A/Prof George Vamvounis ~ Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering

George obtained his PhD in Polymer Chemistry from Simon Fraser University where he held a prestigious NSERC IPS with the Xerox Research Centre of Canada to develop Polymer and Organic LEDs. George’s work towards his PhD was recognized by Chemical Institute of Canada with the Macromolecular Science and Engineering Division Award for his contributions in Polymer Science and Engineering. Following his PhD, George worked at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden investigating dendritic macromolecules. He then joined The University of Queensland’s Centre for Organic Photonics and Electronics as a senior researcher and followed-up with an ARC Australian Research Fellows to investigate electroactive dendrimers. George is currently a member JCU’s Chemistry team as an ARC Australian Research fellow and a Senior Lecturer. George's research interest is based on Polymer Chemistry with applications in:

Advanced Sensing Technology: New polymers are being prepared for the colourimetric or fluorescence detection of analytes, like nitroaromatics, that are highly responsive and selective.

Solar Energy Conversion: New polymers for plastic solar cells (OPVs) are currently being synthesized to increase the efficiency and operational lifetime of these devices .

Plastic Electronics: New class of high dimensional organic semiconductors are being prepared for Organic Field Effect Transistors (OFETs).

See: Colourimetric Detection of Nitroaromatics

Teaching

• CL2502: Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics (Level 2; TSV)
• CL3021: Mass Transfer Operations (Level 3; TSV)
• CL4072: Chemical Engineering Design (Part 2 of 2) (Level 4; TSV)
• EG1010: Process Engineering (Level 1; TSV)

Interests

Professional

• I am the North Queensland representative for the Royal Australian Chemical Institute. See: http://www.raci.org.au/theraci/the-raci

Research

• Organic/Polymer Electronics has taken science by storm because of the potential to revolutionize today’s technologies such as displays, microelectronics, solar cells and sensory devices. In fact, Organic Electronics are now commercially available through companies such as LG Electronics, Samsung (OLEDs), Fido (Explosive Sensors). However, the improvement of the organic semiconductor properties is pivotal in producing more efficient devices and reaching consumer expectations. My research program involves synthesis and characterisation of novel polymers and organic small molecules to obtain an understanding of the fundamental structure-property relationships of these electro- and photo- active organic materials for the improvement of the optoelectronic device performance.
• Keen to join my research team? I would be happy to support self-funded M.Sc., Ph.D. students, post-doctoral research fellows and international exchange students (greater than 2 months). Some potential avenues for self-funding are:
• Ph.D. Scholarships: ARC/JCU: http://www.jcu.edu.au/grs/scholarships/ Australia Awards Scholarship: http://www.scholars4dev.com/3253/australia-awards-scholarships/ John stocker scholarship: http://www.sief.org.au/FundingActivities/Fellowships.html Chinese Scholarship Council: http://en.csc.edu.cn/ Science without boarders: http://www.cienciasemfronteiras.gov.br/web/csf-eng/full-phd Bayer: http://www.bayer-foundations.com/en/bayer-scholarships.aspx
• Post-doctoral Fellowships: ARC (DECRA: http://www.arc.gov.au/discovery-early-career-researcher-award) John Stocker Fellowships: http://www.sief.org.au/FundingActivities/Fellowships.html
• Research Internships: NSERC: http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Students-Etudiants/PG-CS/CGSForeignStudy-BESCEtudeEtranger_eng.asp DAAD RISE: https://www.daad.de/rise/en/ Fullbright: http://www.fulbright.com.au/index.php/us-applicants/american-fulbright-postgraduate-opportunities

Teaching

• Teaching Philosophy: I believe that a student’s ability to grow in his/her understanding of the topic is facilitated by (a) bridging their existing knowledge with their new learning experience, (b) promoting healthy communication and (c) promoting interest in the curriculum. When used together, I believe that student learning can be maximized to enable long-term retention with diverse student backgrounds and experiences.

Research Disciplines

• Materials engineering (4016)
• Macromolecular and materials chemistry (3403)
• Condensed matter physics (5104)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Expanding knowledge (2801)
• Marine systems and management (1805)

Awards

• 2022 - Invited Speaker at the 17th Pacific Polymer Congress (PPC17)
• 2021 - RACI Branch Citation for outstanding contribution to Chemistry in Queensland
• 2019 - Invited Speaker at Heron8
• 2018 - Keynote Speaker at MACRO2018 (German - Australia Symposium)
• 2017 - Keynote Speaker: RACI Centenary Conference
• 2017 - Invited Speaker at the Emerging Polymer Technology Summit (EPTS)
• 2016 - ECR Keynote Speaker: 36th RACI Australasian Polymer Symposium
• 2013 - Invited Speaker at the 34th Australasian Polymer Symposium
• 2015 - RACI's O'Donnell Lecturer
• 2014 - Young Scientists Exchange Programme, Australia China Science and Research Fund
• 2010 - SCMB Emerging Researcher
• 2005 - Macromolecular Science and Engineering (MSED)/Bayer Graduate Award (Chemical Institute of Canada)
• 2004 - Xerox "Thank You Award" for outstanding work on the OLED project
• 1998 - Best Undergraduate Poster Prize (CSC National Meeting)
• 1998 - Sepracor Award for best overall Oral Presentation (Chemical Institute of Canada)

