Professor Justin Chalker
Matthew Flinders Professor
College of Science and Engineering
Justin M. Chalker earned a B.S. in Chemistry and a B.A. in the History and Philosophy of Science at The University of Pittsburgh in 2006. At Pittsburgh, he contributed to the total synthesis of several natural products under the direction of Theodore Cohen. Supported by a Rhodes Scholarship and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, Justin then completed his D.Phil. at the University of Oxford under the supervision of Benjamin Davis where he developed several tools for the site-selective modification of proteins. In 2012, Justin started his independent career as an assistant professor at The University of Tulsa where he established a diverse research program in organic chemistry, biochemistry and material science. In 2015, Justin moved to Flinders University as a Lecturer in Synthetic Chemistry and recipient of an ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award. Justin has been recognised with several accolades for his efforts in teaching and research including the 2016 Tall Poppy of the Year for South Australia, the 2017 Dream Chemistry Award Finalist (1 of 5 globally), Eureka Prize Finalist for Outstanding Early Career Researcher (2018), SA Science Excellence Awards STEM Educator of the Year (2018) and the AMP Tomorrow Maker Award (2018). In 2017, Justin was promoted to Senior Lecturer and Research Leader in the Institute for NanoScale Science and Technology at Flinders University. In 2020 he was promoted to Associate Professor and serves as the Research Section Leader for the Molecular Science and Technology division in the College. In 2020 Justin was awarded the Prime Minister's Prize for New Innovators, one of the top science prizes in Australia.
Lab Website: www.chalkerlab.com
Professor, Flinders University (2022-Present)
Associate Professor, Flinders University (2020-2021)
Senior Lecturer, Flinders University (2017-2019)
Lecturer in Synthetic Chemistry, Flinders University (2015-2017)
Assistant Professor, The University of Tulsa (2012 to 2015)
D.Phil., Organic Chemistry, Oxford University (2011) - Advisor: Prof. Benjamin G. Davis
B.S., Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh (2006) - Advisor: Prof. Theodore Cohen
B.A., History and Philosophy of Science, University of Pittsburgh (2006)
SELECTED GRANTS, FELLOWSHIPS AND FUNDING:
- AEA Seed Grant (AE240300053) Low-cost lenses for thermal imaging $495,624
- ARC Discovery Project (DP230100587) Unusual trisulfide chemistry $405,186
- ARC Future Fellowship (FT220100054) New materials for thermal imaging $1,039,924
- ARC LIEF (LE230100168) Materials for Sustainability Analysis Facility $620,000
- ARC Linkage (LP200301661) New technologies for E-waste Recycling $884,669
- ARC Linkage (LP200301660) Polymer technologies for oil spill remediation and slow-release fertilisers $708,984
- ARC LIEF (LE210100139) NMR Facility $1,240,000
- ARC Discovery Project (DP200100090) $410,000
- AMP Tomorrow Fund (2018) $44,800
- Australian Research Council LIEF (LE190100123) Flow chemistry facility $380,000
- SA Science Excellence Awards STEM Educator of the Year (2018) $10,000
- Defence Innovation Partnership (2018) $150,000
- Coca-Cola, Brisa Water, and Ogilvy & Mather partnership in remediation (2018) $26,000
- Royal Society International Exchange Grant (2018) $22,000
- ARC Discovery Project (DP170100452) $575,000
- Australian Natl Environmental Science Program, Emerging Priorities Funding (2016) $80,000
- ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DE150101863) $372,000
SELECTED ACCOLADES:
- South Australian Tall Poppy of the Year (2016)
- Green Chemistry Emerging Investigator (2017)
- ChemSocRev Emerging Investigator (2017)
- Dream Chemistry Award finalist (1 of 5 globally) (2017)
- Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry New Talent Award (2018)
- Eureka Prize Finalist for Outstanding Early Career Researcher (1 of 3 in Australia) (2018)
- SA Science Excellence Awards STEM Educator of the Year (2018)
- AMP Tomorrow Maker (2018)
- Prime Minister's Prize for New Innovators (2020)
- South Australian Science Awards - Innovator of the Year (2021)
I am interested in all aspects of organic chemistry and allied fields of biochemistry and chemical biology. Currently I teach second and third year organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, and a chemical biology Honours module. In these efforts, I aim to inspire students and convince them that organic chemistry is a valuable and interesting academic discipline in and of itself, but also a highly practical science intimately related to a variety of pursuits in biology, energy, materials, and medicine.
For more:
Justin regularly egages in science outreach through appearances on TV and radio, public lectures, school visits, online science mentorship, and interactive scienc shows. If you are interested in an outreach partnership, please contact Justin
• Falling Walls Lab - Breaking the Wall of Mercury Pollution (2016)
• ABC Catalyst episode on mercury pollution (2016)
• Scope Network Ten segment on converting waste into polymers that capture pollution [from 19:10] (2016)
• The Heavy Metals Lab at MONA in Hobart - a collaboration between artists and scientists to increase awareness about pollution (2016)
• Science and Maths Academy at Flinders University - invited speaker. (2016)
• Keynote speaker for the RACI Year 12 Merit Ceremony for South Australia (2016)
• ABC Radio segment on new technologies to capture mercury (2015)
• RACI Science Alive Chemistry Show at the Royal Adelaide Showground (3 day Chemistry show, more than 25,000 in audience) (2015)
• Fresh Science - Stories of discovery from early-career researchers in Australia. (2015)
• First Lego League mentor - Virtual conferences about STEM with grade 5-8 team from Jesup Community Schools in Waterloo, IA. (2015)
• Students on the Beamlines - Mentor for inquiry-driven science project at the Canadian Light Source, in conjunction with high school project leaders at Evan Hardy Collegiate Institute in Saskatoon Canada. (2015-present)
Sturt Rd, Bedford Park
South Australia 5042
South Australia | Northern Territory
Global | Online
Follow Flinders
