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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A virtual live book launch for the recently published history of the School of Chemistry

A virtual live book launch for the recently published history of the School of Chemistry

23 June 2020

The current Head of School, Prof Scott Kable hosted a virtual live book launch of the recently published history of the School of Chemistry, where he was joined by three special guests:

Prof Barbara Messerle - former Chemistry Head of School - currently Provost and Deputy Vice Chancellor at The University of Sydney

Emeritus Prof David Black - former Chemistry Head of School and our longest serving and most decorated member of academic staff

A/Prof Peter Southwell-Keely - Book Author and former Chemistry staff member.

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Congratulations to the 2019 Chemistry Prize Winners

Congratulations to the 2019 Chemistry Prize Winners

11 June 2020

Each year, the School of Chemistry holds an event to celebrate its brightest and best students, acknowledging the achievements of our prize and medal recipients and scholarship winners for their incredible academic results in the previous year. The event is an absolute highlight in our calendar, as we love celebrating each of our talented chemistry students and thanking our generous Donors and their families. 

So, it is with some regret that, in line with current guidelines on large gatherings, we could not hold the event in 2020. 

In its place the Head of School, Professor Scott Kable and Associate Professor Alison Beavis, Deputy Dean (Education), UNSW Science, recorded a video to personally congratulate our students for their academic achievements and acknowledge and thank our generous Donors. 

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Vale Dr Sergio Dilli

Vale Dr Sergio Dilli

1 June 2020

With over 20 years teaching and researching analytical chemistry at UNSW, Dr Sergio Dilli inspired a generation of scientists with his lifetime love of learning. 

Dr Dilli spent his most of his professional life at the UNSW School of Chemistry.  He received his PhD in 1966 at UNSW in analytical chemistry and continued to teach at here until his retirement in the late ‘80s.

With over 70 research publications, Dr Dilli’s research and teaching focused on analytical chemistry a field that assesses the chemical structure and nature of substances and is used in areas like toxicology, pharmaceuticals and forensics. He was the resident expert in gas chromatography in the then Department of Analytical Chemistry, and he was particularly fond of applying this technique to the separation of metal chelates.  He was well-known internationally for this research. 

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Dr Nicole Rijs has been appointed as a DAAD Research Ambassador for 2020/21

Dr Nicole Rijs has been appointed as a DAAD Research Ambassador for 2020/21

29 May 2020

DAAD Research Ambassadors are scholars and scientists in Australia who have conducted advanced long-term research projects in Germany and are interested in promoting research in Germany at their home universities and among their peers and students.

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Scientia Professor Justin Gooding has been awarded an NHMRC Investigator Grant

Scientia Professor Justin Gooding has been awarded an NHMRC Investigator Grant

20 May 2020

Congratulations to Justin, who has just been awarded an NHMRC Investigator Grant to research:  

An in vitro pipeline for liquid biopsy biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and therapy

The grant is worth $3.76M over 5 years.

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