APRIL 2007

JCU CHEMISTRY Ph.D GRADUATE WINS IUPAC PRIZE

 

The work of James Cook University graduate Dr Deanna D'Alessandro has been recognised internationally by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC).

Dr D'Alessandro is the only Australian among the five 2007 IUPAC prizewinners announced earlier this month for the best PhD theses world-wide in the chemical sciences.

The award is the IUPAC Prize for Young Chemists and the other winners are from the United Kingdom, Poland, Israel and the United States.

Last year Deanna was awarded the Cornforth Medal of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute for the most outstanding PhD thesis in any branch of chemistry, chemical science or chemical technology submitted in Australia over the period 2005-early 2006.

Deanna received the national and international recognition for her JCU thesis on Stereochemical Effects on Intervalence Charge Transfer.

The IUPAC award includes a cash prize of $US1000 and a free trip to the IUPAC Congress in Torino, Italy, in August where she will describe her winning work and submit a short critical review on aspects of her research topics to be published in Pure and Applied Chemistry.

"The award is an unexpected and tremendous honour, but one that would not have been possible without all the support, encouragement and kindness I received, in particular of my supervisor Professor Richard Keene," Deanna said.

Professor Keene describes Deanna as "an extremely talented young chemist, whose postgraduate studies were of the highest quality in both the experimental and theoretical aspects, as well as being remarkably productive."

Deanna's work is highly valued as she addressed an aspect that had been mostly overlooked previously in the science literature.

Deanna explained that the work showed molecules containing exactly the same atoms, but in different spatial arrangements could have very different physical properties such as different colours and different interactions with other species in their surrounding environment.

"At an applied level, the molecules which we studied have been of interest for over two decades as components of devices that convert solar energy to electricity. So, understanding how electron transfer is influenced by the shape of the molecules is an important advance," Deanna said.

After nine years studying at JCU and a one-year postdoctoral appointment at the University of Sydney, Deanna is about to go to the United States to a second postdoctoral position at the University of California, Berkeley, in the area of physical inorganic chemistry.

"In the longer term, I'm planning to return to Australia to pursue a research career," she said.

Originally from Cairns and a graduate of Smithfield High, Deanna completed her honours degree in Science at JCU and finished her PhD cum laude in 2006, receiving a Medal for Excellence from the University for her Doctoral Research Thesis.

"I feel very proud to have attended a regional university, it has provided me with a wonderful stepping stone towards being a part of a larger research group and university in a bigger city," she said.

"The atmosphere at JCU was always friendly, positive and challenging, and therefore conducive to understanding a subject in depth and learning to solve problems from many different viewpoints."

 

OCTOBER 2006

JCU CHEMISTRY Ph.D GRADUATE WINS CORNFORTH MEDAL

Deanna D'Alessandro, a recent PhD graduate in Chemistry from James Cook University, has been awarded the prestigious Cornforth Medal of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute for 2006 for the most outstanding PhD thesis submitted in any branch of chemistry, chemical science or chemical technology.

Deanna grew up and did her schooling in Cairns, and then undertook her BSc degree with a Major in Chemistry at James Cook University. She was a brilliant undergraduate student, and won an array of prizes: she completed her Honours studies in Chemistry with First Class Honours, and was awarded a University Medal.

Deanna proceeded with her PhD in Chemistry at JCU in the School of Pharmacy & Molecular Sciences under the supervision of Professor Richard Keene, and she submitted her thesis in 2005. During her PhD she received two awards for the presentation of her research at national conferences, and she was also a semi-Finalist in the Career Achievement Category of the 2002 Young Australian of the Year Awards. Deanna's PhD thesis was received with acclaim by her examiners, and she was awarded the PhD cum laude by JCU in 2006, and received a Medal for Excellence for a Doctoral Research Thesis (shown above). The research in her thesis gave rise to 17 refereed publications in major international journals, includingtwo major reviews.

Deanna is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Molecular Electronics Group in the School of Chemistry at the University of Sydney.

Deanna was presented with the Cornforth Metal at the RACI Annual Awards Dinner in Adelaide in November 2006.

Courier Mail Press Release