Welcome to the School of Chemistry

UNSW School of Chemistry

The School of Chemistry has a proud history, predating UNSW, beginning at the Sydney Mechanics School of Arts in 1833 and now our School is a leading centre for both teaching and research excellence in Chemistry in Australia – developing cutting edge knowledge to solve real-world problems. Studying chemistry helps you understand the world from the ground up – from the sub-atomic, atomic, and molecular to the spectacular!

We are now a flourishing community of over 300 staff and research students. We are united by our love for chemistry, and embrace diversity in all of its forms. We take our commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion seriously, and truly believe that chemistry should be a welcoming place for all.

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Congratulations to Dr Quentin Meyer who has just been awarded the Post-doctoral research Runner-up in the Young Electrochemist prizes sponsored by Metrohm

Congratulations to Dr Quentin Meyer who has just been awarded the Post-doctoral research Runner-up in the Young Electrochemist prizes sponsored by Metrohm

26 February 2021

The School of Chemistry congratulates Quentin on his award for his paper on “Air perturbation-induced low-frequency inductive electrochemical impedance arc in proton exchange membrane fuel cells”. The award committee noted that there were a large number of exceptionally high standard submissions this year, and this was reflected by the judging scores being very close. Metrohm plan to run a similar prize in 2021, so they encourage everyone who missed out on this round to apply again. 

Congratulations also to the other UNSW winner, in the Higher degree by research section, Agus Poerwoprajit “Understanding the surface structure-electrocatalytic property relationship: from nanocrystals to single atoms”.

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The molecule in a novel eye drop designed by Professor Jonathan Morris at the School of Chemistry has commenced clinical trials

The molecule in a novel eye drop designed by Professor Jonathan Morris at the School of Chemistry has commenced clinical trials

3 February 2021

Research conducted by UNSW Sydney has paved the way for clinical testing of an eye drop treatment for Diabetic Macular Oedema and wet Age-related Macular Degeneration, the leading causes of blindness in the developed world.

A clinical trial has commenced across Australia for a novel eye drop treatment that could improve the treatment of patients with retinal vascular diseases. Based on initial work carried out at the UNSW School of Chemistry, Professor Jonathan Morris collaborated with Exonate Limited to design the molecule used in the trial.

Please see the UNSW Newsroom item for further information.

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Scientia Associate Professor and ARC Future Fellow Kris Kilian and NHMRC ECR Dr Iman Roohani have developed an exciting new technique

Scientia Associate Professor and ARC Future Fellow Kris Kilian and NHMRC ECR Dr Iman Roohani have developed an exciting new technique

29 January 2021

The School of Chemistry congratulates Kris and Iman on the development of a new technique called COBICS (ceramic omnidirectional bioprinting in cell suspensions) where bone-like structures can be rapidly fabricated, with hierarchical structure, directly into a bath of hydrogels and living cells. The base technology is a ceramic paste-based material that quickly solidifies in water to a structure that mimics native bone tissue.

This means that surgeons, dentists, scientists, etc. of the future may be able to replace damaged bone with this material. In contrast to previous techniques that either require a piece of the patients own bone, or a lab build analogue fabricated at very high temperatures with toxic chemicals, this new technique allows printing in the presence of biology, so that the material can be deposited directly with a patient’s own cells.

This could radically change clinical practice and ultimately reduce suffering and save lives.

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Congratulations to our 2020 Chemistry Prize Winners

Congratulations to our 2020 Chemistry Prize Winners

22 January 2021

The School of Chemistry congratulates our prize and medal recipients for their incredible academic results in 2020.

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Vale Associate Professor Michael Gallagher

Vale Associate Professor Michael Gallagher

3 November 2020

Associate Professor Michael John Gallagher, who died on 3 October 2020, was an admired and well respected member of the School of Chemistry at the University of New South Wales.  He was almost 85.  Mike was a Queenslander and did his undergraduate degree at the University of Queensland, followed by an MSc, on natural products, under Maurice Sutherland.  He then went to England where he completed a PhD under FG Mann in the field of organophosphorus chemistry at Cambridge University in 1962.  

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