Rennie Memorial Medal

The Rennie Memorial Medal is awarded annually to a financial member of the RACI with less than eight years of professional experience since completing their most recent relevant qualification of a BSc, BSc (Hons), MSC or PhD Degree, or the equivalent, who in the opinion of the Board of the RACI, has contributed most towards the development of some branch of the chemical science. The contribution is judged by the research work published during the 10 years immediately preceding the award.

Dr. Keith Stubbs

An outstanding chemical biology researcher and ARC Future Fellow

Since his appointment at the University of Western Australia in 2008, as an ARC Australian Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Dr Keith Stubbs has become a chief investigator of a vibrant academic research laboratory, comprising postdoctoral fellows, PhD students and Honours students. In this time he has been supported by competitive national and international grants, including ARC Discovery and ARC Linkage, Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities grants, as well as NHMRC Projectand Equipment grants.

Dr Stubbs has received additional recognition for his research through various invitations to present his work at major international conferences, and seminars at prestigious institutions in North America, the UK and Europe. He has also won numerous awards, including an ARC Australian Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (2008–2011) and, coincidentally, a Michael Smith Foundation of Health Research Postdoctoral Fellowship (2008–2010, declined) for his postdoctoral work at Simon Fraser University in Canada.

Most recently Dr Stubbs was awarded a 2011 Western Australian Young Tall Poppy Award for Science and a highly prestigious ARC Future Fellowship. At present Dr. Stubbs is the chief investigator of an academic research lab, which has 9 trainees (1 Postdoctoral Fellow, 6 PhD students, 2 Honours students). This is an impressive outcome at a time of fierce competition for national competitive grants, and difficulties in attracting research personnel. Dr Stubbs has made truly outstanding contributions to chemical biology at this early stage of his career.