Sophie Primig

Professor Sophie Primig is a leading academic at the School of Materials Science and Engineering, UNSW Sydney. She holds the Alcoa Distinguished Professorship and an ARC Future Fellowship, focusing on structural alloys for aerospace and sustainable manufacturing. Her research combines experimental techniques like multiscale microscopy with computational modeling to bridge fundamental discovery and industrial applications. Key areas include Ni-based superalloys, advanced steels, Ti-alloys, and additive manufacturing.

Education and Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Mining and Metallurgical Engineering (2012), Montanuniversität Leoben (Austria)
• M.Eng. in Materials Science and Engineering (2008), Montanuniversität Leoben (Austria)
• Graduate Certificates in Management (2021) and University Learning & Teaching (2018), UNSW Sydney

Research Interests: Processing-structure-property relationships in structural alloys, additive manufacturing (AM) of metals, phase transformations, and microstructural characterization using advanced techniques like atom probe tomography and in situ TEM. Her work emphasizes sustainable manufacturing and industrial collaboration.

Grants and Collaborations: Current ARC Fellowships and industry partnerships focus on AM gradient materials, Ni-based superalloy manufacturing, and microstructure-property relationships. She leads projects with Australian and international manufacturers.

Awards and Recognition:

• ARC Future Fellowship (2024)
• Dean of Science Research Excellence Award (2022)
• UNSW Scientia Fellowship (2019)

Professional Engagement: Chair of TMS Phase Transformations Committee, member of Materials Australia, and leader of the 'Engineering Microstructures' and '3D Additive' research groups. She also teaches courses in metallurgy and materials engineering.

Labs and Teams: Her team focuses on AM materials development, with active projects in UNSW’s state-of-the-art facilities, including the Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre.