Education

James Cook University, Queensland, Australia

  • Doctor of Philosophy (awarded cum laude with PhD Medal for Excellence), 2006; Thesis Title: “Stereochemical Effects on Intervalence Charge Transfer” (Supervised by Prof. Richard Keene)
  • Bachelor of Science with Honours in Chemistry (Class I, University Medal), 2000
  • Bachelor of Science (major in Chemistry, sub-majors in Physics and Mathematics), 1997-1999

Career to Date

  • Promoted to Associate Professor (effective Jan. 2017)
  • Australian Research Council Queen Elizabeth(II) Fellow, School of Chemistry (2011-2016*) *Maternity leave undertaken during 2015-2016 (14 weeks full time, 38 weeks part time)
  • Lecturer for 3rd Year “Metal Complexes: Medicine and Materials” (2012-present), School of Chemistry, University of Sydney
  • Lecturer for 2nd Year “Coordination Chemistry” (2010-present), School of Chemistry, University of Sydney
  • Lecturer for 3rd Year “Advanced Topics on Electron Transfer” (2012) School of Chemistry, University of Sydney
  • Appointed Lecturer, School of Chemistry, University of Sydney (Sept. 2010 – deferred to 2017)
  • University of Sydney Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Chemistry, University of Sydney, Projects: “Conducting Metal-Organic Frameworks” and “Carbon Dioxide Capture” (2010)
  • Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, USA, Projects: “CO2 Capture in Metal-Organic Frameworks” and “Putting the Spin on Electron Transfer”, Supervised by Professor Jeffrey R. Long, http://alchemy.cchem.berkeley.edu/ (Jun. 2007-Sept. 2009)
  • Visiting Graduate School Lecturer for “Electron Transfer Theory and Applications”, California Institute of Technology, USA (Feb. 2009)
  • Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Molecular Electronics Group, University of Sydney, Project: “Porphyrin-Appended Dendrimers in Molecular Electronics”, Supervised by Professor Jeffrey Reimers, Em./Professor Noel Hush and Professor Maxwell Crossley (Feb. 2006-7)
  • Laboratory Demonstrator for First Year Chemistry, James Cook University (2000-2005)
  • Research Fellow, Department of Chemistry, James Cook University (Sept.-Dec. 2005)
  • Doctoral Research, Department of Chemistry, James Cook University, Project: “Stereochemical Effects on Intervalence Charge Transfer”, Supervised by Prof. Richard Keene (Mar. 2001-Aug. 2005)
  • Doctoral Research, Centre for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA, Project: “Evaluating the ‘Actual’ Charge Transfer Distance in Metal-Metal Charge Transfer”, Supervised by Professor Joseph T. Hupp (Aug.-Oct. 2003)
  • Summer Vacation Scholar in Chemistry, Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, Project: “Spectroelectrochemical Studies on Iridium tris(bipyridyl) Complexes”, Supervised by Dr Graham Heath (Nov. 1999-Feb. 2000)
  • Summer Vacation Scholar in Chemistry, School of Science, Griffith University, Brisbane, Project: “In-situ Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) of Copper and Silver Thiourea Complexes”, Supervised by Professor Greg Hope (Nov. 1998-Feb. 1999)
Professional Affiliations
  • Royal Australian Chemical Institute (Member Chartered Chemist)

Prizes and Awards

  • 2017 RACI Alan Sargeson Lectureship (Inorganic Division)
  • 2017 Australian Academy of Science Le Févre Memorial Prize
    • In recognition of outstanding basic research in chemistry by researchers up to 10 years post-PhD for research conducted mainly in Australia

