Executive Board

Dr Vicki Gardiner is Canberra Territory Manager for the Australian Computer Society. She is a Chartered Chemist with experience in education, business development, organisational excellence, research and development and stakeholder engagement. Vicki is the immediate Past President of the Royal Australian Chemistry Institute (RACI) and a board director of the ARRB Group, Australia’s national transport research organisation. She has held senior management positions in academia, government, SME and industry not-for-profits. 

Vicki is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) and Companion and Engineering Executive of Engineers Australia. In 2012, Vicki was appointed the RACI National Convenor for the 2011 International Year of Chemistry in recognition of her contribution to the promotion of science.

Over the past 20 years, Vicki has designed and managed government funded research, capital and skills development projects worth over $1 million. She has two patents and has published over 40 articles in international peer reviewed journals, industry and general interest publications. She is also a public commentator on public policy.

Vicki outlines her vision for Commonwealth Chemistry.

Professor Bottle is an Australian professor of organic chemistry working at the School of Chemistry and Physics at the Queensland University of Technology, (QUT) in Brisbane, in the state of Queensland in Australia. He is a Fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Society and has been a member for over 30 years and has served at the highest levels, including most recently as the National President (2020-2022).

He has also been involved in senior roles in management committees of large national research initiatives including federally funded Australian Research Council Centres of Excellence and Cooperative Research Centres with industry partners. Professor Bottle is an established researcher with an international reputation in the field of free radical chemistry related to organic compounds and materials. He has published around 200 papers in this field and serves on the editorial board of the journal Redox Biochemistry and Chemistry.

In addition to his research activities, he also maintains a strong interest in teaching and has co-authored an internationally adopted textbook for first year university chemistry published by Wiley and now in its fifth edition.

Professor Bottle holds a strong belief that understanding chemistry is critically important if we are going to find solutions for many of the major problems facing the world. He also believes that providing chemical education more broadly is vital for obtaining the social acceptance needed to implement new ideas. This is true across both developed and developing countries and it is his view that Commonwealth Chemistry has a strong role to promote the value of the discipline of chemistry through our societies.

Dr Michael Forde obtained his MChem at the University of Edinburgh in 2008 and a PhD in heterogeneous catalysis at Cardiff University in 2012. He currently holds a senior lectureship in chemistry at the University of the West Indies St Augustine Campus and administers the final year speciality courses in industrial chemistry, green chemistry, and science. 

Michael’s academic research lies at the frontiers of materials design for green catalysis with research projects covering green methane partial oxidation, zeolite and nanomaterials synthesis and photocatalytic upgrading of biomass. He is also involved in several outreach initiatives and projects ranging from end-of-life tyre recycling to community-based greenhouse crop cultivation. 

Outside of academia, Michael runs a cosmetic and personal care manufacturing business and is Director of the Divine Temple of Light in Trinidad and Tobago.

Michael’s vision for Commonwealth Chemistry:

“That Commonwealth Chemistry will create opportunities for excellent science and organic global partnerships among the family of Commonwealth chemists.”

Professor Peter Mallon has served as Executive Head of the Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science at Stellenbosch University since 2014. He joined Stellenbosch University in 2002 after spending time at the University of Missouri, Kansas City, in the USA, first as a postdoctoral research associate and then as a visiting assistant professor of chemistry. He currently serves as President of the South African Chemical Institute (SACI) and is a member of the IUPAC Polymer Division and a member of the Subcommittee on Polymer Terminology.

Peter’s research interests lie in the investigation of the structure-property relationship in complex polymer materials including semi-crystalline polymers, multiphase copolymers, nano-structured polymers and nano-filled polymer composites. 

In April 2010, Peter received the International Material Science Researcher Award at POLYCHAR 18 in Siegen, Germany. 

Peter’s vision for Commonwealth Chemistry: 

“To harness the collective knowledge, wisdom and experience of all chemists within the Commonwealth to promote chemistry for the benefit of all.”

