When I am asked to write or speak for the media, people often me how to define myself. I respond that I am an archaeological and radioanalytical chemist. My career is based around the inter-disciplinary study of radioanalytical methods to archaeology and cultural heritage, and more recently to forensic and environmental studies. Currently, I am an Associate Professor in Chemistry at Flinders University, in Adelaide, South Australia. I currently lead a group of students in the areas of analytical, forensic, radiochemistry and archaeometry. I also have strong research collaborations with the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) in Lucas Heights, New South Wales. However, the beginnings of my career began at Washington University, and subsequently at the University of Missouri for my PhD. It was at Missouri that I had the opportunity to be a graduate assistant at the Summer School in Nuclear and Radiochemistry. It was a challenging summer of teaching students, keeping equipment running, preparing labs, assisting in logistics and coordinating social events. In many ways it prepared me for my own career in teaching students in the discipline, as well as giving me the opportunity to meet some of the leaders in the field, who all came to Brookhaven that summer. Personally, I enjoyed meeting leaders in archaeometry such as Gar Harbottle, as well as meeting other leaders in radiochemistry and nuclear science. I was fortunate to be able to attend the other field trips and site visits as well as experience the many enjoyable activities of a Long Island summer. Looking back over the 12 years since, I realize that the program gave me the opportunity to meet the next generation of students. I am pleased to see many of the graduates of the program present at ACS meetings since, and to hear of their successes in graduate school and employment. The program also gave me an excellent framework for how to design my own courses. I look forward to educating the next cohort of undergraduates and graduate students in Australia towards an international group of radiochemistry graduates, and developing radiochemical research.

Nuclear science from the big apple to down under

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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