Welcome New Members Update- September 2020

We would like to welcome all new NSW members who joined the RACI in Sep 2020. As a professional membership organisation, we provide networking and special interest events during the year. Details of all Branch events can be found on the website: https://www.raci.org.au/Web/About-Us/Branches/NSW_branch.aspx?Code=NSB

New Member Interviews

1. Bithika Saha

• Why did you decide to join RACI?
  RACI provides support and information to early career chemists.As a food researcher, I would like to meet with other food and pharmaceutical professionals to gain an understanding about their experience.Before being a member, I participated in a networking session organised by RACI and found other RACI members very helpful and supportive.Besides, the Career Development Programs organised by the RACI mentoring team are very useful for early career chemists like me.These facts encouraged me to join RACI.
  
  
• What is your current occupation?
  I completed my PhD in food technology from UNSW.My research topic was to preserve maximum quantity of the food nutrients and flavour components during conventional drying of fruits and vegetables.I am now looking for an opportunity in food and pharmaceutical industry and laboratory services.
  
  
• What made you get into chemistry?
  Chemistry is my all-time favourite subject.When I was in Year 9, I started to learn chemistry.It seems every compound is formed in our everyday life through some chemical reactions.Till now the Periodic Table is still the most interesting document to me.The position of their element in the Table describes many of their chemical properties.I can also find practical applications of chemical reactions in everyday life.All these have encouraged me to learn more and more about chemistry.
  
  
• Do you use chemistry in your everyday life? If so, how?
  Not only me, everyone uses chemistry in everyday life.Specially right now, nobody is safe without washing hands, which is actually the saponification reaction.I still enjoy the bubbles of soap when I wash my hands every time.As I am currently looking for a job, I will mention use of chemistry in my household work.Baking a cake is also another example of the use of chemistry where bubbles of CO2 formed to make a cake structure through endothermic chemical reactions.
  
  
• Do you have a favourite chemical reaction?
  An acid-base titration with a proper indicator. I get a kick out of the sudden colour change of an indicator at the end point.
  
  
• What do you like to do outside of chemistry?
  Spending time with my kids, reading books and watching movies.
  

2. Jessica Veliscek-Carolan

• Why did you decide to join RACI?
  I have meant to join RACI for some time, for the opportunities to network and build connections it provides. This year building connections seems more challenging and more important than ever, so I finally got around to joining.
  
  
• What is your current occupation?
  I’m a Nuclear Chemist at ANSTO, Australia’s nuclear science and technology organisation. In this role I do research into new materials to treat nuclear waste (as a lot of ‘waste’ can actually be recycled and used again as fuel), and I also work on commercial projects and problem-solving for other parts of ANSTO, such as our waste operations and nuclear medicine groups.
  
  
• What made you get into chemistry?
  Chemistry was always my favourite science – colour changes and explosions, what could be better? After finishing my honours year in Chemistry at Sydney University, I started as a graduate at ANSTO working in different areas including environmental science, biology and hydrometallurgy. All that really served to confirm for me that chemistry was what I loved, so after that I pursued my PhD in chemistry (part-time, while still working at ANSTO).
  
  
• Do you use chemistry in your everyday life? If so, how?
  Definitely. My research is all about chemistry and I love how I get to combine organic, inorganic, physical and analytical chemistry to solve problems and generate new knowledge.
  
  
• Do you have a favourite chemical reaction?
  Hm… not sure about a favourite but recently I have been precipitating ammonium diuranate by raising the pH of solutions of uranyl nitrate and it makes this beautiful bright orange precipitate that I have definitely been enjoying.
  
  
• What do you like to do outside of chemistry?
  I sing as a soprano with the Sydney Philharmonia choirs (or I did when we were allowed to rehearse and perform together), which is great fun. I also love to hike, and last year hiked the Annapurna circuit in Nepal. I also like to knit, to read and to play with my pet bunny.
  
  
• How can the RACI help you in your current role?
  I hope joining the RACI will help me meet like-minded chemists and provide opportunities for collaboration and sparking ideas together.

