, family, and formative experiences which inspired them to pursue their chosen path, persevere in the face of challenges, and contribute to the field of science in Australia. About Veena Sahajwalla Inspired by what she observed growing up in Mumbai, that ‘one person’s trash is another person’s treasure’, Veena has dedicated her life to revolutionalising the processes to transform waste into amazing products in your suburb – micro-recycling. She’s head of the Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and technology (UNSW) and 2022 NSW Australian of the Year. A great role model for girls, in particular!