Saeid Baroutian: closing the loop

At 4am each day, with his golden retriever Lily by his side, Professor Saeid Baroutian begins his workday from home.

It’s a routine he’s perfected, with the early hours providing the quiet focus he needs.

Starting early also ensures that his work doesn’t cut into the quality time he gets with his wife and daughter.

“Family comes first,” he says.

As the deputy head (research) in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, as well as the executive director of the Circular Innovations Research Centre (CIRCUIT), Chair of the Engineering Sustainability Committee and director of the Sustainable Resource Recovery postgraduate programme, he has a lot on his plate.

Saeid’s research is dedicated to creating innovative, sustainable technologies that drive the circular economy, enhance resource recovery and minimise waste. He’s published more than 140 journal articles and has also co-founded two clean technology start-up companies to bring his innovations to life.

One of these, Gaiatech, aims to address the environmental impact of anaesthetic gases. The technology uses a specially designed canister to trap waste anaesthetic gases. It’s a zero-waste, chemical-free and cost-effective solution for hospitals.

His second start-up, Nurox Hydrothermal, focuses on hazardous medical waste and toxic cytotoxic drugs from chemotherapy treatments. Instead of sending these to landfills or incinerators overseas, Nurox uses pressurised hot water to break them down into valuable chemicals.

With support from UniServices, both of these companies are partnering with healthcare and waste management providers to scale up the technology for broader use.

“Healthcare waste is a growing global issue, but our goal is to rethink waste, not just manage it. With Gaiatech, we’re pioneering a way to prevent harmful anaesthetic gases from entering the atmosphere, and with Nurox, we’re ensuring that toxic medical waste is safely broken down rather than becoming an environmental burden.”

A positive mindset

Known for his calm demeanour, Saeid credits his ability to manage his demanding schedule to maintaining a positive mindset.

“It’s part of my DNA. I always encourage my students to be positive,” he says.
Creating positive change also makes those early mornings worthwhile.

“If a company can produce a more sustainable product at a lower cost, then that gives me a sense of satisfaction. But what truly drives me is seeing the real-world impact of my research.”

That impact has been especially clear over the past two years, as Saeid has co-led a collaboration with Dr Kiri Dell and other Business School researchers, as well as researchers from the faculties of Science and Engineering and Design, to help a Tairāwhiti community combat climate-related challenges. The urgency of the project grew after extreme weather events such as Cyclone Gabrielle disrupted power and clean water supplies along with other infrastructure.

In addition to this work, Saeid has been applying his technological expertise to turn locally grown kānuka into gourmet products, providing new opportunities for Māori landowners in the same Tairāwhiti community. In 2023, the project secured $1.9 million in government funding to establish a pilot plant.

“My work is not only about contributing to the economy or the environment, but also about people. We need to support people, and especially those who require help.”

The path to sustainability

Growing up in Tehran, Saeid’s fascination with chemistry from a young age set the stage for his future in engineering.

He completed a Bachelor of Engineering at Azad University before pursuing his masters at the University of Kerman. Initially, he planned to specialise in oil and gas, envisioning a career as a chemical engineer in a refinery.

However, his path took an unexpected turn when his masters supervisor introduced him to a project that was focused on measuring emissions from a cement manufacturing plant.

“That was the beginning of my journey in sustainability.”

He got married shortly after, and he and his wife both pursued their PhDs at the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur.

It was during this time that he gained valuable experience in developing and scaling up a technology, taking it from the lab to commercialisation while navigating all the complexities involved. These skills would later prove essential in his own start-up ventures.

He had also been collaborating with Professor Brent Young in the Faculty of Engineering and Design, which paved the way for a move to the University of Auckland in 2014 for a new postdoctoral position.

“For me, education has always been a way to make a real difference. Pursuing a PhD gave me the opportunity to develop solutions to critical environmental challenges while also securing a strong future for my family.”

After completing his doctorate, Saeid made another major move – this time to Aotearoa New Zealand.

With his wife six months pregnant, the couple packed up and relocated to Rotorua, where Saeid took on a postdoctoral role at the Crown Research Institute Scion. There, he worked on a technology called Terax, which transforms sewage into value-added products to help reduce waste.
 

It was during this time that he gained valuable experience in developing and scaling up a technology, taking it from the lab to commercialisation while navigating all the complexities involved. These skills would later prove essential in his own start-up ventures.

He had also been collaborating with Professor Brent Young in the Faculty of Engineering and Design, which paved the way for a move to the University of Auckland in 2014 for a new postdoctoral position.

The role opened new opportunities to teach and apply for research grants, and in 2017 he took a job as a senior lecturer in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering.

He hasn’t looked back.

Since joining the University, Saeid has accumulated numerous accolades, including the University of Auckland Early Career Research Excellence Award 2018, the Research Impact Award 2024, and the IChemE Global Sustainability Award 2024, which the CIRCUIT team won in collaboration with Enviro NZ for their work advancing sustainability in landfills.

Saeid also received the Australian and New Zealand Federation of Chemical Engineers Award of Excellence for Student Experience and Development. The award recognised his development of the Master of Sustainable Resource Recovery programme, which equips future engineers with skills in innovative waste management for environmental benefit.

“The University of Auckland is home for me. I think the most important thing is having the right people around you, and I’m lucky enough to have fantastic people around me from the entire University who are very supportive.

“The beauty of working here is being around passionate students and colleagues who share the same goals.”

Despite being pulled in many different directions, Saeid remains as passionate about teaching as ever. His office walls are adorned with photos of his students, and his coffee mug proudly displays a picture of him with his team.

“I’ve received a lot of support from my colleagues,” he says.

“Now it’s time to pay it forward.”

– Hussein Moses