Sam Chen

Sam Chen is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Environmental and Life Sciences at the University of Newcastle, Australia. He holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Western Australia (2014) and has extensive postdoctoral experience at Flinders University, the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) in South Korea, and the University of New South Wales (UNSW). His research focuses on advanced materials synthesis, particularly nanomaterials and carbon-based materials, with applications in energy storage, catalysis, and biomedical engineering. He leads a research group exploring 'artificial materials' through novel synthesis strategies using tools like the vortex fluidic device.

Research Interests
Chen’s work spans functional nanomaterials, nanomaterials synthesis, and applications in energy (e.g., solar cells, supercapacitors), catalysis (e.g., hydrogen production), and biomedical systems (e.g., targeted drug delivery). His group develops scalable methods for creating graphene-based composites, magnetic nanoparticles, and 2D materials like antimonene.

Grants and Funding
He has secured significant funding, including a $592,000 ARC Discovery Project for studying carbon phases under extreme conditions and a $364,430 DECRA Fellowship. His research also involves collaborations with industry partners like ARENA for solar hydrogen generation.

Awards
Recipient of the ARC DECRA Fellowship (2017), recognizing his innovative work in materials science.

Labs and Teams
His lab specializes in advanced material fabrication and characterization, with ongoing projects on vortex fluidic device applications and sustainable nanomaterial synthesis. He actively collaborates with international teams and mentors Honours, Masters, and PhD students.