Staff Profile
Career Summary
Biography
I obtained my PhD in Griffith University. I have been appointed to a Lecturer position at The University of Newcastle in May 2006. Prior to this appointment, I was a Research Associate in the area of molecular imprinted polymers for 4 years in a part time capacity. Between 1995 and 2001, I worked overseas as an academic where an academic's primary responsibility is teaching. My research interests include synthesis and characterisation of functional polymeric materials.
Qualifications
- PhD, Griffith University, 25/03/1996
- Master of Science (Chemistry), De La Salle University - Manilla - Phillipines
Research
Research keywords
- Free Radical Polymerisation
- Molecular Imprinting
- Polymer Synthesis
Research expertise
I trained as a polymer chemist with considerable experience and knowledge in controlled free radical polymer synthesis with focus on polymer functionalisation, regulation of molecular weight and its distribution, and the use of these synthetic methodologies for the synthesis of specialised polymers for various applications. I bring to the University of Newcastle and to the Discipline of Chemistry my expertise on polymer synthesis and its application to the development of functional materials. Since 2002, I have been involved in the design, synthesis and development of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) and their utility as potential sensors in the forensic and food industries. This has resulted in the development of high performance MIPs in the film format and the first imprinted nanoparticles ever prepared using ionic liquids as solvents. The molecular imprinting research and my expertise are highly aligned with the objectives of the Priority Research Centre for Organic Electronics (PRCOE) of which I am a member. My contribution to research in my Discipline, the PRCOE and Faculty is significant as I bring to them the most needed expertise on specialised polymer synthesis which complements most of the existing polymer-based research in the physical sciences.
Languages
- Cebuano
- English
- Filipino
Fields of Research
| Code | Description | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 030399 | Macromolecular And Materials Chemistry Not Elsewhere Classified | 65 |
| 030499 | Medicinal And Biomolecular Chemistry Not Elsewhere Classified | 25 |
| 111599 | Pharmacology And Pharmaceutical Sciences Not Elsewhere Classified | 10 |
Memberships
Body relevant to professional practice.
- RACI
Appointments
| Australian Reader Australian Research Council (Australia) | 01/01/2009 |
Administrative
Administrative expertise
In my previous employment (De La Salle University-Manila, Philippines), I held the position of Director of Graduate Studies for the College of Science between 1998 to 2001). I was a member of the Teaching and Learning Committee of the Faculty of Science and Information Technology from 2006 to 2009. I am currently the RHD Coordinator of the Discipline of Chemistry.
Teaching
Teaching keywords
- Analytical Chemistry
- Organic Chemistry
- Polymer Chemistry
Teaching expertise
I have proficiently taught general chemistry courses, organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, instrumental methods of analysis and polymer chemistry. I have mentored 7 RHD (1 PhD and 6 MSc) students to completion in my previous academic position at De La Salle University, Philippines. I currently co-supervise RHD students on projects involving synthesis, characterisation and applications of specialised and functional polymeric materials, e.g. molecularly imprinted polymers.
Grants and Funding
Summary
| Number of grants | 10 |
|---|---|
| Total funding | $2,114,942 |
For project grants received where the lead institution is other than the University of Newcastle, details are shown in italics.
Click on a grant title below to expand the full details for that specific grant.
2011 (1 grants)
Emerging Research Leaders Program 2011$15,000
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Doctor Clovia Holdsworth | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Emerging Research Leaders Program | Chief Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $15,000 | 2011 | 2012 |
| GNo:G1101197 | ||
2010 (2 grants)
An Integrated LC-MS-NMR facility for Applications in Proteomics and Organic Chemistry$500,000
Funding Body: ARC (Australian Research Council)
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Professor Adam McCluskey, Laureate Professor John Aitken, Professor Paul Dastoor, Professor Phillip Robinson, Professor Eileen McLaughlin, Emeritus Professor Geoffrey Lawrance, Professor Marcel Maeder, Professor Hugh Dunstan, Doctor Shaun Roman, Associate Professor Rob Atkin, Doctor Clovia Holdsworth, Doctor Mark Baker, Doctor Nikki Verrills, Professor Gottfried Otting, Associate Professor Brett Nixon, Doctor Xiaojing Zhou, Ms Megan Chircop, Doctor Warwick Belcher | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Linkage Infrastructure Equipment & Facilities (LIEF) | Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $500,000 | 2010 | 2010 |
| GNo:G0190402 | ||
An Integrated LC-MS-NMR facility for Applications in Proteomics and Organic Chemistry$280,000
