Leading scientists, engineers and a startup founder will headline the next NSW Smart Sensing Network Women in Sensing panel on 16 September at the University of Sydney, exploring how we can design infrastructure that is smarter, more sustainable, and more equitable.

The panel discussion will look at the future of infrastructure through the lens of innovation—examining how emerging materials, advanced sensing technologies, and inclusive design are reshaping the built environment.

One of the speakers is Nicole Metje, who is Professor of Infrastructure Monitoring and Director of the National Buried Infrastructure Facility at the University of Birmingham, UK.

Nicole leads the End User Applications theme of the UK Quantum Technology Research Hub in Sensing, Imaging and Timing, where she collaborates with industry to evaluate advanced sensors and novel data processing methods that can “see” through the ground—making excavation safer, more efficient, and less disruptive.

Professor Nicole Metje from University of Birmingham.

Professor Metje is also a leading voice in utility standards and governance, contributing to UK and international committees, including PAS128, to develop best practice and training.

She is deeply involved in the digitisation of the subsurface, including work on the UK’s National Underground Asset Register, which is shaping how underground utilities are mapped, shared, and managed.

Dr Neda Mohammadi is a leading scholar of AI-enabled digital twins for smart cities and communities.

The Sydney Horizon Fellow’s research advances engineering decision making for sociotechnical systems, with a strong emphasis on how complex human–infrastructure systems and human behaviour shape, and reshape, one another.

Central to her work is leading projects in 'Smart City Digital Twins' that integrate collaborative sensing systems, multimodal data fusion, and human-in-the-loop with AI control platforms to explore interdependencies, uncertainties, and evolving interoperability.

Working with councils, city agencies, and industry partners in NSW and internationally, Dr Mohammadi’s research provides critical insights into the impacts of infrastructure systems on health, safety, and sustainability.

Anna Wright is the CEO and founder of startup BindiMaps, a digital indoor wayfinding platform that helps anyone navigate complex indoor spaces, whether they walk or roll, whether they can see or not.

Anna developed the idea for BindiMaps after undergoing years of major surgery to save her own eyesight, which inspired her to create a more accessible world for people with vision impairment.

Since 2017, Anna has grown BindiMaps into a globally recognised accessibility innovator, most recently named a Global Champion at the United Nations World Summit Awards 2023.

A passionate advocate for inclusion and impact-driven technology, Anna is a prominent leader in the startup ecosystem, inspiring others to build tech that changes the world.

Dr Yunyun Tao completed her PhD at the University of Sydney in 2025, specialising in the sustainable utilisation of fibre-reinforced polymer composite waste in cementitious composites.

With a background in Civil Engineering, her research explores how recyclates such as aeroplane waste materials and fibres can be integrated into cement-based materials and developed into self-sensing concrete through piezaresistivity. Their performance has been enhanced through innovative modification, evaluated across mechanical, durability, and microstructural performance.

Now a Postdoctoral Research Associate, Dr Tao’s work is advancing sustainable construction practices and the development of multifunctional materials, contributing to a more resilient and sustainable built environment.

The NSSN Women in Sensing event series started in 2022 with the aim of profiling women researchers and leaders from across the network of seven universities. 
 
The event provides inclusive platforms for networking and identifying collaborative opportunities. 

The Women in Sensing event will be held at the Sydney Knowledge Hub between 12pm and 1.30pm on Tuesday, 16 September. A complimentary lunch will be served from 12pm. Register for the event. 

Designing the future: Women in Sensing tackles smarter, sustainable and equitable infrastructure