Photonics engineer, Dr Mickael Mounaix, from UQ School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, has been named a recipient of the prestigious Lord Mayor’s Convention Trailblazer Grant.
Mickael is one of six Brisbane researchers selected for the program, each receiving up to $5,000 to attend major international conferences in their fields and work with the Brisbane Economic Development Agency (BEDA) to help bring these events to the city.
A Westpac Research Fellow, Mickael is pioneering photonics technologies to control light for advanced communications, enabling faster and more efficient data transmission, and for imaging through complex scattering materials such as biomedical tissues.
He will use the grant to attend a leading international conference, where he will showcase his research and advocate for Brisbane as a future host city for a major global photonics event.
“I’m delighted and honoured to be a Brisbane Trailblazer,” Mickael said. “This opportunity allows me to connect with the global optics and photonics community, share our work, and promote Brisbane as a destination for world-class events.”
Dr Mounaix maintains strong collaborations across Australia and internationally, as well as industry partners working in photonics and optical systems, which could strengthen Brisbane’s bid to host a major conference.
“Brisbane is uniquely positioned to host a global photonics conference, particularly as we build towards the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” he said. “We have a strong research community, growing infrastructure and an exciting opportunity to bring the world’s leading experts to our city.”
The Trailblazer Grant program empowers recipients to expand their global networks, develop leadership capability and help attract high-value international events that drive investment, knowledge exchange and long-term impact for Brisbane.
“I’m looking forward to the journey and to working with BEDA to help bring a major international conference to Brisbane,” Dr Mounaix said. “It’s an exciting opportunity to contribute to the city’s growing reputation as a centre for innovation.”
Find out more about the Lord Mayor’s Convention Trailblazer Grant.