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Professor Adam McCluskey, Laureate Professor John Aitken, Professor Paul Dastoor, Professor Phillip Robinson, Professor Eileen McLaughlin, Emeritus Professor Geoffrey Lawrance, Professor Marcel Maeder, Professor Hugh Dunstan, Doctor Shaun Roman, Associate Professor Rob Atkin, Doctor Clovia Holdsworth, Doctor Mark Baker, Doctor Nikki Verrills, Professor Gottfried Otting, Associate Professor Brett Nixon, Doctor Xiaojing Zhou, Ms Megan Chircop, Doctor Warwick Belcher | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Equipment Grant | Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $280,000 | 2010 | 2010 |
| GNo:G1000873 | ||
2009 (2 grants)
Electron Microscopes for Nanometer-scale Imaging/Microanalysis in the Materials, Biological, Physical, Engineering and Chemical Sciences$650,000
Funding Body: ARC (Australian Research Council)
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Professor Erich Kisi, Professor Scott Donne, Doctor Vicki Keast, Associate Professor Alan Brichta, Professor Robert Melchers, Conjoint Professor Christina Offler, Professor John O'Connor, Professor Reza Moheimani, Emeritus Professor John Patrick, Professor Dirk Van Helden, Professor Bruce King, Professor Geoffrey Evans, Professor Hugh Dunstan, Doctor Geoffrey MacFarlane, Associate Professor Yong-Ling Ruan, Doctor Severine Roselli, Doctor Minjie Lin, Professor Christopher Grof, Doctor Silvia Frisia, Doctor Rebecca Lim, Doctor Heber Sugo, Doctor Jennifer Forrester, Doctor Olivier Buzzi, Doctor Andrew Fleming, Professor Erica Wanless, Doctor Clovia Holdsworth, Doctor Russell Drysdale, Professor Stephen Fityus, Associate Professor David McCurdy, Doctor De Zhu | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Linkage Infrastructure Equipment & Facilities (LIEF) | Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $650,000 | 2009 | 2009 |
| GNo:G0189120 | ||
Electron Microscopes for Nanometer-scale Imaging/Microanalysis in the Materials, Biological, Physical, Engineering and Chemical Sciences$70,000
Funding Body: ARC (Australian Research Council)
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Professor Erich Kisi, Professor Scott Donne, Doctor Vicki Keast, Associate Professor Alan Brichta, Professor Robert Melchers, Conjoint Professor Christina Offler, Professor John O'Connor, Professor Reza Moheimani, Emeritus Professor John Patrick, Professor Dirk Van Helden, Professor Bruce King, Professor Geoffrey Evans, Professor Hugh Dunstan, Doctor Geoffrey MacFarlane, Associate Professor Yong-Ling Ruan, Doctor Severine Roselli, Doctor Minjie Lin, Professor Christopher Grof, Doctor Silvia Frisia, Doctor Rebecca Lim, Doctor Heber Sugo, Doctor Jennifer Forrester, Doctor Olivier Buzzi, Doctor Andrew Fleming, Professor Erica Wanless, Doctor Clovia Holdsworth, Doctor Russell Drysdale, Professor Stephen Fityus, Associate Professor David McCurdy, Doctor De Zhu | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Linkage Infrastructure Equipment & Facilities (LIEF) Partner funding | Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $70,000 | 2009 | 2009 |
| GNo:G0190441 | ||
2008 (1 grants)
The Fifth Internaitonal Workship on Molecular Imprinting (MIP 2008), Kobe, Japan, 7/9/2008 - 11/9/2008$1,000
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Doctor Clovia Holdsworth | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Travel Grant | Chief Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $1,000 | 2008 | 2008 |
| GNo:G0189289 | ||
2007 (4 grants)
Chemical listening devices: Novel sensors targeting the clandestine manufacture and transport of illicit drugs and explosives$378,942
Funding Body: ARC (Australian Research Council)
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Professor Adam McCluskey, Associate Professor Michael Bowyer, Doctor Clovia Holdsworth, Professor Christopher Lennard | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Linkage Projects | Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $378,942 | 2007 | 2009 |
| GNo:G0186611 | ||
Chemical listening devices: Novel sensors targeting the clandestine manufacture and transport of illicit drugs and explosives$105,000
Funding Body: Australian Federal Police
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Professor Adam McCluskey, Associate Professor Michael Bowyer, Doctor Clovia Holdsworth, Professor Christopher Lennard | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Linkage Projects Partner funding | Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $105,000 | 2007 | 2009 |
| GNo:G0187330 | ||
Selective Detection and Removal of Organochlorine Residues via MIPs$105,000
Funding Body: Entech Industries Pty Ltd
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Professor Adam McCluskey, Doctor Clovia Holdsworth, Associate Professor Michael Bowyer | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Postgraduate Research Scholarship | Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $105,000 | 2007 | 2010 |
| GNo:G0187721 | ||
Development of molecularly imprinted composite polymers by controlled radical polymerisation techniques$10,000
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Doctor Clovia Holdsworth | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| New Staff Grant | Chief Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $10,000 | 2007 | 2007 |
| GNo:G0187710 | ||
Research Supervision
| Number of current supervisions | 12 |
|---|---|
| Total current UoN PhD EFTSL | 1.3 |
For supervisions undertaken at an institution other that the University of Newcastle, details are shown in italics, and the institution name is listed below the program name.
