From steel to science: The professor leading Wollongong’s next growth frontier

UOW's Professor Gordon Wallace is preparing Wollongong to manufacture products no one else can yet make

Distinguished Professor Gordon Wallace is the director of the University of Wollongong’s Intelligent Polymer Research Institute. Pic supplied

The University of Wollongong’s 50th anniversary celebrations throughout 2025 aren’t just about looking back. The bigger question is: what comes next?

A pioneering professor who leads world-first advances in nanobionics, smart materials and wearable technologies from his UOW lab, believes Wollongong - the university and the city - is uniquely positioned to become a global hub for advanced med-tech manufacturing and energy innovation

Professor Gordon Wallace - scientist, innovator, educator and director of UOW’s Intelligent Polymer Research Institute - believes the future is on our doorstep. After a three-day Advanced Materials Symposium in Wollongong, he reflected on the past, present and future of the field and of our city.
He is as confident as he is excited about the next decade.