Leslie Yeo

Leslie is a scientist and engineer with a passion for the discovery and elucidation of novel physicochemical phenomena, and their translation into practical technology for real world applications.

Leslie received his PhD from Imperial College London in 2002, for which he was awarded the Dudley Newitt prize for a computational/theoretical thesis of outstanding merit. Prior to joining RMIT, he was a Mathematical Modeller at Det Norske Veritas UK and a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Notre Dame, USA, after which he commenced a faculty position at Monash University. In addition, he has also held the Australian Research Fellowship and Australian Research Council Future Fellowship from 2009 to 2017.

Leslie was the recipient of the 2007 Young Tall Poppy Science Award from the Australian Institute for Policy & Science ‘in recognition of the achievements of outstanding young researchers in the sciences including physical, biomedical, applied sciences, engineering and technology’, both the Dean’s and Vice-Chancellor’s awards for excellence in early career research at Monash University, and the Vice-Chancellor’s award for research excellence as well as the university’s award for research innovation at RMIT. His work on microfluidics has been featured widely in the media, for example, on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s science television program Catalyst, 3RRR and SBS radio broadcasts, and in various articles in The Economist, New Scientist and The Washington Times, in addition to being highlighted in Nature and Science.

Leslie is co-author of the book Electrokinetically Driven Microfluidics & Nanofluidics (Cambridge University Press), and the author of over 250 research publications and 45 patent applications. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of the American Institute of Physics journal Biomicrofluidics, Associate Editor of Frontiers in Bioengineering & Biotechnology, and an editorial board member of Interfacial Phenomena & Heat Transfer, Frontiers in Bioengineering & Biotechnology, Biosensors and Micro.

Industry experience
Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling (Det Norske Veritas UK)

Awards & Honours:
2023: Fellowship of the Institution of Engineering & Technology (FIET)
2021: RMIT University Science, Technology, Engineering & Medicine College Research Impact Award
2019: RMIT University Distinguished Professorship
2018: RMIT University Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Research Excellence
2016: Johnson & Johnson World Without Disease Quickfire Challenge Award
2015: RMIT University Innovation Excellence Award
2009: Monash University Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research by Early Career Researchers
2009: Monash University Faculty of Engineering Early Career Researcher Award
2008: Eureka Prize People’s Choice Award Finalist
2007: Young Tall Poppy Science Award
2007: Fresh Science Award
2002: Dudley Newitt Prize
2000: Society of Chemical Industry Messel Fund Bursary
1999-2001: University of London Knight Studentship in Science & Engineering
1998-2001: Overseas Research Scholarship