Current Supervision
| Commenced | Proposed Completion | Program | Supervisor Type | Research Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 2016 | PhD (Chemistry) | Principal Supervisor | Polymers for Photonics and Sensing Applications |
| 2009 | 2013 | PhD (Chemistry) | Co-Supervisor | Metal Oxide Polymer Composites for Supercapacitor Electrode |
| 2009 | 2013 | PhD (Chemistry) | Co-Supervisor | Processable Star Polymers |
| 2008 | 2012 | PhD (Chemistry) | Co-Supervisor | Natural products as a source of drug leads |
| 2007 | 2007 | Honours Forensic Science University of Newcastle | Principal Supervisor | Development of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for the Detection of Nitro-containing Explosives |
| 2007 | 2010 | PHD Chem Sc Not Elsewhere Classifd University of Newcastle | Principal Supervisor | Development of Sensors for Explosive Vapours |
| 2007 | 2010 | PHD Chem Sc Not Elsewhere Classifd University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor | Development of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for the Detection and Extraction of Organochlorine Contaminants |
| 2007 | 2011 | PhD (Chemistry) | Principal Supervisor | Exploring Signal Transduction Mechanisms in Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for Forensic Applications |
| 2006 | 2009 | PHD Chem Sc Not Elsewhere Classifd University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor | Chemical Listening Devices for the Detection of Illicit drugs and Explosives |
| 2006 | 2009 | PHD Chem Sc Not Elsewhere Classifd University of Newcastle | Principal Supervisor | Room Temperature Ionic Liquids as Solvents for MolecularImprinting |
| 2005 | 2008 | PHD Chem Sc Not Elsewhere Classifd University of Newcastle | Principal Supervisor | In field Sensors for the Detection of Illicit Substances - Application of MIP Technology |
| 2005 | 2008 | PHD Chem Sc Not Elsewhere Classifd University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor | In field Sensors for the Detection of Illicit Substances - Application of MIP Technology |
Past Supervision
| Year | Program | Supervisor Type | Research Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | PhD (Chemistry) | Co-Supervisor | Design and Synthesis of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for the Selective Extraction of Polychlorinated Biphenyls |
| 2013 | PhD (Chemistry) | Principal Supervisor | Investigation of the Conductive Behavior of Poly (3,4-Ethylenedioxythiophene)/Poly(Styrenesulfonic Acid) for Organic Electronics |
| 2012 | PhD (Chemistry) | Co-Supervisor | Synthesis, Characterisation and Evaluation of Biphenyl Monomers for Molecular Imprinting Applications |
| 2010 | PhD (Chemistry) | Principal Supervisor | Characterisation and Improved Performance of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers Prepared Using Room Temperature Ionic Liquids |
| 2010 | PhD (Chemistry) | Co-Supervisor | Optimisation of Molecularly Imprinted Polymeric Films for the Detection of L-Ephedrine |
| 2010 | PhD (Chemistry) | Principal Supervisor | Towards the Development of a Benzylpiperazine Specific Molecular Imprinted Polymer |
| 2007 | Honours Forensic Science University of Newcastle | Principal Supervisor | Development of Molecularly Imprinted Polymeric Films for Sensing Applications |
| 2007 | Honours Forensic Science University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor | Evaluation of polymeric Ligand Exchangers for the Extraction of Amino Acids |
| 2006 | Honours Forensic Science University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor | Molecularly Imprinted Polymers and Room Temperature Ionic Liquids: Evaluation of Applicability to the Detection of Illicit Drugs |
| 2006 | Honours Forensic Science University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor | Development of Molecularly Imprinted Polymeric Films |
Dr Clovia Holdsworth
| Work Phone | (02) 4921 5481 |
|---|---|
| Fax | (02) 4921 5472 |
| Clovia.Holdsworth@newcastle.edu.au | |
| Position | Senior Lecturer School of Environmental and Life Sciences Faculty of Science and Information Technology |
| Focus Area | Chemistry |
| Office | C324, Chemistry, Callaghan University Drive Callaghan NSW 2308 Australia |
| URL: | www.newcastle.edu.au/profile/clovia-holdsworth |
| Link | http://www.newcastle.edu.au/school/environ-life-science/our_staff/holdsworth_clovia.html |
Research Networks