3. Elso Pieterse

• How did you learn about RACI?
  I read the following from my university's 2021 bachelor of science handbook. "Our chemistry major is accredited by the Royal Australian Chemical Society (RACI), the professional body for chemical sciences in Australia." And I thought that I have to check this out and then joined RACI.

• Why did you decide to join RACI?
  I am excited to be a part of an organisation or association of other like-minded people, and about the prospects of learning from others. And I found RACI to be that organisation. 
   
• What degree program are you studying? 
  Bachelor of Science, majoring in Chemistry and Medicinal Chemistry at the University of New England (online third-year student).

   

• What made you get into chemistry?
  I started off with Animal Science, but after completing first-year chemistry, I just had to learn more about chemistry. I was bitten by the chemistry bug and got curious.
  
  
• Do you use chemistry in your everyday life? If so, how?

  I'm just a third-year student and have not delved deep enough yet to answer this question.  But I can say this.  We are all just bags of chemistry.  As I'm sitting here, typing, the O2 I inhale eventually makes it to my blood and binds to the Fe2+ in a heam group, changing the geometry of the group.  Due to energy differences between the bound and unbound states of the [F2-O2-porph] complex and pressure and pH differences between the lung and brain tissue, O2 is being released into my brain making me able to answer this question.  If chemistry is not badass, I don't know what is.
  
  

• Do you have a favourite reagent or a reaction? 
  Um no, not yet. I hope to get one (honours and PhD), research it and learn everything about it, so much so, that I develop a love/hate relationship with it and then move on to do the same with the next one. :)
  
  
• What do you like to do outside of chemistry? 
  I am a wildlife carer and I glue turtles' shells back together after they have been hit by a car. I then rehabilitate them and release them back into the wild. If I'm not studying, I like to read :)
  
  
• How can the RACI help you in your current role?
  I love attending talks and network with people to be able to learn from others and broaden my horizons. I attended the online session with the 2019 'Rita Cornforth Lecturer' award winner, Dr Ellen Moon and the 2019 'Margaret Sheil Leadership' award winner Dr Frances Separovic. I found these talks very inspiring and liked listening to women talk about women in science. 

4. Genevieve Firmer

• How did you learn about RACI? / Why did you decide to join RACI?
  Another chemistry teacher in the Northern Territory, who was heavily involved in their branch, recommended I join. I thought it would be a great way to connect with other chemistry professionals and researchers.
  
  
• What degree program are you studying?
  I am studying an MPhil looking at chemistry education in secondary schools for now. I have been a chemistry teacher for the past four years and really wanted to spend some time learning and thinking about best practise and research in teaching, but I wasn’t sure how long I wanted to spend away from the classroom. That being said, I’m enjoying my research so much that I’ll probably switch to a PhD early next year!
  
  

• What made you get into chemistry?
  I’ve been interested in science for as long as I can remember, probably because both of my parents are in the pharmaceuticals industry. I tried to stay away from chemistry for as long as possible to be different, but in the end I fell in love with medicinal chemistry, drug design and the potential of natural products as drug leads. That being said, I’m interested in all aspects of chemistry, and want to be well versed so that I can inspire the next generations of scientists in every field.
  I chose to move into teaching because I was quite dissatisfied by how science is taught (there was a lot of rote learning and I got in trouble for asking questions about quarks) and through my undergraduate degree I met many other women who had been dissuaded from science because of their gender.  I had met a lot of kids who loved learning but hated school, and I learned some of the stats about educational disadvantage in Australia (By age 15, children from the lowest socioeconomic households are on average almost three years behind in school than children from the highest socioeconomic households, ACER 2013).  I love sharing the world of chemistry with students and watching their eyes light up!

• Do you use chemistry in your everyday life? If so, how?
  Yes, I see chemistry everywhere. It’s my job to make sure my students do too!
  
