معرفی
Professor Debbie Silvester-Dean is a distinguished academic at Curtin University, holding a position as Professor in the School of Molecular and Life Sciences within the Faculty of Science and Engineering. She earned her MSci from Bristol University (UK) and DPhil from Oxford University (UK), establishing a strong foundation for her research career. Professor Silvester-Dean serves as the secretary for the Electrochemistry division of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (EDRACI) and represents Australia/New Zealand on the International Society of Electrochemistry (ISE).
Her research focuses on electrochemical processes with particular emphasis on sensing applications using room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs). She investigates the electrochemical behavior of toxic gases and explosives in ionic liquids, develops planar electrode devices for sensing applications, creates spill-less gas sensors using gelled ionic liquids, modifies electrode surfaces for enhanced sensing response, and studies hydrogen storage and ion sensing at water|RTIL interfaces. Her work bridges fundamental electrochemistry with practical applications in environmental monitoring and safety.
Professor Silvester-Dean's publication record demonstrates a strong trajectory in electroanalytical chemistry, with recent work expanding into energy storage applications while maintaining her core focus on ionic liquid-based sensors. Her research has evolved from fundamental studies of ionic liquid properties to increasingly applied work with commercial potential, particularly in gas sensing and battery technologies.
- STEM Award and John De Laeter Award for Research Leadership – Curtin University Researcher of the year (2021)
- Royal Society of Chemistry Analyst Emerging Investigator Lectureship (2021)
- Le Fèvre medal for research in Chemistry, Australian Academy of Science (2021)
- Elected Fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (2020)
- Rennie Memorial Medal from RACI (2019)
- ARC Future Fellowship 'Gelled Electrolyte Materials for Toxic Gas Sensing' (2017-22)
- ARC Discovery Early Career Research Award (2012-2017)
Professor Silvester-Dean actively mentors PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, with current projects including toxic gas detection, explosive compound sensing, and hydrogen storage. She has secured substantial research funding including multiple ARC grants and collaborates extensively with researchers both within Curtin University and internationally. Her laboratory utilizes advanced electrochemical techniques combined with materials characterization to develop next-generation sensing technologies.
