Associate Professor Amir Razmjou, accepting his award
Edith Cowan University (ECU) has reaffirmed its reputation for impactful, sector-shaping research, with two of its researchers taking out top honours at the 2025 Western Australian Water Awards (WAWA).
Held at the Ritz-Carlton, the event celebrated Western Australia's most forward-thinking water professionals and projects, recognising those driving innovation and sustainability across the state. ECU's researchers were among those spotlighted for their outstanding contributions to ensuring a more resilient and sustainable water future for WA.
Water Professional of the Year
Associate Professor Amir Razmjou leads ECU's Mineral Recovery Research Centre, which is pioneering innovative and sustainable technologies at the intersection of the water and mining industries. His research has attracted more than $18 million (above $8.5 million as lead CI) in funding and is driving significant impact across STEM programs, the public sector, and international research partnerships.
"It's an incredible honour to be named the 2025 Water Professional of the Year. This recognition reflects the collective effort of our team at ECU's School of Engineering and our commitment to advancing sustainable technologies that benefit both the water and mining sectors," Professor Razmjou said.
"Water is at the heart of sustainable development. By integrating advanced membrane technologies into resource recovery, we're not only reducing environmental impact but also helping position Western Australia as a global leader in low water footprint mining."
Building on strong industry partnerships and emerging research priorities, Associate Professor Razmjou says he's energised by the opportunities ahead.
"The future of water and mining lies in innovation. We're excited to continue pushing boundaries, developing cleaner extraction methods, and contributing to a more resilient and sustainable resource economy."
Student Water Prize Winner
PhD candidate, Ali Kandi, with his Student Water Prize
PhD candidate Ali Kandi continued ECU's strong showing at the awards by taking home the Student Water Prize. This is the first time a student from ECU has won this leading award.
Ali's research focuses on finding sustainable ways to reduce temperature polarisation, a key limitation for desalination systems, which is aimed at improving energy efficiency and cost effectiveness.
"I am grateful for this recognition and the opportunity it represents. It motivates me to go deeper, because the world is facing serious water challenges and we need better, smarter, more sustainable solutions," Mr Kandi said.
"This award reminds me that my research, even in its technical details, is part of something bigger, and that drives me to keep pushing forward."
Both winners will now go on to represent Western Australia and ECU at the National Australian Water Awards, to be held in Brisbane during the AWA's flagship annual conference and exhibition, Ozwater 2026.
