Research Fellows 2011

The appointment of the two new AINSE fellows in August 2010 will bring the total number of AINSE fellows appointed since 2006 to ten. 

Both new appointees will be continuing at Flinders University, one working in neutron scattering and the other in neutron activation analysis.

Dr Rachel Popelka-Filcoff is using k₀-neutron activation analysis (NAA) for characterization and source identification of Aboriginal Australian ochre pigments. She will be continuing her collaboration with Dr John Bennett at ANSTO. Ochre and related pigments are iconic and significant Aboriginal Australian media for cultural and symbolic expression and are found on a diverse array of objects. Aboriginal Australians travelled many kilometres seeking certain ochre sources for specific physical and ceremonial characteristics. However, there is limited information on ochre in cultural contexts, and its role in Aboriginal interaction with the Australian natural landscape.

Trace elemental geochemical analysis by NAA coupled with multivariate statistics provides insight into pigments' role in prehistoric exchange and cultural interaction by elucidating the geochemical origin of ochre and ochre-treated objects. NAA data can characterise the fingerprint for particular sources and assist in recreating these exchange routes and providing cultural context, interpretation and significance.

Dr Roman Dronov is researching the self-assembly of proteins on porous materials through neutron based surface analysis. His intention is to develop a new approach for functionalising porous matrices offering controlled surface coverage, high stability, and reproducibility for applications in advanced optical biosensors. Using porous silicon films as a substrate he will develop self assembled layers of bacterial surface layer proteins. This will lead to the construction of a robust and versatile biosensor matrix, which will allow the detection of analytes including environmental toxins and disease biomarkers. He will be collaborating with Dr Elliot Gilbert on SANS and Dr Andrew Nelson on neutron reflectometry, both in ANSTO's Bragg Institute.

AINSE Managing Director, Dr Dennis Mather said 'The AINSE Research Fellowship program, which appoints two new research fellows each year, is maturing. One of the first cohort of the program, Dr Daniel Riley, who commenced in September 2006, relinquished his Fellowship in June this year to take up a position at ANSTO in the Institute of Materials Engineering. Daniel wished to maintain some contact with the research group he established at the University of Melbourne and has accepted an adjunct position there. In addition, Dr Duncan McGillivray from the second cohort will take up a permanent position at his host university, the University of Auckland at the end of the year.'