Fellowships

• 2020 - Fellowship of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute
• 2013 - Chartered Chemist (Royal Australian Chemical Institute)
• 2010 to 2015 - Australian Research Council - Australian Research Fellow
• 2005 to 2007 - KAMI Post-doctoral Research Fellow (Sweden)
• 2002 to 2004 - NSERC-IPS Scholarship (with Xerox Research Centre of Canada)

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

• Gulizia A, Patel K, Philippa B, Motti C, van Herwerden L and Vamvounis G (2023) Understanding plasticiser leaching from polystyrene microplastics. Science of the Total Environment, 857.
• Buntine J, Carrascosa E, Bullock J, Muller G, Jacovella U, Glasson C, Vamvounis G and Bieske E (2022) Photo-induced 6?-electrocyclisation and cycloreversion of isolated dithienylethene anions. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 24. pp. 16628-16636
• Gulizia A, Brodie E, Daumuller R, Bloom S, Corbett T, Santana M, Motti C and Vamvounis G (2022) Evaluating the Effect of Chemical Digestion Treatments on Polystyrene Microplastics: Recommended Updates to Chemical Digestion Protocols. Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics, 223.
• Sanderson S, Vamvounis G, Mark A, Burn P, White R and Philippa B (2022) Understanding the performance differences between solution and vacuum deposited OLEDs: a computational approach. The Journal of Chemical Physics, 156 (21).
• Santana M, Kroon F, van Herwerden L, Vamvounis G and Motti C (2022) An assessment workflow to recover microplastics from complex biological matrices. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 179.
• Sanderson S, Vamvounis G, Mark A, Burn P, White R and Philippa B (2021) Unraveling exciton processes in Ir(ppy)3:CBP OLED films upon photoexcitation. Journal of Chemical Physics, 154.
• Ahmad V, Sobus J, Greenberg M, Shukla A, Philippa B, Pivrikas A, Vamvounis G, White R, Lo S and Namdas E (2020) Charge and exciton dynamics of OLEDs under high voltage nanosecond pulse: towards injection lasing. Nature Communications, 11.
• Al Nahain A, Ignjatovic V, Monagle P, Tsanaktsidis J, Vamvounis G and Ferro V (2020) Sulfonated RAFT copolymers as heparin mimetics: synthesis, reactivity ratios, and anticoagulant activity. Macromolecular Bioscience, 20 (9).
• Al Nahain A, Ignjatovic V, Monagle P, Tsanaktsidis J, Vamvounis G and Ferro V (2020) Anticoagulant heparin mimetics via RAFT polymerization. Biomacromolecules, 21 (2). pp. 1009-1021
• Kidgell J, Glasson C, Magnusson M, Vamvounis G, Sims I, Carnachan S, Hinkley S, Lopata A, de Nys R and Taki A (2020) Themolecular weight of ulvan affects the in vitro inflammatory response of a murine macrophage. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 150. pp. 839-848
• McCormick M, Chivers D, Ferrari M, Blandford M, Nanninga G, Richardson C, Fakan E, Vamvounis G, Gulizia A and Allan B (2020) Microplastic exposure interacts with habitat degradation to affect behaviour and survival of juvenile fish in the field. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B, Biological Sciences, 287 (1937).
• Glasson C, Donnet L, Angell A, Vucko M, Lorbeer A, Vamvounis G, de Nys R and Magnusson M (2019) Multiple response optimisation of the aqueous extraction of high quality ulvan from Ulva ohnoi. Bioresource Technology Reports, 7.

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 64+ research outputs authored by A/Prof George Vamvounis from 2000 onwards.

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current

• Smart Organic Solar Cell Windows using Photochromic Materials: Theory and Experiment (PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
• Trade-offs of acclimation to thermal stress in scleractinian corals (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Numerical simulations of charge transport in organic semiconductor materials (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Ulvans from Ulva: Optimisation of ulvan-based hydrogels for applications in biotechnology (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)

Completed

• Photochromic materials for potential application in organic electronics (2023, PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
• Presence, abundance and effects of microplastics on the Great Barrier Reef (2022, PhD , Secondary Advisor)

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.