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Contact details +6469519007
Associate Professor Catherine Whitby PhD, BSc
Associate Professor in Chemistry
Doctoral Supervisor School of Fundamental Sciences- Senior Lecturer in Chemistry in the Institute of Fundamental Sciences at Massey University, from late October 2014 onwards
- ARC Future Fellow and Senior Research Fellow, Ian Wark Research Institute, UniSA working on controlling Pickering emulsion destabilisation (March 2010 to September 2014)
- Research Fellow, Ian Wark Research Institute, UniSA working with John Ralston on particle attachment to drops and bubbles (October 2006 to February 2010)
- Gritton Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Chemistry, University of Sydney working with Greg Warr on using neutron scattering techniques to characterise emulsions (April 2005 to September 2006)
- Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Chemistry, University of Hull, working with Bernie Binks on Pickering emulsion projects funded by Rhodia Services and Halliburton Energy Services (November 2001 to March 2005)
Catherine is a Senior Lecturer in Chemistry, appointed in late October 2014. Prior to this she was an ARC Future Fellow and Senior Research Fellow at the Ian Wark Research Institute at the University of South Australia. She is a physical chemist with expertise in colloid and surface chemistry. She uses nanomaterials to modify the chemistry of drop and bubble surfaces. This strategy enables her to control the structure, stability and flow of soft materials. Her findings have been applied in food and pharmaceutical products and in drilling fluids.
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Professional
Contact details
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Ph: 64 6 356 9099 ext. 86007
Location: Sc A3.09, Science Tower A
Campus: Turitea
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy - University of Melbourne (2001)
- Bachelor of Science - University of New South Wales (1997)
Certifications and Registrations
- Licence, Supervisor, Massey University
Research Expertise
Research Interests
I am interested in the edges (surfaces and interfaces) that control the properties of materials like paints, sunscreens, lubricants and dairy foods. All these materials are colloids. They are made of drops, bubbles and particles dispersed in a liquid. The drops, bubbles and particles are nanometres to micrometres in size.
I investigate how the chemical properties of drop (bubble or particle) surfaces control how colloidal materials flow and behave. A focus of my work is on using nanomaterials to modify the drop and bubble surface chemistry. This strategy enables me to tune the structure, stability and flow of soft materials used in food, pharmaceutical and agricultural products.
I use microscopy and rheology tools to do my research. I use these techniques to probe inside colloidal materials and investigate their physical and chemical properties.
Research Opportunities
- PhD scholarship (15/01/2015) PhD project in colloid and surface chemistry
Thematics
Resource Development and Management, Health and Well-being, Future Food Systems
Area of Expertise
Field of research codes
Chemical Science (030000):
Colloid and Surface Chemistry (030603):
Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural (030600)
Keywords
Chemistry
Physical Chemistry
Colloid and Surface Science
Research Projects
Summary of Research Projects
| Position | Current | Completed |
|---|---|---|
| Project Leader | 3 | 6 |
Completed Projects
Project Title: MacDiarmid Scholarship - Whitby - Ben Westberry
Date Range: 2018 - 2021
Funding Body: Victoria University of Wellington
Project Team:
- A/Pro Catherine Whitby - Project Leader
Research Outputs
Journal
[Journal article]Authored by: Whitby, C., Williams, M.
[Journal article]Authored by: Hale, T., Whitby, C., Williams, M.
[Journal article]Authored by: Whitby, C., Williams, M.
[Journal article]Authored by: Whitby, C.
[Journal article]Authored by: Whitby, C.
Book
[Chapter]Authored by: Whitby, C.
[Chapter]Authored by: Whitby, C., Williams, M.
Conference
[Conference Abstract]Authored by: Singh, P., Whitby, C.
[Conference Abstract]Authored by: Harding, D., Singh, P., Whitby, C.
[Conference]Authored by: Whitby, C.
[Conference]Authored by: Whitby, C.
Teaching and Supervision
Teaching Statement
123.104 - Chemistry for Biological Systems - first year chemistry laboratory and workshop supervision (40 contact hours)
123.105 - Chemistry and the Physical World - first year thermodynamics and transition metal complexes lectures and first year chemistry laboratory supervision (55 contact hours)
123.201 - Chemical Energetics - second year phase diagram and electrochemistry lectures and supervising second year physical chemistry laboratory (52 contact hours)
123.204 - Chemicaland Biochemical Analysis - second year gravimetry, extractions and chromatography lectures (16 contact hours)
123.271 - Molecules to Materials - second year soft matter lectures (8 contact hours)
123.311 - Advanced Physical and Analytical Chemistry - third year heterogeneous catalysis lectures (12 contact hours)
123.712-H - Advanced Nanoscience and Physical Chemistry - Experimental Methods in Surface Chemistry (4 contact hours)
Graduate Supervision Statement
I was fortunate to have some fantastic PhD supervisors and my style of graduate supervision is based on these experiences and interactions. I like to meet frequently with my students discuss how their research project is going and to provide support and guidance. I also meet with my students regularly as part of the wider research group I lead with my colleague Bill Williams. Our students benefit from the opportunity to share their skills and knowledge during group meetings and help each other with their projects. They also gain experience in problem-solving and decision-making in a team environment. I also encourage my students to get involved in activities that will advance their scientific careers, including participating in seminars, workshops and conferences related to their interests. Several of my former students (from Massey and the universities where I worked previously) are now working as scientific researchers in industry and at universities.
Associate Professor Catherine Whitby is available for Masters and Doctorial supervision.
Summary of Doctoral Supervision
| Position | Current | Completed |
|---|---|---|
| Main Supervisor | 1 | 0 |
| Co-supervisor | 6 | 4 |
Current Doctoral Supervision
Main Supervisor of:
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Shikeale Harris
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Doctor of Philosophy
Casein micelles under osmotic stress
Co-supervisor of:
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Gieun Yun
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Doctor of Philosophy
Modelling the heat stability of milk -
Arka Gupta
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Doctor of Philosophy
Development of novel CT based Anthelmintics to overcome the drug resistance problem in nematode infested ruminants. -
Asif Rehmani
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Doctor of Philosophy
Printed Sensors for Indoor Air Quality -
Ben Westberry
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Doctor of Philosophy
Investigating the gelation mechanism of carrageenan networks -
Sashikumar Ramamirtham
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Doctor of Philosophy
Structure-Rheology Relationships of Protein-Polysaccharide Complexes at Oil/Water Interfaces - view more...
Completed Doctoral Supervision
Co-supervisor of:
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2021
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Susav Pradhan
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Doctor of Philosophy
Biophysical investigations of cells focusing on the utility of optical tweezers -
2021
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Hossein Etemadi
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Doctor of Philosophy
Hydrothermal Synthesis of Inorganic Nanoparticles for Potential Technological Applications -
2019
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Benjamin Munro
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Doctor of Philosophy
Structure and properties of tunable Pickering emulsions -
2019
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Adil Alkas
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Doctor of Philosophy
Synthesis of Multicomponent Metal-Organic frameworks and Investigations of Their Physical Properties
Media and Links
Other Links
- Research group site - Research group webpage