High-profile Indian visitor helps strengthen ties

October 22, 2015

High-profile Indian visitor helps strengthen ties

UOW’s linkage with the Indian Institute of Science has taken a major step forward this week with the participation of one of India’s leading theoretical chemists at a workshop held at the Innovation Campus.

Professor Eluvathingal Jemmis (pictured below) from the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore took part in the workshop on ‘Boron: an amazing element from theory to application’. The workshop was organised by Dr Zhenguo Huang from the Australian Institute for Innovative Materials (AIIM) and the Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials (ISEM).

Professor Jemmis’ contribution to chemistry has been recognised by his election to the Indian Academy of Sciences (Bangalore), the Indian National Science Academy (New Delhi), the National Academy of Sciences (India) and the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (Italy). He is collaborating with many outstanding scientists across the globe including his PhD and postdoctoral advisers, both of whom are Nobel Laureates.

Professor Jemmis believes that just as the basic tenets of the structural chemistry of carbon has stood the test of time and led to major developments in carbon, the same process has only now begun for boron.

The workshop was organised to coincide with his visit, which featured fellows of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI), fellows of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC), fellow of the Australian Institute of Physics (AIP), and fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) – all of whom are high profile researchers on the world stage.

Workshop organiser Dr Zhenguo Huang from AIIM described boron as “an amazing element when it comes to energy storage and 2D materials”. His particular research interest lies in the fields of hydrogen storage materials and 2D boron nitride nano sheets.

Speakers Professor Louis Rendina (University of Sydney) highlighted 'New Frontiers in the Therapeutic Application of Boron'; Professor Sean Smith (University of New South Wales) presented 'Voltage-Induced Modulation of Electroactive Material - Gas Interactions: CO2 capture and H2 Storage'; and Professor Xiaolin Wang (Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials, UOW) introduced his ‘Grand design of new materials and properties’.

Professor Wang said the discovery of new materials with exotic functionalities or significantly improved performance has always been the driving force for the advance of modern science and technology.

Following the workshop participants went into group discussions and had a tour of the campus.

Top photo shows: Professor Eluvathingal Jemmis (front) with, Professor Louis Rendina, Professor Sean Smith, Professor Xiaolin Wang, Professor Will Price and Dr Zhenguo Huang.