Clarence Anthon Mgina obtained his B. Sc. (Hons) and M. Sc. (Chemistry) at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania between 1991 and 1997. He then served as a Program officer for the Natural Products Research Network for Eastern and Central Africa (NAPRECA) before proceeding to the Neterlands, Nijmegen University (currently Radboud Universiteit) where he did a Ph. D in organic synthesis specializing in carbohydrates. He is currently doing research in phytochemistry while lecturing in organic, medicinal chemistry, and biochemistry at the University of Dar es Salaam.

Apart from research and teaching, Clarence has and in some cases still is serving in leadership positions in various professional bodies. Currently he the vice chairman of the Tanzania Chemical Society (TCS), Program Officer of the African Network for Chemical Analysis of Pesticides and other Pollutants (ANCAP), and Secretary of the Federation of Chemical Societies of Africa (FASC).

Clarence’s vision for Commonwealth Chemistry:

“Strength in diversity through equitable sharing of resources and opportunities for a stronger commonwealth chemistry community.”

Associate Professor Sarah Masters is a structural chemist in the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. 

Educated at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, she moved to New Zealand in 2011. Her research focuses on the determination of molecular structure in the gas phase and computational approaches to supporting gas phase experimental data interpretation. She is a passionate teacher of many aspects of chemistry, from ‘what is in an atom and how do we know?’, to advanced methods to analyse molecular materials. 

Sarah is Past President of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry.

Sarah’s vision for Commonwealth Chemistry: 
“A connected Commonwealth Chemistry community that supports each other through resources and knowledge to undertake vital research towards supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals.”

Naumih Noah is an Associate Professor of Analytical/Bioanalytical Chemistry in the School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at the United States International University-Africa in Kenya. She holds a PhD in Analytical/Bioanalytical Chemistry from the State University of New York at Binghamton, USA, a Masters of Analytical Chemistry from the University of the Ryukyus in Okinawa, Japan, and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Nairobi, Kenya. She has a passion for teaching, research, and mentoring students. She is also passionate about inclusivity and diversity for all in research and community work. Her research focuses on the development and validation of biosensors for the detection of infectious diseases and the integration of nanotechnology in health care in developing countries.

She is a member of the Kenya Chemical Society (KCS), the Organizing Secretary of the KCS Nairobi Chapter and a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC). 

Naumih’s vision for Commonwealth Chemistry: 

“That Commonwealth Chemistry will create excellent opportunities for partnerships and collaborations in science research supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals, as well as supporting equality and diversity in the chemical sciences across Commonwealth countries.”

Ale is a chemical engineer with a PhD in materials science. Her independent career began as an Assistant Professor in Argentina, before joining Cambridge University under a Royal Society Visiting Fellowship. She has published over 50 scientific papers in the field of heterogeneous catalysis.

Her previous roles at the RSC have included managing international work in India and Latin America and the setting up and leading the Pan Africa Chemistry Network. She led the Future of the Chemical Sciences initiative to guide the development of the RSC long-term strategy. 

Ale’s RSC I&D work has resulted in several influential data led, strategic policy reports aimed at driving change towards an inclusive chemistry culture, many of which have had global reach. . Her work has been recognized twice by the Public Relations and Communications Associations in 2019 and 2020.  Ale worked to launch the RSC Bullying and Harassment support line and grant schemes that focus on accessibility and career development.  She launched the LGBT+Toolkit and works with partners to support chemistry students and graduates from minoritised racial and ethnic backgrounds to pursue careers in chemistry, and a national mentoring programme for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students in year 12. Her most recent work focuses on Socio Economic Inclusion and the launch of a grant scheme to fund research looking at attrition and retention of LGBT+ people within STEM in the UK and the USA.

She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, a life fellow of the Chemical Research Society of India, a member of IUPAC and an honorary Fellow of the Chemical Society of Ethiopia.

Ale’s vision for Commonwealth Chemistry: 

“I believe Commonwealth Chemistry will be a forum for chemists with shared values to work together to support the development of chemistry and chemists in every Commonwealth nation.”

