Andrea Bubendorfer

Andrea Bubendorfer

Chief Scientist

Executive Leadership Team

Creativity is more important than knowledge

I am Callaghan Innovation's Chief Science Officer. I love that we take society’s hardest challenges and create solutions to develop a better future for the country. Paul Callaghan remains a great inspiration because of his vision to take things out of the lab and getting them used by real people to create prosperity.

My own technical background is in microfabrication which combined my chemistry, physics and maths training - it’s the technology behind miniaturisation. I see a particular opportunity for New Zealand to build high value, easily exported products with global demand, so I want to democratise access to this lucrative industry. I’m keen now to support people across the research, science and innovation ecosystem and create a better future for us all. 

I believe that creativity is more important than knowledge in my work commercialising science. And that’s part of the key to success.

Areas of expertise
  • Microstructure design and fabrication
  • Rapid prototyping for microfabrication
  • Photolithography, especially high aspect ratio
  • Soft lithography
  • Point-of-care diagnostics
  • Miniaturisation
  • Wearables
  • Hardware sensors
Education
  • MSc (Hons) Biophysical Chemistry, Victoria University of Wellington, 1998
  • BA Science Subjects Victoria University of Wellington, 1995
  • BSc Mathematics and Maths, Victoria University of Wellington, 1993
  • Certificate in Adult teaching, Whitireia Polytechnic, 1999
Memberships and awards
  • Kiwinet Emerging Innovator 2016
  • Winner (team) ENVI Engineering Innovation Award, 2019
  • Finalist in Breakthrough Innovator (2019) and Research Entrepreneur (2021) KiwiNet awards
Selected publications

Harrison B. Jones, Ciaran P. Moore, Andrew D. Best, Andrea J. Bubendorfer, and Neil D. Glasson "Rapid prototyping MEMS with laminated resin printing", Proc. SPIE 11294, Emerging Digital Micromirror Device Based Systems and Applications XII, 1129407 (28 February 2020).

Bubendorfer, Andrea; Best, Andrew; Arnold, William Michael, All-Polymer, High-Aspect-Ratio, Soft Lithography, IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, Micro and Nanotechnology in Medicine Conference, 2014.

A.J. Bubendorfer, B. Ingham, J.V. Kennedy, W.M. Arnold (2014) “Origin of Electrokinetic Variability in Microfluidic Devices Cast on SU‐8 Epoxy”. Proc. Annual Conference of the Electrostatics Society of America, Purdue University, Illinois, June 2014.

A.J. Bubendorfer, B. Ingham, J.V. Kennedy, W.M. Arnold (2013) Contamination of PDMS microchannels by lithographic molds LabChip, 13, 4312-4316.

J.H.L. Beal, A. Bubendorfer, T. Kemmitt, I. Hoek, and W.M. Arnold (2012) A rapid, inexpensive surface treatment for enhanced functionality of polydimethylsiloxane microfluidic channels Biomicrofluidics 6, 036503.

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