Flinders University is well represented in three categories of this year’s finalists for the South Australian Young Achievers Awards 2016.

Joshua Morony (Hostworks Online Achievement Award), Max Worthington (Flinders Ports Environment Award) and Razia Ali (Multicultural Youth Spirit of Resilience Award) are among the finalists in the Channel 9 SA Young Achievers Awards 2016.

Flinders Learning Online Coordinator Zoe Bogner, from the Centre of Innovation in Learning and Teaching, also is in the running for the Hostworks Online Achievement Award.

Here is some career details which earnt them their award nominations:

Joshua Morony is a mobile application developer and co-founder of MonkeyDo Studio. His focus is on using innovative technology to create mobile applications and platforms. More than 3000 people subscribe to his mobile app development newsletter with 30,000 unique visitors every month. Joshua creates both paid and free information products on his website, joshmorony.com, and free weekly mobile development tutorials to developers. Joshua is currently travelling around Australia, working remotely and taking full advantage of the opportunities the online space creates.

Max Worthington, who works in Dr Justin Chalker’s laboratory in the School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, led key experimental work in the development of a new polymer to remove mercury from water and soil. Using industrial waste products sulphur and limonene, Max’s polymer changes colour when it binds to mercury. Max and his colleagues at Flinders University are working with a variety of agencies worldwide to remove mercury from contaminated areas, especially at mining sites in developing nations. Max was a lead author on the ground-breaking, peer-reviewed published paper and he is an inventor with a patent pending.

Razia Ali, who is doing postgraduate study after completing a Bachelor of Psychological Sciences, arrived from Afghanistan in 2007 and is an active member of the Adelaide Afghan community. A founder of the Afghan Flinders University Association, Razia is a dedicated volunteer for the Migrant Resource Centre and a youth ambassador for Reachout.com, a youth mental health service. She is a human rights activist in the Afghan community and has organised events including a protest against the Hazara genocide in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Zoe Bogner is an online developer, using digital tools to improve wellbeing, safety and storytelling. Zoe set up the online platform The Learning Together project; for children and families living with diabetes. The Healthy Kids Check Project was an initiative for the Women’s and Children’s Hospital improving the standard of child health checks. Volunteering with ActNow Theatre, Zoe coordinated social media campaigns, digital media, online presence and advertising. She also developed web applications to be used in theatre performances and workshops.

Last year, Flinders Bachelor in Biodiversity and Conservation student Saskia Gerhardy won the Flinders Ports Environment Award. She also received the Young Landcare Leader Award at the 2015 Premier’s NRM and SA Landcare Awards.

This year’s winners will be announced on 12 March.