Dr Thompson is a Professor of Chemistry at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. As a faculty member for 20 years, and now the CRC Tier I Chair in Pyrrole Chemistry for Chemical Biology and Energy, she has built an internationally-recognised research program alongside serving a number of service-to-science roles. She earned a B.Sc. Hons(I) from the University of Leicester (UK) and a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Sheffield (UK). With support from students and colleagues, Dr Thompson was granted the 2015 Chemistry Professor of the Year Award 2015, the 2018 Dalhousie Award for Excellence in Graduate Supervision, the 2018 Alumni Association Faculty Award of Excellence for Teaching, the 2019 Association of Atlantic Universities Anne Marie MacKinnon Educational Leadership Award, the 2020 Canadian Society for Chemistry Clara Benson Award and the 2021 Chemical Institute of Canada Montreal Medal. In a parallel role, Dr Thompson helps lead the non-profit SuperNOVA, guiding the delivery of hands-on STEM programming to >16,000 youth annually.

Alison’s vision for Commonwealth Chemistry:

My conviction that everyone has a right to access learning underpins my approach as a teacher and a researcher, stems from my youth. In those days, my speech disability meant that many of my contributions could not be uttered, yet now as a university professor I have opportunities to shape the learning landscape. Commonwealth Chemistry provides opportunities to support learning landscapes across the nations.

Datuk ChM Dr Soon Ting-Kueh is very active in promoting the advancement of chemistry in Malaysia, Asia and the rest of the world. He has served on the IKM Council since 1988, and has held many positions, including acting as Chairman of the Chemical Education Section since 1988 and President from 2007 to 2014 and again since 2018. With his involvement, IKM has organised many international conferences and meetings such as the 7th Asian Chemical Congress (7ACC) in 2007, the 10th Asian Conference on Analytical Sciences (ASIANALYSIS X) in 2009, the IUPAC International Conference on Chemical Research Applied to World Needs (CHEMRAWN XIX) in 2011 and the 24th IUPAC International Conference in Chemistry Education (ICCE) in Kuching, Malaysia in 2016. IKM is also actively involved in advancing the chemistry profession in Malaysia.

Dr Soon is also very active in the Federation of Asian Chemical Societies (FACS), including holding the positions of President (2007–2009) and Treasurer (2016–2020). In the last few years, he has been especially active in promoting collaborations among FACS member societies, organising joint meetings in Malaysia, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

In 2012, Datuk Dr Soon was conferred a Honorary Doctorate by the Kazan National Research Technological University, Republic of Tatarstan, Russia and in 2013, he was admitted as an Honorary Fellow of the Singapore National Institute of Chemistry. For his contribution to the advancement of chemistry in Asia and the Pacific, Datuk Dr Soon Ting-Kueh was awarded the 2015 FACS Citation Award. Datuk Dr Soon was elected as a Member of the Executive Board of Commonwealth Chemistry in May 2022.

Ting-Kueh’s vision for Commonwealth Chemistry:

“Due to the diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds in the Commonwealth, Commonwealth Chemistry must practice diversity, equity and inclusiveness in the implementation of its programmes.”

Professor Sandeep Verma is a Professor at Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, affiliated with the Department of Chemistry, Center for Nanoscience, Mehta Center for Engineering in Medicine, and Center for Environmental Science and Engineering. He is currently the Professor In-Charge (Head) of the Gangwal School of Medical Sciences and Technology, IIT Kanpur. Sandeep’s research interests include chemical neuroscience, small molecule-stem cell modulation, and new antibiotics. With more than 220 publications and several patents till date, his work has been recognized by the Distinguished Alumnus Award of Banaras Hindu University, Society for Materials Chemistry Gold Medal, J C Bose Fellowship, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize, and Department of Atomic Energy Outstanding Investigator Award, to name a few.

Sandeep is an elected Fellow of Indian National Science Academy, Indian Academy of Sciences, and National Academy of Sciences, India; Fellow of Indian National Academy of Engineering; and Fellow, Royal Society of Chemistry (UK). He is an Associate Editor of Chemical Communications (Royal Society of Chemistry, UK) and serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of ChemBioChem (Wiley). He is also Director of his new start-up, Stablin Biosciences, focused on production and formulation strategies of thermostable therapeutic proteins.

Sandeep’s vision for Commonwealth Chemistry:

“To be the leading voice in the world in supporting inclusion and diversity in chemical science education and translational research for societal good”.