  • 2015 Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) ChemComm Emerging Investigator Lectureship
    • One of two awarded internationally in 2015 by the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK) to recognise an emerging scientist in the early stages of their independent academic career
  • 2014 Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) Rennie Medal
    For a researcher with less than 10 years of professional experience for research published over the past 8 years that has contributed most towards the development of a branch of chemical science
  • 2012 Distinguished Lectureship Award (The Chemical Society of Japan)
  • 2011 NSW Young Tall Poppy Award (Australian Institute of Policy & Science)
  • 2010 L'Oreal For Women in Science Fellowship
    One of three awarded
  • 2010 JCU Outstanding Early Career Alumni Award
    One of five awarded for the past 10 years during the 40th Anniversary celebrations of James Cook University
  • 2007 International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) Prize for Young Chemists
    One of five awarded world-wide for the most outstanding PhD theses in the chemical sciences
  • 2006 Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) Cornforth Medal
    For the most outstanding PhD thesis submitted in a branch of chemistry in Australia
  • 2006 JCU PhD Medal for Excellence for a Doctoral Research Thesis (awarded cum laude)
  • 2003 Don Stranks Award (one of two awarded), RACI Inorganic Division National Conference (Melbourne)
  • University Medal (2000)
  • G.N. Richards Medal in Chemistry (1999)
    For the best overall performance and ability in undergraduate chemistry subjects
  • Joe and Val Baker Prize for Third Year Organic Chemistry
    For the highest achievement in third year Organic Chemistry
  • H.J. Priestly Memorial Prize (1998)
    For the best overall performance and ability in second year mathematics and physics subjects
  • Royal Australian Chemical Institute (North Queensland Branch) Prize for Second Year Chemistry (1998)
    For the best overall performance in second year chemistry subjects
  • Faculty of Science and Engineering First Year Prize (1997)
    As the most outstanding student in first year science and engineering disciplines
  • Royal Australian Chemical Institute (Queensland Branch) Prize for First Year Chemistry (1997)
    For the best performance in first year chemistry subjects

Grants and Funding

  • 2015-2017 Australian Research Council Discovery Grant, “A Radical Approach to Multifunctional Coordination Solids” ($483,000) with B. Abrahams and R. Robson
  • 2015 Australian Research Council Linkage Infrastructure and Equipment Grant, “Fabrication Facility for Oxygen Sensitive Electronic Materials” ($240,000) with D. R. McCamey, T. Schmidt, G. Lakhwani, J. J. Gooding, J. N. Hart
  • 2012-2014 Australian Research Council Discovery Project, “Advanced Functional Properties in Metal-Organic Framework Materials” ($420,000) with Prof. C. Kepert
  • 2012 Australian Research Council Linkage Infrastructure and Equipment Grant, “A State-of-the-art Magnetic Property Measurement Facility for the Development of Advanced Materials and Biomedical Technologies in the Sydney Basin” ($375,000) led by Prof. S. Li
  • 2011 University of Sydney Major Equipment Grant Scheme (for CARY5000 UV-Vis-NIR spectrometer)
  • 2011-2016 Science Industry and Endowment Fund Grant, “Solving the Energy Waste Roadblock” ($6M) led by Prof. C. Kepert with 17 additional colleagues across Australia
  • 2011-2015 Australian Research Council Queen Elizabeth Fellowship-Discovery Project “Conducting Nanoporous Materials: toward Molecular Devices” ($788,000)
  • 2011 AINSE Research Award, “Electro- and Spectro-electrochemical Characterisation of Metal-Organic Frameworks and Lanthanide-based Solid Materials” ($6,200) with C. Fabian and G. Lumpkin
  • 2010 University of Sydney Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (One of ten awarded in 2010)
  • 2010 University of Sydney ARC ‘near-miss’ Bridging Support Scheme Grant
  • 2010 University of Sydney Minor Equipment Grant Scheme (for supercritical CO2 dryer)
  • Sustainable Products and Solutions Programme Grant, “CO2 Capture in Alkylamine-Appended Metal-Organic Frameworks” (D. M. D’Alessandro and J. R. Long, US$250,000, 2008-2009)
  • 2007-2009 Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 Research Fellowship
    One of 6 awarded across Commonwealth countries in 2007 to “PhD level scientists and engineers of outstanding promise…to pursue further research at the highest level”
  • 2007-2008 Dow Chemical Company Foundation Fellowship of the American Australian Association
  • 2003 JCU Doctoral Research Scheme Grant to undertake research in the Centre for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, USA
  • Australian Postgraduate Award (2001-2004)
  • A.L. Nevitt Bursary in Chemistry (2000)
  • Summer Vacation Scholarship, Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra (Dec. 1999-Feb. 2000)
  • Summer Vacation Scholarship in Chemistry (Griffith University, Brisbane, Dec. 1998-Feb. 1999)
  • Southern Cross Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship (1997-2000)
    One of four students selected Australia-wide in 1996 by Mr John Bertrand AM “on the basis of scholastic excellence, extra-curricular achievements in sport and community service, leadership potential and personal qualities”
  • 1997 James Cook University Entry Scholarship (for achieving an OP 1)

