JUDGING PANEL
The Australian Conrad Challenge would like to thank the following judges who have generously given their time and expertise to help the entrants. Students are able to get support from industry leaders both in Australia and in the United States so they can put their best ideas forward.
TO BE ANNOUNCED
Check back here for updates on our fantastic judging panel!
BERNIE WOODCROFT
Director of ilab building and executing all of ilab’s startup programs.  Accomplished in Innovation and Design Startups, Executive Leadership, Business Development, Customer and Stakeholder Engagement, Program Management, Commercialisation, Project Management, Strategy and Governance.
NIMROD KLAYMAN
Director at UQ Idea Hub
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Nimrod has more than 20 years experience operating in senior roles within the telecommunication, manufacturing, technology and FMCG industries, with experience working in start-ups and within significant corporations based in Israel, Argentina and Australia.
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Nimrod is a serial entrepreneur passionate about building new ventures and finding new opportunities.
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Nimrod currently runs the University of Queensland’s Idea Hub – an innovation hub that provides aspiring student entrepreneurs with the requisite skills and knowledge needed to conceive a start-up.
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Nimrod designed and operates the "Global Startup adventure" for students at the University of Queensland, a unique overseas innovation and entrepreneurship experience, based at some of the hottest global hubs in entrepreneurship and innovation such as Shanghai, Tel Aviv and San Francisco.
JAMES J. CONNORS, PH.D.
Consulting Hydrologist, President and Principal Scientist of James J. Connors & Associates
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​Dr. Connors is an expert hydrologist, hydrogeologist, and environmental scientist with over 30 years of award-winning academic and consulting experience. Dr. Connors has acted as a hydrology, hydrogeology, and environmental science expert witness in a number of cases involving groundwater contamination, stormwater, runoff, drainage, flooding, erosion, sediment transport, sedimentation, wetlands hydrology, and water supply. He has also taught hydrology, hydrogeology, geophysics, and geology at the university level, and consulted for a diverse client base that has included law firms, regulatory agencies, municipalities, engineering/consulting firms, financial institutions, and private and public companies in the paper, energy, chemical, insurance, manufacturing, retail, mining, and waste management industries.
ABHINANDAN PATTANAYAK
Ahbi holds a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from National Institute of Technology, India (2003), and a master's degree from University of Nebraska-Lincoln (2007). Since 2008, he has contributed in the capacities as a researcher and laboratory manager in the fight against Alzheimer's disease and cancer at University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, respectively. Abhi loves the science and potential in biomedical research and in his spare time enjoys repairing general laboratory equipment.
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Abhi can be contacted at his Linkedin account.
RAGHEED AL-DULAIMI
MBChB, MPH in Epidemiology
LT HAMILTON GUBANC
N313 Nuclear Programs Officer
GEORGE H. EDWARDS, CPG
Professor Edwards is a CPG, a Certified Professional Geologist working in the United States.
DR RICHARD D. CRAVEN
Dr Richard D. Craven holds a PhD in Chemistry (Bio/analytical) from the esteemed University of Southern Mississippi. He has nearly 30 years of experience in Research in Development in Energy, Alternative Energy/Fuels, and Biosensor Development, Business Management, Marketing/Sales, Quality Assurance and Education.
He has been published nine times on topics as diverse as gravity’s influence on molecules at a solid-solution interface as well as rapid SLT gene detection.
Dr Craven currently does work on R&D on piezoelectric-based bioanalytical instrumentation, polymer/surface chemistry, molecular biology, sustainable energy/fuels research, energy resource and waste conversion.
DR GLORIA SILVA
Dr. Gloria Silva has over forty years experience in the fields of Bioorganic Chemistry, molecular recognition of DNA, natural product chemistry and bioactive natural products.
She has a particular interest in the fields of pharmacy, medicine, food industry and research. The design of her courses at the prestigious Mellon College of Science in Pittsburgh, USA, evolves from a practical view of the subject matter where she connects the theoretical concepts.
She is interested in conveying the student the relevance of chemistry to biology, medicine, food, and its impact to our everyday life.
DR SATHISH KUMAR LAGESHETTY
Dr. Lageshetty is a Radiochemist/ Facility Manager from Midwest Medical Isotopes LLC, located in Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
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ALICE KLEIN
Alice Klein is the Australasia Reporter for New Scientist. She has a PhD in chemistry from the University of Sydney and is passionate about boosting the public profile of science. She has appeared on radio and podcasts, made a science documentary series, and written for Australian Doctor,Medical Observer and the Washington Post.
CAYETANA MARTINEZ
Cayetana Martinez is passionate about entrepreneurship education, agile learning and business. She has a BA in Philosophy, two MAs in Humanities and an MBA. Throughout her professional career, she has worked in different roles in the startup space in Europe and in Australia. Cayetana is committed to support students and young adults to acquire an entrepreneurial mindset and to launch feasible and meaningful businesses. She is a TEDx speaker and a CSIRO mentor and currently works at UQ's Idea Hub as the Entrepreneurship and Relationships Manager.
CAYETANA MARTINEZ
Cayetana Martinez is passionate about entrepreneurship education, agile learning and business. She has a BA in Philosophy, two MAs in Humanities and an MBA. Throughout her professional career, she has worked in different roles in the startup space in Europe and in Australia. Cayetana is committed to support students and young adults to acquire an entrepreneurial mindset and to launch feasible and meaningful businesses. She is a TEDx speaker and a CSIRO mentor and currently works at UQ's Idea Hub as the Entrepreneurship and Relationships Manager.
MOHAMMADREZA MEYMANAT, M.D
Mohammadreza works as a full-time general physician at Valiasr Hospital, Zanjan, Iran. As an inventor, he has managed projects on cutting-edge targeted anti-cancer diagnosis and treatment methods, micro-motion external orthopedic bone fixation, new surgical preparation methods, cell targeting, anti-cancer nano-medicines, metal nanopowder production methods, industrial isolation and aerodynamic coatings.
HONGZHI SONG, Ph.D., GISP
Dr. Hongzhi Song is professional assistant professor and program coordinator of GISC at Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi, USA. She is a certified geographic information systems professional.
