Dr Vu has 12 years of experience in biotechnology, nanomaterials, agriculture, and entrepreneurship. He is the inventor of three patents on silica nanoparticles and has published in leading journals including Nature Communications, JACS, Advanced Functional Materials, and Chemical Society Reviews. He previously led a Meat and Livestock Australia-funded project that successfully validated the effectiveness of silica nanoparticles on pasture seeds.
He is the recipient of multiple national and international awards, including:
• 2024: ACS Sustainability Star (American Chemical Society)
• 2024: Winner, evokeAG Startup Alley Award
• 2023: Science and Innovation Award for Young People in Agriculture (DAFF, $22,000)

Dr Ross Mann is an agricultural specialist and innovation leader with over 20 years’ experience, operating at the intersection of science, industry and government. He has successfully designed and delivered large, complex programs, built highperforming teams across diverse disciplines, and fostered trusted partnerships between government, industry, academia and international stakeholders. His work has generated a substantial patent portfolio, supported licensing and commercial partnerships with global agribusinesses, and contributed to improved productivity, sustainability and biosecurity outcomes across cropping, pasture and horticultural systems. Known for his collaborative leadership style, Ross combines strong technical credibility with pragmatic governance, risk management and communication skills, enabling him to guide projects from concept and codesign through to delivery, commercialisation and impact.

Dr Xiao holds a PhD in Chemistry (UNSW) and a Master’s in Environmental Engineering. He has published nine peer-reviewed papers in high-impact journals, with over 1,800 citations since 2020. His expertise lies in the design and characterisation of functional nanomaterials for sustainable applications.

He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, the Australian Academy of Technology. The Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences and the International Society of Electrochemistry. He is the inaugural editor-in-chief of the journal ACS Sensors. He has published over 550 research papers including Nature Nanotechnology, Nature Biotechnology, Nature Photonics, Nature Immunology, Nature Communications and Science Advances. He has also authored 19 patents and one text book. His papers have been cited
more than 36000 times and his H-index (Scopus) is 95. He has won numerous awards including three Eureka Prizes in Scientific Research, Mentoring of Young Researchers and Innovative Use of Technology, The David Craig Medal from the Australian Academy of Science, the Faraday Medal of the Royal Society of Chemistry, twice won the Elsevier
Biosensors and Bioelectronics Award, the Katsumi Niki Prize in Bioelectrochemistry and
the Heyrovsky Prize for Molecular Electrochemistry, both from the International Society of
Electrochemistry. He has been part of the commercialization teams for a glucose biosensor
that is sold worldwide and an Australian based 3D bioprinting company. He leads a research team of over 30 researchers interested in surface modification and nanotechnology for biosensors, biomaterials, electron transfer and medical applications.

Distinguished Prof Brajesh Singh- Western Sydney University – Scientific Advisor. Prof Singh advises on soil-plant interactions and ecosystem function. He is a globally recognised leader in soil biodiversity and sustainability.
Distinguished Professor Brajesh Singh is an internationally recognised expert in the field of functional ecology and soil biology. Through his fundamental research, his work identifies the quantitative relationships between soil biodiversity and ecosystem functions and how natural/anthropogenic pressures such as global change affect this. His applied research harnesses the knowledge gained in fundamental research to achieve increased farm productivity, sustainable development, environmental protection and food security. His research has advanced critical areas of ecosystem science, particularly linking soil biodiversity (microbial and faunal) to key ecosystem functions and services and has developed tools to improve farm productivity and environmental sustainability. This includes climate adaptation tools for the agriculture industry, management solutions to increase soil organic matter, increased export market access for agriculture produces, and training for farmers, consultants and policy advisors in sustainable agriculture and the Sustainable Development Goals.