Research presentations

Major Invited Presentations

  • Materials Research Soceity (MRS) OnDemand Webinar Series “Metal-Organic Frameworks for Electronics and Photonics” (Nov. 2016)
  • 5th International Conference on Metal-Organic Frameworks and Open Framework Compounds, USA (Sept. 2016)
  • ChemComm Emerging Investigator Lecture, The International Chemical Congress of Pacific Basin Societies “Pacifichem2015”, Hawaii, USA (Dec. 2015)
  • Gordon Research Conference in Nanoporous Materials, New Holderness School, New Hampshire, USA (Aug. 2015)
  • Inaugural Student Seminar Series Lecturer, Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University (Jun. 2014)
  • Sixth International Conference on Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology (AMN6), University of Auckland, New Zealand (Feb. 2013)
  • Distinguished Lectureship Award, Chemical Society of Japan annual conference, Tokyo, Japan (Mar. 2012)
  • Keynote Lecture at the RACI Inorganic Division Conference, Perth, Australia (Dec. 2011)
  • Harry Messell International Science School Lecturer, School of Physics, The University of Sydney (Jul. 2011)
  • Metal-Organic Frameworks Symposium, 9th International Metting of the Pacific Rim (PACRIM), Cairns, Australia (Jul. 2011)
  • Nanoporous Materials Symposium at the 238th American Chemical Society Meeting, Washington DC, USA (Fall 2009, also invited to co-Chair this session)
  • Gordon Research Conference in Inorganic Chemistry, University of New England, Maine, USA (Jun. 2009)
  • 2009 Inaugural Robert H. Dalton Seminar in Chemical Catalysis, The Beckmann Institute, California Institute of Technology, California, USA (Feb. 2009), Invited by Prof. Harry Gray
  • ‘New Faces’ Symposium Lecture, Royal Australian Chemical Institute-New Zealand Chemical Institute Inorganic Chemistry Conference, Christchurch, New Zealand (Dec. 2008)
  • 41st IUPAC World Chemistry Congress, Torino, Italy (Aug. 2007)
  • Alumni speaker for the National Youth Science Forum Rotary Dinner (Australian National University, Canberra, Jan. 2007).
  • Symposium on Electron Transfer to Commemorate the 80th Birthday of Em./Prof. Noel Hush AO FAA FRS (University of Sydney, May 2005)
  • Don Stranks Symposium Lecture, RACI Inorganic Chemistry Division National Conference, (University of Melbourne, Feb. 2003). This presentation received one of two Don Stranks Awards for the best student presentation at the conference.

Other Presentations

  • “Exploiting Redox Activity in Metal-Organic Frameworks for Functional Properties” – Oral presentations on this topic at Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, USA, May 2016; Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA, May 2016; Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA, May 2016; School of Physics and Advanced Materials, University of Technology Sydney, March 2015; RACI National Congress, Adelaide, December 2014; Department of Chemistry, University of Wollongong, May 2013; Osaka University, Japan, March 2012; SCANZ Crystal’29 Conference, Gold Coast, April 2014; University of Adelaide, April 2014; International Conference on Coordination Chemistry (ICCC’41), Singapore, July 2014; 4th International Conference on Metal-Organic Frameworks and Open Framework Compounds, Kobe, Japan, October 2014.
  • “From Spin-based Electronics to Carbon Capture in Metal-Organic Frameworks” – Oral presentations at University of Queensland, August 2011, University of Melbourne, August 2010; University of Sydney, October 2010;  University of New South Wales, November 2010; University of Wollongong Innovation Campus, December 2010.
  • “Towards New Materials for Carbon Dioxide Capture” – Oral presentations on this topic at the Carbon Capture and Storage Technical Showcase, Melbourne, August 2011; School of Chemistry, University of Sydney, June 2010; School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Sydney, March 2010; Department of Chemistry, Monash University, February 2010; Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering (ANSTO), Sydney, December 2009; 2nd International Asian Conference on Coordination Chemistry, Nanjing, China, November 2009; Kenan Research Seminar in Inorganic Chemistry, University of New England, USA, June 2009; Osaka University Forum on Bio-Environmental Chemistry, San Francisco U.S.A., December 2008.
  • “Mixed Valency: From Discrete Molecules to Electrically-Conducting Metal-Organic Frameworks” – Poster presentation on this topic at Gordon Research Conference on Electron Donor Acceptor Interactions, Rhode Island U.S.A., August 2008.
  • “Porphyrin-Appended Dendrimers for Molecular Electronics” – Oral and poster presentations on this topic at National Conference of the Division of Inorganic Chemistry, Royal Australian Chemical Institute, Hobart, Australia, February 2007; British Council Australia Study Tour of the UK, Departmental Seminar Series, University of Durham and University of Southampton, April 2007;Australian Research Council Nanotechnology Summer School, Stradbroke Island, Queensland, Australia, December 2006; Symposium in honour of Professor Bob Gilbert, University of Sydney, September 2006; 4th International Conference on Porphyrins and Phthalocyanines, Rome, Italy, July 2006 (This presentation received one of two New Journal of Chemistry poster prizes).
  • “Stereochemical Effects on Intervalence Charge Transfer in Polymetallic Assemblies” – Oral and poster presentations on this topic at Gordon Research Conference on Electron Donor-Acceptor Interactions, Rhode Island, Newport, U.S.A., August 2006; Symposium on Supramolecular Chemistry to mark the Retirement of Professor Leonard F. Lindoy FAA, University of Sydney, February 2006; 12th National Convention of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute, Sydney, Australia, July 2005; National Conference of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute, Sydney, Australia, July 2005 (This presentation received an Inorganic Chemistry Division poster prize); XXIX International Symposium on Macrocyclic Chemistry (XXIX ISMC), Cairns, Australia, July 2004; Townsville Festival of Life Sciences, Townsville, November 2004 (This presentation received two poster prizes sponsored by Progen Biosciences and Livingstone International).

