A/Prof. Erica Wanless

Work Phone	(02) 4921 8846
Fax	(02) 4921 5472
Email	Erica.Wanless@newcastle.edu.au
Position	Associate Professor School of Environmental and Life Sciences The University of Newcastle, Australia
Office	C321, Chemistry

Biography

I work within the Discipline of Chemistry which sits within the School of Environmental & Life Sciences.

I arrived at the University of Newcastle as a lecturer in Chemistry in December 1996 after a two year postdoc at the University of Otago in New Zealand. While employed at the University of Newcastle I have also enjoyed the privilege of overseas sabbatical periods at the Universities of Sussex (UK), Bordeaux (France), Sheffield (UK) and Durham (UK).

In 2009 I was elected a Fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute.

Qualifications

PhD (Surface Sciences), Australian National University, 1995
Bachelor of Science (Chemistry)(Honours), Australian National University, 1990

Research

Research keywords

adsorption
atomic force microscopy
characterisation of the solid-liquid interface
colloid and interface science
functional interfaces
particle technology
polymers

Research expertise

I am an active researcher in both fundamental and applied colloid and surface chemistry. I have built an international reputation for my contributions to the nanometre-scale understanding of the solid-liquid interface in the presence of surfactant or polymer molecules. I was one of the first researchers to use soft-contact atomic force microscopy (AFM) to reveal detail of the lateral structure of adsorbed surfactant layers on the molecular scale. Through this I have developed highly specialised skills in soft-contact AFM imaging in water. By combining measurements of adsorption kinetics and adsorbed amounts, in 2003 we published the most thorough understanding of surfactant adsorption kinetics to date. In the last decade I have performed extensive fundamental research on the behaviour of stimulus responsive polymer molecules and polymeric colloids adsorbed at the solid-aqueous solution interface (funded by the Australian Research Council). Additionally, I have applied my fundamental knowledge & skills to a variety of industrial research problems including projects concerned with mining emulsion explosives, water-based paints, powder coatings, plastic solar cells, mineral flotation, smulsions & foams.

My research is highly cited and I have an H-index of 22.

Collaboration

The nature of my research lends itself to collaboration, a mode of research that I particularly enjoy, whether it be with colleagues at this university, elsewhere in Australia and indeed internationally. I have an excellent record of collaborative research coupled with successful research higher degree supervision. In the past decade I have collaborated with the following scientists:

Prof. Steve Armes (University of Sheffield)

Prof. Simon Biggs (University of Leeds)

Prof. Vince Craig (Australian National University)

Dr Steve Edmondson (University of Loughborough)

Dr Syuji Fujii (Osaka Institute of Technology)

Prof. George Franks (University of Melbourne)

Dr Seher Ata (University of New South Wales)

Dr Stuart Prescott (University of New South Wales)

and at this University with Dr Grant Webber, Prof. Graeme Jameson, Dr Roberto Moreno-Atanasio, A/Prof. Rob Atkin

Languages

English

Fields of Research

Code	Description	Percentage
030603	Colloid And Surface Chemistry	70
030399	Macromolecular And Materials Chemistry Not Elsewhere Classified	20
091499	Resources Engineering And Extractive Metallurgy Not Elsewhere Classified	10

Centres and Groups

Centre

Memberships

ARC Committee member

Member - ERA Research Evaluation Committee

Body relevant to professional practice.

Fellow - Royal Australian Chemical Institute

Committee/Associations (relevant to research).

Member - RACI Division of Colloid and Surface Science
Member - • European Colloid and Interface Society
Member - International Association of Colloid and Interface Scientists

Awards

Recognition.

2006	Faculty research excellence award for research training University of Newcastle (Australia) For great effort & valuable contribution as a Principal Supervisor in achieving some excellent outcomes with respect to the number of RHD completions and/or thesis submissions

Research Award.

2012	Tokyo University of Science President’s Award Tokyo University of Science (Japan) For my research on polymers at interfaces
2012	Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Fellowship Japan Society for the Promotion of Science/Australian Academy of Science (Japan) Bilateral award for exchange visit to Japanese University
2012	Lectureship Award Annual Meeting of the Japanese Research Institute of Material Technology (Japan) Annual Meeting of the Japanese Research Institute of Material Technology lectureship award

Invitations

International Conference on Nanoscopic Colloid and Surface Science The Division of Colloid and Surface Chemistry The Chemical Society of Japan, Japan (Keynote Address)	2010
Capturing Colloids Royal Microscopical Society, United Kingdom (Invited Presenter)	2009
Pacifichem 2005 Pacific Basin Chemical Societies, United States (Invited Presenter)	2005

Administrative

Administrative expertise

In 2012 I served on the national ERA Research Evaluation Committee for Physical, Chemical and Earth Sciences.

I was the Assistant Dean Research Training in the Faculty of Science & Information Technology 2009-2010.

I have an outstanding track record of leadership and national service to the Australian Colloid and Surface Science community including membership of 5 conference organising committees since 2003 & national secretary from 1999-2009. I was Chair of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute Colloid and Surface Science Division from 2011-2012.

I undertake a range of research assessment roles including reviewer for the top international journals in colloid and interface science, regular PhD thesis examiner and ARC Discovery grant assessor (IntReader).

Teaching

Teaching keywords

colloid and interface science
physical chemistry

Teaching expertise

My research informs my teaching and vice versa.

I teach in an average of five 10cp courses per year to all undergraduate years from level 1000 through to 3000 in the form of lectures, tutorials and laboratory sessions. These are predominantly in Physical, Colloid or Surface Chemistry

Teaching interests

Surface and Colloid Science
Physical Chemistry
Polymer Chemistry
Environmental Chemistry

The University of Newcastle, Australia