Classes
There was an introduction and briefing to the day given by the university staff, followed by a session on how to enroll in classes. I have registered so far for three classes (I'm still figuring out the fourth class because it conflicts with one of my chemistry classes), including:
- MULT20013 Australia Now
- CHEM30013 Chemical Research Project
- CHEM30014 Topics in Chemistry B
- Unknown as of yet
My Australia Now class is very popular among international students because it is an introduction to Australian culture and politics. I'm especially interested in this class because Australia is having an election soon!
The topics class looks very interesting as well! The class offers six modules from which I choose three to take. I've decided to take 1) Supramolecular and Structural Inorganic Chemistry, 2) Photomolecular Science, and 3) Computational Chemistry. I think I'm looking forward the most to the photomolecular science module. The notes outline I was able to access described the module as covering: fluorescence emission and excitation spectra, quantum yield, radiationless processes, phosphorescence, quenching, excimers and exciplexes, acid base properties of excited states, and applications (solar energy storage, laser action/induced reactions).
For the chemical research project, I have to rank a list of advisors/projects provided by the course coordinator. There are several projects in which I am interested. In fourth is a project supervised by Professor Paul Mulvaney, entitled "Trion Photochemistry - charged quantum dots." The goal of this project is to create particles in the "trion" state by injecting them with electrons using powerful reductants and to determine whether the electrons can be stored on quantom dots/affect the luminescence of quantum dots. Although my expertise is not in this kind of chemistry, I think it would be interesting to try something different. The project also has applications in designing quantum dots for solar cells (that's cool!).
My third preference is a project with Associate Professor Uta Wille, entitled "Exploring the Oxidative Damage in Peptides by Environmental Free Radical Pollutants." In this project I would be synthesizing peptides and studying their reaction with nitrate radicals. These radicals are important oxidants in the troposphere at night. I would gain experience in organic synthesis, photochemical methods, and chromatography. This project is also not exactly my expertise, but it sounds interesting.
I haven't decided yet what my first preference is, but it is between projects with Senior Lecturer, Dr. Paul Donnelly or Professor Colette Boskovic. There was no project listing for Dr. Donnelly, but he is interested in inorganic (coordination) chemistry, crystal engineering, and structural chemistry (x-ray crystallography). I emailed him to find out more about a possible project, so hopefully I'll hear back soon!
Finally, Professor Boskovic has listed two possible projects, both of which sound interesting to me. The first is "Cobalt Complexes with Redox-Active Ligands for Valence Tautomerism" and the second is "Lanthanoid-Polyoxometalate Single-Molecule Magnets." For both projects, I would be synthesizing metal complexes and characterizing them by the standard methods (X-ray crystallography, cyclic voltammetry, IR, NMR, EPR, electronic spectroscopy). At my home institution, I have learned a little bit about EPR, so I would be interested to get to actually do it here!
This is turning out to be a long post, so I'll add a part II in a bit. Again, I want to thank the OSA Foundation for their support in my study abroad experience and for anyone taking the time to read it!
Best,
Stephanie
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