service & outreach

lectures

  • Sydney Science Forum Public Lecture “Catch CO2”, University of Sydney (Sept. 2015
  • Alumni speaker for the National Youth Science Forum Launch of “Science 50:50” (Australian Institute of Sport, Canberra, Jan. 2015)
  • Chemistry Education Association of Victoria November Lectures for high school teachers, Melbourne (Nov. 2013)
  • Ruby Payne Scott Memorial Lecture, Danebank Anglican Girls High School, Sydney (Oct. 2011)
  • Harry Messel International Science School Lecturer, School of Physics, University of Sydney (Jul. 2011)
  • Occasional Speaker, Faculty of Science Graduation Ceremony, University of Sydney (May 2011)
  • Orica black tie dinner, International Year of Chemistry Launch, Great Hall, Parliament House, Canberra (Feb. 2011)
  • Australian Federation of Graduate Women End of Year Lecture, Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts (Nov. 2010)
  • Alumni speaker for the National Youth Science Forum Rotary Dinner (Australian National University, Canberra, Jan. 2007).

Symposium Coordination

  • Co-organiser (with Drs Tony Keene, Suzanne Neville and Jon Kitchen) of the Inaugural Southampton-Australia-New Zealand Magnetism Symposium (SANZMAG; Feb. 2014)
  • Organiser of the Inaugural RACI One-Day Student Symposium in Inorganic Chemistry for NSW/ACT (Oct. 2012), Guest of Honour, Professor Harry B. Gray (Caltech)

Other

  • President of Sydney University Chemical Society (2015)
  • Coordinator for Nanjing-Sydney International Exchange Programme (2013-2014)
  • Foundation for Inorganic Chemistry High School Outreach Coordinator (2012-2013)
  • Science Meets Parliament (2010 representative of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute)
  • Feature Interview for the American Australian Association (2009, http://www.americanaustralian.org/en/art/155/)
  • Volunteer for “Exploring Your Horizons” (Mills College, Oakland, USA, 2008)  A programme encouraging female high school students to pursue science
  • Featured on 2007 ABC series “Ace Day Jobs!” (A television/DVD/broadband series featuring young professionals designed to encourage and inspire high school students (see http://www.abc.net.au/acedayjobs/cooljobs/profiles/s2102676.htm)
  • Winner of 2007 British Council Australia study tour of the UK
  • Winner of ‘Fresh Science 2006’
    Selected from early-career scientists Australia-wide for the best presentation of their research to the general public through local and national newspaper, radio and television interviews
  • Appointed Justice of the Peace for Queensland (Qualified since 2003)
  • Postgraduate representative of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute Inorganic Chemistry Division (2003-2004)
  • Senior Residential and Academic Tutor, The John Flynn College, James Cook University (2003-2004) Received 2003 Peter Milaras Award for contributions to the Academic Life of the John Flynn College
  • President of the James Cook University Molecular Sciences Society (2003)
  • Postgraduate representative, School of Pharmacy and Molecular Sciences Safety Committee (2002-2003)
  • Semi-Finalist in 2002 Young Australian of the Year Awards (Career Achievement Category) and Young Queenslander of the Year Awards