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So I moved to London 
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🇬🇧" title="Flagge des Vereinigten Königreiches" aria-label="Emoji: Flagge des Vereinigten Königreiches"> for a prestigious fellowship https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🍷" title="Weinglas" aria-label="Emoji: Weinglas">
What was the plan?https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="📰" title="Zeitung" aria-label="Emoji: Zeitung">
How did it go?https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🚨" title="Polizeiautos mit drehendem Licht" aria-label="Emoji: Polizeiautos mit drehendem Licht">
What was the plan?
How did it go?
I was moving to get back to energy materials research - looking at growing #graphene - that single layer of pencil graphite - in 3D shapes.
This is important as #graphene is an amazing material
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="☑️" title="Kästchen mit Häkchen" aria-label="Emoji: Kästchen mit Häkchen">Super strong
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="☑️" title="Kästchen mit Häkchen" aria-label="Emoji: Kästchen mit Häkchen">Electrically conductive
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="☑️" title="Kästchen mit Häkchen" aria-label="Emoji: Kästchen mit Häkchen">Chemically stable
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="☑️" title="Kästchen mit Häkchen" aria-label="Emoji: Kästchen mit Häkchen">Light weight
But to build something practical out of it, we need to assemble many #graphene layers together again, without it becoming #graphitehttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❌" title="Kreuzzeichen" aria-label="Emoji: Kreuzzeichen">!
But to build something practical out of it, we need to assemble many #graphene layers together again, without it becoming #graphite
We used a super cool #ChemicalVapourDeposition furnace and some #3Dprinted metal scaffolds to start this, and got some amazing preliminary results. https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🥼" title="Lab coat" aria-label="Emoji: Lab coat">
(I& #39;ll go into science CVD more in the next thread)
(I& #39;ll go into science CVD more in the next thread)
Unfortunately, that super cool furnace broke - and because of how specialized the system we were using was - this mean the work got put on hold https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤯" title="Explodierender Kopf" aria-label="Emoji: Explodierender Kopf">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤯" title="Explodierender Kopf" aria-label="Emoji: Explodierender Kopf">
This was amazingly frustrating as the project was my baby at the time. It& #39;s still not done - hoping to revisit it soon!!
This was amazingly frustrating as the project was my baby at the time. It& #39;s still not done - hoping to revisit it soon!!
We did write a review article on 3D graphene structures - if you& #39;re interested in reading deeper into what we were trying to do and why - have a read: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369702115004058">https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/a...
During this time I was working in the @MatteviC research group, Dr Mattevi is an expert in 2D materials - especially #TransitionMetalDichalcogenides.
So I pivoted my research focus into these 2D materials - which are amazingly versatile
So I pivoted my research focus into these 2D materials - which are amazingly versatile
Unlike Graphene which is:
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="☑️" title="Kästchen mit Häkchen" aria-label="Emoji: Kästchen mit Häkchen">1 element
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="☑️" title="Kästchen mit Häkchen" aria-label="Emoji: Kästchen mit Häkchen">1 atomic layer thick
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="☑️" title="Kästchen mit Häkchen" aria-label="Emoji: Kästchen mit Häkchen">flexible
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="☑️" title="Kästchen mit Häkchen" aria-label="Emoji: Kästchen mit Häkchen">1 material
Transition Metal Dichalcogenides are:
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Fettes Häkchen" aria-label="Emoji: Fettes Häkchen">2 elements (a metal, and a chalcogen)
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Fettes Häkchen" aria-label="Emoji: Fettes Häkchen">3 atomic layers (one metal layer between 2 chalcogen layers)
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Fettes Häkchen" aria-label="Emoji: Fettes Häkchen">rigid (ish)
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Fettes Häkchen" aria-label="Emoji: Fettes Häkchen">a family of materials
Transition Metal Dichalcogenides are:
The fact it& #39;s a family of materials is super powerful, you suddenly have a huge range of chemistries https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🧪" title="Test tube" aria-label="Emoji: Test tube"> you can play with (beyond carbon) - electronic properties.
The beauty here is you can stack different TMD chemistries together almost as though they were one material!
The beauty here is you can stack different TMD chemistries together almost as though they were one material!
you can play with (beyond carbon) - electronic properties. The beauty here is you can stack different TMD chemistries together almost as though they were one material!" title="The fact it& #39;s a family of materials is super powerful, you suddenly have a huge range of chemistries https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🧪" title="Test tube" aria-label="Emoji: Test tube"> you can play with (beyond carbon) - electronic properties. The beauty here is you can stack different TMD chemistries together almost as though they were one material!" class="img-responsive" style="max-width:100%;"/>
Again I& #39;ll go into the science later - but this is another example of how research moves in unexpected directions.
