Nicole Joy Rijs

Nicole Joy Rijs is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Chemistry at the University of New South Wales Sydney, where she leads a research group focused on using mass spectrometry and ion mobility techniques to investigate chemical structure and reaction mechanisms.

Her academic qualifications include:

• Bachelor of Science with Honours, School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne (2003-2006)
• Doctor of Philosophy, School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne (2008-2012)

Dr. Rijs specializes in applying cutting-edge computational and instrumental techniques, particularly ion-mobility mass spectrometry, to examine molecular structures in exquisite detail. Her research spans organic, inorganic, and physical chemistry with applications in bioinorganic systems, supramolecular chemistry, and environmental analysis of pesticides and herbicides. She focuses on fundamental questions about molecular self-assembly, metal-mediated mechanisms, and reaction pathways.

Her significant contributions to chemical sciences have been recognized with multiple prestigious awards:

• University of Melbourne Monica Reum Prize (2012)
• Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship (2012)
• Australian Research Council DECRA Fellowship (2016)
• Australian Academy of Science J. G. Russel Award (2017)

Dr. Rijs actively supervises HDR students on projects including "Predicting Molecular Structures and Interactions of Pesticides Using Ion-Mobility Mass Spectrometry" and "Deconstructing molecular self-assembly by advanced mass spectrometry." She welcomes supervision in fundamental mass spectrometry, gas phase ion chemistry, physical organic chemistry, and structural analysis. Her research group utilizes density functional theory (DFT) and high-throughput screening techniques to complement experimental work.

She founded her independent research group at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in 2015 before relocating to UNSW Sydney in 2018 to take up a Scientia Fellowship, and has served as Senior Lecturer since 2024.