For the second year in a row, a PhD student from the Australian National University (ANU) Research School of Electrical, Energy and Materials Engineering has taken out Student of the Year at the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating National Awards Night.
Having just submitted her thesis, final year PhD student Xiaolin (Shannon) Wang was awarded for her major contribution to the industry, through the development of a novel energy-storage medium for air conditioning.
Known as ‘Warm Ice’, this technology is expected to disrupt the field of air conditioning by enabling practical and cost effective access to off-peak and renewable energy sources for chillers.
With over 200 industry executives present at the awards night, Shannon’s award has encouraged her to further pursue research in this field.
“Winning this award is a milestone for me as I’ve been studying in this area for 10 years. I’m now excited and feel encouraged about the new research journey ahead of me.”
Shannon’s supervisor, Dr Mike Dennis, has congratulated Shannon on her award.
“It’s fantastic to see the high regard Shannon and her work are held within the industry. This prestigious pat on the back from such a well-respected industry peak body is well deserved credit for the depth, scope and relevance of her PhD experience at ANU.”