University of Adelaide PhD candidate Mel Nguyen has been recognized in the Visualize Your Thesis (VYT) competition for her research on converting food waste into durable bioplastics. Nguyen received the Trending on VYT award, a prestigious recognition for emerging researchers. Her research aims to address the dual issues of food waste and plastic pollution by developing bioplastics that can be used for various applications. Nguyen’s initial inspiration came from observing the problem of plastic waste in her daily life, and she believes that bioplastics can be a more sustainable solution. With the support of the University of Adelaide and the End Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre, Nguyen has developed a range of bioplastic properties that can be adjusted for different applications. Her next goal is to commercialize her functional bioplastic made from food waste, which will require further refinement, scalability testing, and partnerships with industry stakeholders. Mel hopes that her research will help drive the transition to a circular economy where waste materials are repurposed into valuable resources.
Turning food waste into bioplastics: a sustainable solution to reduce waste and create new materials.
