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Amit KumarView profile

Research Fellow

• Catalysis
• Green Chemistry
• Polymer Chemistry
• +4 more

Dr. Amit Kumar is a Principal Research Fellow and UKRI Future Leaders Fellow at the University of St. Andrews' School of Chemistry. He leads the Kumar Research Laboratory (KuRLa), focusing on green homogeneous catalysis for circular economy applications, including renewable polymers, plastic depolymerization, and CO₂ transformation. His research aims to develop sustainable chemical processes and hydrogen storage materials. Education: Integrated M.Sc. Chemistry (2007-2012), Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (Institute Silver Medalist) PhD (DPhil) in Synthetic Organometallic Chemistry (2012-2016), University of Oxford (Rhodes Scholar) Postdoctoral Research at Weizmann Institute of Science (2016-2019, PBC Fellowship) Research Interests: Catalytic depolymerization of plastics CO₂ valorization into chemicals/materials Design of hydrogen storage materials Sustainable polymer synthesis His lab emphasizes scalable, environmentally benign processes to address global challenges in energy and waste management. Key Awards: FGS Prize for Outstanding Postdoctoral Research (2018) Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship (2020) UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship (2022) Advising & Funding: Supervises PhD students in polymer chemistry and catalysis Funded by UKRI, Leverhulme Trust, and industry partnerships His lab collaborates on projects with academic and industrial partners, advancing from fundamental catalysis to applied solutions. Labs & Teams: KuRLa (Kumar Research Lab) at University of St. Andrews Prior work in Prof. David Milstein's group at Weizmann Institute

Muxina KonarovaView profile

Senior Lecturer

• Catalysis
• Sustainable Energy
• Chemical Engineering
• +3 more

Dr Muxina Konarova is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Chemical Engineering , University of Queensland, with a research program focused on sustainable chemical processes and catalyst design for circular economy applications. She has led four academia/industry projects since 2016 , securing over $5M in funding through mechanisms like Advance Queensland Research Fellowships, ARC Linkage, and ARENA-UQ grants. PhD in Chemical Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology MEng (Coursework), Tokyo Institute of Technology Her research interests span catalyst development for biomass, plastic waste, and CO2 feedstocks, addressing challenges in reactor design , mass/heat transfer optimisation , and selective chemical conversion . Recent projects include methane pyrolysis in molten salts , CO2 methanation , and hybrid chemical-biocatalytic lignin valorisation . Article trends indicate expertise in catalytic conversion of renewable feedstocks ( biomass, plastic waste, CO2 ), nanostructured catalysts , and hydrogen technologies . She has contributed to 83 journal articles , 3 book chapters , and 2 conference papers . Scientific awards include: Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowships (Mid-Career) ARC Research Hub for Carbon Utilisation and Recycling Outstanding Reviewer for Sustainable Energy & Fuels (2023) ARENA-UQ funding As an educator, she teaches Energy Transitions in Industrial Processes (ENGY7003) and Process Modelling and Control (CHEE3007) . Her supervision portfolio includes PhD students working on lignin valorisation , mixed waste catalysis , nano-plastics , and hydrogen production .

• RAFT Polymerisation
• Application of polymers in nanobiomedicine
• Electroactive materials
• +5 more

Dr. Almar Postma is a Team Leader and Senior Research Scientist in the Polymer Chemistry department at CSIRO, specializing in advanced polymerization techniques and applications. His research focuses on RAFT polymerization, waste plastic depolymerization, and polymer-based drug delivery systems. He holds a PhD in Polymer Chemistry from the University of New South Wales and a BSc (Hons.) from the University of Surrey. Postma has led projects on nanobiomedicine, electroactive materials, and high-throughput polymer synthesis automation. Current Roles: Team Leader (Polymer Chemistry), Senior Research Scientist Key Achievements: CSIRO Medal for RAFT Polymerization contributions, Julius Career Award, OCE Postdoctoral Fellowship Professional Experience: Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne (2005–2008), Experimental Scientist at CRC for Polymers (1999–2001) His research interests span functional polymer design, sustainable materials, and biomedical applications. Postma’s work integrates chemistry and engineering to address challenges in drug delivery, energy storage, and environmental sustainability. He has pioneered methods for light-induced polymer synthesis and antimicrobial polymer development.

• Polymer Chemistry
• RAFT Polymerisation
• Nanobiomedicine
• +5 more

Dr. Almar Postma is a Senior Research Scientist and Team Leader in Polymer Chemistry at CSIRO. His roles include leading research in RAFT polymerization and its applications in nanobiomedicine, electroactive materials, and waste plastic depolymerization. He holds an honorary fellowship at the University of Melbourne and has been affiliated with CSIRO since 1997. Education: PhD in Polymer Chemistry, University of New South Wales (2005) BSc (Hons) in Chemistry, University of Surrey, UK (1997) Research Focus: Postma’s work centers on radical polymerization mechanisms, high-throughput polymer synthesis, and catalytic depolymerization. He pioneers applications in drug delivery systems and flow chemistry automation using Chemspeed technology. His research bridges fundamental polymer science with industrial and biomedical innovations. Awards & Recognition: CSIRO Medal (2003) for groundbreaking contributions to RAFT technology Julius Career Award (2018-2021) OCE Postdoctoral Fellowship (2014-2017) Grants & Contributions: Lead the OCE-PDF grant (2014-2017). His work has driven strategic partnerships, including the Engineered Polymer/DuPont Alliance (2003). He advises on polymer synthesis automation and waste plastic recycling initiatives. Labs/Teams: Head of the Polymer Chemistry team at CSIRO, advancing projects in flow polymerization and nanomedicine applications.