  
• Do you have a favourite reagent or a reaction?
  I love experiments that demonstrate what seem like simple concepts to chemists, but are hard for students to conceptualise from a sub-microscopic perspective. For example, blowing up three balloons to different sizes, and realising that they have different masses. Then reacting bicarb and vinegar, tilting the beaker slightly and letting the carbon dioxide put out a candle in a container below. Getting students to really understand that gases are particulate rather than just rote learning the fact is my jam. 
  
  
• What do you like to do outside of chemistry?
  Hiking, camping, rock climbing, four wheel driving. 
  
  
• How can the RACI help you in your current role?
  I would like to connect with and collaborate with as many chemists as possible. My vision is to get my senior chem students working on real-world science in as many ways as possible. Their creative minds have a lot to offer when we give them the chance!

5. Collin Borromeo

• How did you learn about RACI?
  I heard about RACI during an analytical chemistry lecture by Dr Danny Wong, who is also the Program Director of my degree program at Macquarie University.During the session, he briefly explained to us what the organisation is about and the potential benefits for students to become members of RACI. 
  
  
• Why did you decide to join RACI?
  By joining RACI, I like to begin a long association with Chemistry, particularly making meaningful connections and networking with professionals in chemical industry.This will hopefully in turn provide me with opportunities to gain an understanding of industrial developments and progresses in Australia.

• What degree program are you studying? 
  I am currently pursuing a Master degree in Laboratory Quality Analysis and Management at Macquarie University.This is a degree program that Macquarie University collaboratively develops with both the National Measurement Institute of Australia and the National Association of Testing Authorities, Australia.Therefore, this program has placed emphasis on practical analytical chemistry, measurement uncertainty and laboratory quality systems, supported by a range of science and management units of study.

• What made you get into chemistry? 
  I always enjoy working/experimenting in a laboratory.Therefore, I have opted to pursue the chemistry related program, Master in Laboratory Quality Analysis and Management

• Do you use chemistry in your everyday life? If so, how? 
  Yeah, chemistry is involved in cooking food, personal hygiene, daily transportation, etc.No wonder chemistry is always regarded as central science.

• Do you have a favourite reagent or a reaction? 
  I think all of them are interesting.However, in particular, I find the chemistry involving the indicator phenolphthalein fascinating because it turns pink or colourless depending on the solution pH.

• What do you like to do outside of chemistry? 
  Outside of Chemistry, I like to read webtoon and novels, watch series and anime, go camping or bush walking when the weather is nice.I am also actively involved in some volunteer work.

• How can the RACI help you in your current role? 
  I think RACI can help me with networking opportunities, career development and I'd be able to learn more about different fields in Chemistry through its many activities / symposia. 

 6. Travis Hochwallner

• How did you learn about RACI?
  I found out about RACI through my degree outline.Once successfully completed, my degree program allows for accreditation by RACI.

   

• Why did you decide to join RACI?
  I decided to join RACI as I was interested in participating in the mentoring program for 2021 and the only way to be able to join is to become a member.

   

• What degree program are you studying?
  I am currently in my final semester of Bachelor of Science (Chem) at the University of Wollongong.I have also applied to start my masters next year in Forensic Science at the University of Technology Sydney.

   

• What made you get into chemistry?
  I have always enjoyed science even when I was much younger, but what made me get into chemistry and forensics is watching TV shows like NCIS.

   

• Do you use chemistry in your everyday life? If so, how?
  As an example, I have my many cups of coffees throughout the day and the caffeine molecules react with my neuroreceptors to keep me awake and alert when studying.

   

• Do you have a favourite reagent or a reaction?
  Although I haven’t actually done this reaction myself, the iodine clock reaction is always interesting to watch.

   

• What do you like to do outside of chemistry?
  Outside of chemistry, I mainly enjoy playing video games.

   

• How can the RACI help you in your current role?
  As a student nearing the end of my undergraduate studies, I feel it is important to begin networking with people who share the same interest in forensics, who may be able to offer advice or even point me in the right direction for certain opportunities.