In this short video from the Office of the NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer, Microscopy Australia’s Dr Richard Webster (The Electron Microscope Unit, UNSW Sydney) explains how researchers from UNSW and The Australian National University are working together to tackle this challenge. Led by Professor Zongyou Yin, the team is developing new ways to produce green hydrogen by using sunlight to split seawater. Read the full case study here.
Dr Webster’s work focuses on advanced material characterisation using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to better understand and improve catalyst performance at the atomic scale. Access to national research infrastructure allows scientists to image, track and analyse critical elements such as hydrogen, lithium and sodium—capabilities that are essential for developing next‑generation energy technologies.
Microscopy Australia’s UNSW facility, the Electron Microscope Unit, is supported by the NSW Government’s NCRIS Support Program, alongside university and federal government investment. As a national consortium of university‑based facilities, Microscopy Australia enables researchers across materials, biomedical, nano and agricultural sciences to translate fundamental research into real‑world impact.
March 2, 2026
