PhD candidate Cheryl Chan is leading the project, which challenges the conventional design of space-based cameras
“Building high-quality imaging systems for space is always a balancing act – every gram and every cubic centimetre counts,” Chan said.
“To overcome this, I’m looking at freeform optics rather than the standard round shapes used in traditional telescopes. Instead of a perfect bowl, these surfaces are more like a Pringle or a wave. They let us bend, fold and compress light paths into much smaller packages, which means fewer components, lighter systems and more compact satellites.”
Chan is also testing a new fabrication method combining 3D printing with ultra-precise finishing techniques, aiming to deliver smooth, detailed surfaces at lower cost for use in infrared imaging.
Her work was showcased at UniSA’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Grand Final last week, where she won the People’s Choice Award.
The top honour went to Namrata Nair, whose research into sanitation access across India revealed stark social divides. By analysing data from more than 600 districts, Nair discovered that in one-third of regions, over half the population does not have access to an indoor toilet.
“When something as basic as a toilet is out of reach, it creates deep feelings of deprivation and resentment,” Nair said. “And when people feel left behind, it threatens the safety and cohesion of society.”
Her district-level mapping provides governments and communities with targeted tools for improving sanitation – an approach that could also be applied in other nations to boost public health and social stability.
UniSA dean of graduate studies, Professor Sandra Orgeig, congratulated Nair on her winning presentation, saying, “The UniSA 3MT Grand Final highlights how our PhD students communicate ambitious ideas with clarity, impact and engagement.”
“Namrata’s work offers governments practical tools to improve dignity and build safer, fairer societies. This year’s finalists were especially strong across diverse fields – well done to all.”
The runner-up prize went to Anita Kral, who has uncovered how mould exposure can trigger asthma at a cellular level.
While mould is already known as a major asthma trigger with up to 80 per cent of asthmatics worldwide thought to have mould allergies – the precise mechanism has remained unclear.
Using a “mini lung in a dish” model, Kral showed how mould exposure rewires lung stem cells to produce signals that induce asthma. Alarmingly, these signals remain long after the initial exposure.
Kral is now testing whether existing inhibitors can block or silence the harmful pathways, potentially opening the door to new asthma prevention strategies.
The annual 3MT competition, developed by The University of Queensland, challenges PhD candidates to present their research in just three minutes using plain language and a single slide.
This year’s UniSA Grand Final was hosted by The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre and the Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies, with support from UniSA’s academic units. A recording of the event will soon be available on The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre website.
Nair will now represent UniSA at the Asia-Pacific Final in Brisbane, competing against doctoral researchers from across the region.
Meanwhile, UniSA and the University of Adelaide are progressing their merger to create Adelaide University – a new institution set to combine world-class research with innovative teaching and a first-class student experience.