ÐÂÀ˲ÊƱ

The Falling Walls Lab ÐÂÀ˲ÊƱ 2025 event brought South Australian researchers into the international spotlight, with participants pitching their solution to a global challenge and showcasing a breakthrough that creates a positive impact on science and society in just three minutes. 

Falling Walls Labs are organised each year around the world by the Falling Walls Foundation, which was established in 2009, 20 years following the fall of the Berlin Wall. 

Through these Labs, the Falling Walls Foundation aims to help shape the future by pursuing breakthroughs and advancements in science, technology, humanities and sociology research.

They do this by providing opportunities to emerging bright minds from across these fields to present their solutions to some of the most pertinent challenges facing our world today, by answering the question: ‘Which are the next walls to fall?’.

Co-presented by the University of ÐÂÀ˲ÊƱ, the University of South Australia, Flinders University and StudyÐÂÀ˲ÊƱ, this year’s Falling Walls Lab ÐÂÀ˲ÊƱ event had a record-breaking number of presenters:

• Tohid Zarei, University of South Australia: Breaking the Wall of Autistic Youth Isolation
• Sreshtha Malik, The University of ÐÂÀ˲ÊƱ: Breaking the Wall of Herbicide-Resistant Weeds
• Mel Nguyen, The University of ÐÂÀ˲ÊƱ: Breaking the Wall of Plastic and Food Waste
• Henry Sukhinin, University of South Australia: Breaking the Wall of Mining Waste
• Xueying (Belle) Niu, University of South Australia: Breaking the Wall of Language Barriers
• Galen Pereira, The University of ÐÂÀ˲ÊƱ: Breaking the Wall of AI in Cell Biology
• Mabel Day, The University of ÐÂÀ˲ÊƱ: Breaking the Wall of Forever Chemicals

Mabel Day was the winner of the ÐÂÀ˲ÊƱ event and also won the Audience Award. Sreshtha Malik and Mel Nguyen placed second and third respectively. Mabel and Sreshtha will now go on to compete at a national event in Canberra on Monday 1 September.

The winner of the Australian event will travel to Berlin for the Global Finale in November. 

Thank you to the jury members who evaluated this year’s presentations:

• Professor Jessica Gallagher, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (External Engagement), UoA
• Professor Vincent Bulone, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research Performance and Impact), Flinders University
• Dr Victoria (Velda) Elliott, Associate Professor of English and Literacy Education and Director for Graduate Studies, University of Oxford
• Ms Jane Johnston, Chief Executive, StudyÐÂÀ˲ÊƱ
• Mr Craig Jones, Deputy Director: Business Incubation, University of South Australia