Sumedha Amaraweera
PhD Researcher | School of Chemical Engineering | The University of Queensland
July 2025 – January 2026 | 6 months
Company Spotlight
Minderoo Foundation is a modern philanthropic organisation committed to tackling some of the world’s most pressing challenges, including plastic waste and its impacts on human health. The Plastic and Human Health (PHH) team works to accelerate the transition to safer, sustainable materials and circular systems, engaging with industry, researchers, and innovators to drive large-scale change.
Placement Overview
Sumedha’s placement was with the Plastic and Human Health (PHH) team at the Minderoo Foundation, working closely with the Sustainable Materials Innovation and Investments (SMII) subgroup. Her work centred on evaluating startups developing sustainable material solutions in areas such as alternatives and substitutes, green additives, coatings and surface modifications.
Her role involved conducting literature reviews, collecting and interpreting technical data, and analysing biopolymers used as functional coatings for paper. She also contributed to financial and impact assessment processes, preparing scenario-based financial analyses and evaluating startup pitches. Through this work, Sumedha gained valuable exposure to intellectual property (IP) considerations, commercialisation pathways, and the way research innovations are translated into viable startup ventures and investment opportunities.
Skills Developed
- Evaluation of sustainable materials, biopolymers, and advanced coating technologies
- Scenario‑based financial analysis and impact assessment of early‑stage ventures
- Technology evaluation, industry mapping, and analysis of startup maturity and readiness
- Application of sustainability and hazard‑assessment frameworks to materials evaluation
- Communication of scientific concepts to non‑academic and investment audiences
Outcomes
- Gained hands‑on experience evaluating impact-driven startup investment processes
- Contributed to the evidence base on chemical hazards, microplastics, and their human‑health and environmental implications
- Enhanced ability to collaborate across interdisciplinary research, sustainability, and investment teams
Sumedha says:
“This placement gave me a unique opportunity to combine my scientific background with investment and impact assessment, and to understand how sustainable materials research translates into real-world startup innovation”
Learn more about how our industry placements prepare graduates for careers in sustainable materials research.