Things aren& #39;t controllable.
I learned a ton of new things in London - and experiencing such a wonderful environment @ImpMaterials set me up for my future.
Things aren& #39;t controllable.
I learned a ton of new things in London - and experiencing such a wonderful environment @ImpMaterials set me up for my future.
Being based in Europe also let me travel and experience different cultures to an extent so difficult when you& #39;re in Australia!
Loved (nearly) every minute of it - I can& #39;t emphasize the advantages of this from a research and life perspective enough.
Loved (nearly) every minute of it - I can& #39;t emphasize the advantages of this from a research and life perspective enough.
After 5 years in Europe https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🇪🇺" title="Flagge der Europäischen Union" aria-label="Emoji: Flagge der Europäischen Union"> it was time to come back home to Australia https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🛬" title="Ankommendes Flugzeug" aria-label="Emoji: Ankommendes Flugzeug">- we had a new born baby - and my wife ( @DrTinyTaps) was awarded a prestigious VC Research Fellowship (Lecturer) at @RMIT.
We made the decision that I would take time off work to raise our son.
This time was amazingly challenging, moving countrieshttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🇦🇺" title="Flagge von Australien" aria-label="Emoji: Flagge von Australien">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🇬🇧" title="Flagge des Vereinigten Königreiches" aria-label="Emoji: Flagge des Vereinigten Königreiches">, finding a house https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🏠" title="Haus" aria-label="Emoji: Haus">, being without steady income https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❌" title="Kreuzzeichen" aria-label="Emoji: Kreuzzeichen">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="💰" title="Geldsack" aria-label="Emoji: Geldsack">, having a child under 1https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👶" title="Baby" aria-label="Emoji: Baby">.
This time was amazingly challenging, moving countries
Career disruption due to children is a real problem.
This burden is disproportionally held by womenhttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👩🔬" title="Woman scientist" aria-label="Emoji: Woman scientist"> - there is an emerging recognition of this https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Fettes Häkchen" aria-label="Emoji: Fettes Häkchen"> - a lot more needs to be done to support reintegration of carers into the academic workforce.
A huge amount of talent is lost.
This burden is disproportionally held by women
A huge amount of talent is lost.
I was lucky enough to be able to return to work in The Ellis Group @engunimelb after 9 months at home.
They were (are) amazingly supporting - I had flexibility, working 9 day fortnights, and a lot of understanding about my limitations.
It was still hard to juggle everythinghttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤹♂️" title="Jongleur" aria-label="Emoji: Jongleur">
They were (are) amazingly supporting - I had flexibility, working 9 day fortnights, and a lot of understanding about my limitations.
It was still hard to juggle everything
There is also a lack of recognition in things like grant proposals for career interruptions of of male carers who take time off for child rearing.
Again - this is just something written to raise awareness of - not a complaint.
Again - this is just something written to raise awareness of - not a complaint.
I& #39;m loving working where I am now @engunimelb - doing some amazingly exciting science on energy storage and conversion devices made by assembling nanomaterials
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Fettes Häkchen" aria-label="Emoji: Fettes Häkchen">Piezoelectric Polymers https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🩹" title="Pflaster" aria-label="Emoji: Pflaster">
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Fettes Häkchen" aria-label="Emoji: Fettes Häkchen">Supercapacitorshttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="⚡️" title="Hochspannungszeichen" aria-label="Emoji: Hochspannungszeichen">
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Fettes Häkchen" aria-label="Emoji: Fettes Häkchen">Batterieshttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🔋" title="Batterie" aria-label="Emoji: Batterie">
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Fettes Häkchen" aria-label="Emoji: Fettes Häkchen">Sustainable Building Materials https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🧱" title="Bricks" aria-label="Emoji: Bricks">
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Fettes Häkchen" aria-label="Emoji: Fettes Häkchen">Catalysis https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="💥" title="Symbol für eine Kollision" aria-label="Emoji: Symbol für eine Kollision">
I look forward to sharing my science https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🧑🔬" title="Scientist" aria-label="Emoji: Scientist">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🧪" title="Test tube" aria-label="Emoji: Test tube">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👋" title="Waving hand" aria-label="Emoji: Waving hand"> with you over this week!
Have questionshttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❓" title="Rotes Fragezeichen-Symbol" aria-label="Emoji: Rotes Fragezeichen-Symbol">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❓" title="Rotes Fragezeichen-Symbol" aria-label="Emoji: Rotes Fragezeichen-Symbol"> about my journey - want to know the challenges/successes I& #39;ve skimmed over here? - Ask me in the comments!
Have questions
