Providing user training and support for the transmission (FEI Talos) and scanning electron microscope facilities available within the Microscopy and Microanalysis Facility. Conducting routine system maintenance and liaising with service engineers when required.

In this role as Senior Research Officer with the University of Western Australia, I was responsible for the Helios G3 Focused Ion Beam (FIB) mill and the Empyrean X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) facilities within the Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation, and Analysis. This entailed research collaborations with students and academics, user training, external consulting work, routine system maintenance, and liaising with service engineers when required. In addition, I contributed to the user support of other related facilities in the CMCA, including high-resolution scanning (FEI Verios XHR) and transmission (FEI Titan G2) electron microscopes.

Employed primarily to provide academic support to users of the transmission electron microscopy facilities through one-on-training in basic and high resolution imaging, diffraction, crystallography, and x-ray spectroscopy. In addition, I conducted my own research into the synthesis and characterization of anisotropic nanoparticles of rare earth compounds for use as oxidation catalysts.

In this position, I conducted research and development work for iCeutica Ltd. In particular, I developed submicron reformulations of poorly-soluble pharmaceutical compounds so as to improve their bio availability. These reformulations subsequently underwent successful clinical trials and have since been commercialized.

Employed as post-doctoral researcher to investigate and develop methods for controlling the optical properties and photocatalytic activity of nanoparticulate zinc oxide powders. This research yielded several publications in the peer reviewed scientific literature and a number of conference presentations.

Primary duty was development and scale-up of new processes for manufacturing nanoparticulate powders for industrial applications. Also responsible for the upkeep and user training of thermal analysis and gas absorption equipment. Whilst employed in this position, I conducted the initial “proof of principle” study that demonstrated the synthesis of submicron pharmaceutical compounds by mechanochemical processing. The intellectual property developed in this study was subsequently licensed to iCeutica Ltd.