Chen Liang

University of Adelaide researcher Chen Liang has worked out the science behind using magnetic nanoparticles on polymers to remove the capsicum taste from wine. Chen was awarded the the people’s choice prize in the Student Forum at the 16^th AWITC. With just three minutes and one slide to convey their work PhD and Research Masters candidates worked hard to express their ideas and research discoveries. A panel of judges, selected the winners and the audience were given the opportunity to vote for their favourite presentation. Chen charmed the audience with her presentation on a new technique involving magnetic imprinted polymers to eliminate excessive methoxypyrazines from wines. "Winning the people’s choice award for my short presentation on magnetic polymers was a great encouragement for me to keep working on my exciting and challenging project. With help and support from my supervisors, Assoc. Prof. David Jeffery, Prof. Dennis Taylor and Prof. Vladimir Jiranek, and the ARC Training Centre cohort more broadly, I have made good progress with my project and published two papers." said Chen. Chen was invited back to present at the 2016 Awards for excellence dinner, along with the winners and guest speakers including Chester Osbourne. Chen's most recent paper in Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry on using magnetic polymers for removal of green capsicum aroma from Cabernet Sauvignon received a great deal of media attention, featuring recently in The Advertiser. Chen's student journey is now coming to an end she has submitted her PhD thesis for examination in June. Chen hope's to get the chance to keep working with this amazing beverage we call wine, “I’m happy to study and do research on a novel technology like nanoparticles and the magnetic thing is exciting and challenging,” she said.“ I like these new ideas and challenges, but there is still a lot to improve if I get another chance to keep working on that.”