Title: Developing a Water Filtration Membrane from Harakeke – A Native Plant of New Zealand

Speaker: Ben Hang Yin, Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Canterbury, New Zealand

Invited by: Researcher Yanying Wei

Time: October 30, 2026 (Friday), 15:00–16:00

Venue: Room 105, Building 15, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Organizer: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Biography

Dr. Ben Hang Yin earned his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Dalian University of Technology (China) in 2008. He began his research career at the National University of Singapore and completed his Ph.D. in Chemical and Process Engineering at the University of Canterbury in 2016. Subsequently, he undertook a Postdoctoral Fellowship at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia, working on membrane technology for seawater desalination. He then returned to New Zealand with independent postdoc funding from the MacDiarmid Institute. He worked at Massey University, Victoria University of Wellington, and the industrial research institute in New Zealand before his current role as a senior lecturer at the University of Canterbury (UC). He leads the Advanced Membrane Technology Group at UC, which focuses on developing cutting-edge separation technologies to promote energy and environmental sustainability. He has published in leading journals, including Nature Communications, Chemical Engineering Journal, Advanced Functional Materials,and Nature Nanotechnology, among others. With total research funding of over NZD 6 million, his research has a strong industry focus, resulting in commercial products for practical applications that have generated over NZD 20 million in sales revenue.

Abstract

Access to clean water is a paramount humanitarian priority world wide. Currently available water treatment tools have a significant environmental footprint. There is an increasing demand for accessible and environmentally friendly water treatment options. Harakeke (Phormium tenax) is native to New Zealand and holds great cultural importance to Māori, the indigenous people. Throughout history,harakeke has been used for vital purposes, from medicine to textiles. Its leaves contain strong fibres and possess an intrinsically porous structure that closely resembles that of polymeric membranes. This talk endeavours our journey of developing a harakeke membrane for purifying drinking water.

Beyond the technical aspect, this talk will review harakeke’s historical, cultural,and social significance to Māori and New Zealand, highlighting the impact of this indigenous-involved research. A research approach that respectfully interweaves Eurocentric scientific methods with Māori philosophy and cultural practices will be introduced. We emphasise that sustainable development involves not only technical and environmental considerations but also respecting cultural integrity and social responsibility. 

Announced by School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering.