UNSW expert awarded Eureka Prize for sustainability

UNSW researcher Professor Yansong Shen has been awarded a 2026 Australian Museum Eureka Prize.

Shen, from UNSW Engineering, was recognised for his work creating a low-cost recycling system for solar panels.

He was among six UNSW finalists for the annual national science prizes which recognise excellence in research and innovation, leadership and science engagement.

UNSW Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research & Enterprise, Professor Bronwyn Fox said the Eureka Prizes were an important opportunity to celebrate the people behind some of Australia’s most exciting research.

“It’s wonderful to have our researchers recognised for the tremendous impact their work is having in their fields and beyond. Through their research they are helping to build a more sustainable, resilient and healthier future,” Fox said.

“These awards reflect years of curiosity, hard work, determination and collaboration, and I would like to congratulate all the winners and finalists on this well-deserved achievement.”

The 36th annual awards were presented at Sydney Town Hall and recognised 58 finalists across 19 categories.

Shen awarded Eureka Prize for Sustainability Research

Shen won the Eureka Prize for Sustainability Research for his solar panel recycling solution.

Solar panels will play a vital role in achieving global net zero targets, but as millions reach the end of their lifespan, better recycling solutions are needed to prevent valuable materials from going to waste.

Shen, Director of The Australian Research Council (ARC) Hub for Photovoltaic Solar Panel Recycling and Sustainability, is developing a much-needed circular solar economy.

He created a low-cost, scalable and portable recycling system that diverts solar panel waste from landfill and provides a supply of valuable materials, such as silver and copper, for new panels and other purposes.

Shen said his background as a metallurgist, a specialist in extracting and processing metals, led him to see the untapped potential in aging solar panels.

“I did not just see them as a clean energy device, but as urban mines with different valuable materials like silver, copper, glass and silicon which could be re-used,” he said.

“But it’s difficult to separate these materials out, so we had to do the research and develop new computational particle tools and a numerical-lab-pilot (NLP) strategy to achieve this.”

“Unlike conventional laboratory-scale trial and error which needs hundreds of different prototypes and millions of physical experiments, this NLP strategy enables faster and guided technology design and commercialisation, empowering industry partners to launch efficiently rather than relying solely on standard university patent licensing.”

With an estimated 60–78 million tonnes of panels requiring recycling by 2050, this end-to-end technology will provide vital support for more sustainable solar waste management.

Shen said he was truly honoured to receive the Eureka Prize for Sustainability Research.

“I would like to thank my research team, UNSW SCoPE Lab for Green Metals and our many collaborators and sponsors. It took people with many different expertise to make this idea a reality, and we wouldn’t be here without them. I’d also like to acknowledge the other teams in this category; we are all doing amazing work.”

The full list of 2026 Australian Museum Eureka Prize winners can be found here.

Image caption: UNSW researcher Professor Yansong Shen. Credit: UNSW Sydney/Richard Freeman