Message from the Head of School

Greetings from the School of Chemistry. My name is Professor Muthupandian Ashokkumar (Ashok) and I have been the Head of School since January 2023.

As we embark on the new year, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on some of the remarkable achievements and highlights from 2023 that showcase the excellence and impact of our School.

Firstly, I am thrilled to announce that the School of Chemistry at the University of Melbourne is now the highest ranked Australian university chemistry school, and 35th globally, in the QS World University Rankings. This is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our past and current staff and students.

In 2023, we celebrated the achievements of many Chemistry staff and students, who received awards and prizes from the University and external organisations. In particular, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Youngsoo Cho and Meredith Potter for receiving the Dean's Excellence Award for their outstanding services in the first-year teaching lab. Their commitment to excellence and innovation in education is truly commendable.

Our academics continue to make significant strides in pushing the boundaries of knowledge and innovation; recent research has included:

• Discovery of a crop-saving insecticide produced by ferns
• Application of drug discovery methods to improve nitrogen fertiliser use efficiency
• Discovery of a new family of enzymes that has improved our understanding of microbial processes in the gut.

I am also delighted to share inspiring stories of our alumni – you can read these stories at Alumni Impact. These accomplishments and stories exemplify the spirit of excellence, innovation, and impact that defines our School. I am immensely proud of our community's collective efforts and look forward to another year of continued success and growth.

Finally, I would like to share a photo taken last year with the School’s leadership team over the past two decades or so.