Drew Evans

Background

About Drew Evans

Drew makes scientific discoveries and partners with industry to generate new commercial products. As a professor, research leader, Professorial Lead and former ARC Future Fellow at UniSA, he uses his expertise in materials and coatings for taking lab-based science through advanced manufacturing to commercial applications. He interacts and leads R&D with global industry partners across a diverse range of industries (automotive, renewables, energy, biomedical, agriculture and manufacturing). He has formed collaborations with academic leaders to establish the science behind the R&D - bridging both fundamental and applied projects. He is not only a technical leader, but mentors, advocates and advises in the broad area of collaboration between research and industry. This includes advisory roles on both scientific and commercialisation review committees. Selected examples of his impact are- Plastic Automotive Mirrors: In collaboration with the Cooperative Research Centre (AutoCRC) and SMR Automotive, he was part of the team who developed the world's first plastic automotive mirror- HeliostatSA: Drew was part of the small team from across a consortium of companies that came together to establish a new advanced manufacturing company to produce, install and advance Concentrated Solar Power- Interior Decorative Trim: In collaboration with the Cooperative Research Centre (Excellerate Australia CRC) and SMR Automotive, he was part of the team who developed new hidden-until-lit technology for decorative trim parts for the interior of cars- GammaTint: Drew and his colleagues developed electrochromic thin films for adaptive tint on augmented reality headsets- Sensing: Drew and his colleagues developed active polymer thin films for passive sensing of ions in aqueous environments. In collaboration with Sentek Pty Ltd, he was part of the team exploring a real-time in-ground sensor for nutrients- Clean Energy: Drew leads the UniSA team in a large consortia with EntX Limited to develop next generation clean energy technologies. This is initially focused at remote and isolated energy systems, such as deep space. With the slogan "Innovation with Application", Drew is leveraging these successes to create new sustainable devices with advanced manufacturing.