Reflections from the Road: Chemistry’s Role in an Uncertain World

2023-4 Royal Society of Chemistry Australasian Lecture Tour

Professor Deanna M. D’Alessandro

Sydney University

When I set out on the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Australasian Lecture Tour in 2023, the world already felt unsettled. By the time I delivered my final talk at the RACI Inorganic Chemistry Division Conference at the end of 2024, that uncertainty had only deepened. Geopolitical tensions, rapid developments in artificial intelligence, the ongoing impacts of climate change, and shifting public trust in science are all in flux, and the pace of change is relentless. Yet, as I was reminded that it’s not uncertainty that defines us, but how we respond to it.

Photo caption: With Early Career Researchers at University of Tasmania’s School of Natural Sciences – Chemistry, in March 2024 with Dr Curtis Ho, Dr Alexandra Mutch and Dr Melissa Stanfield

I was honoured to accept the invitation to undertake the tour, especially after the isolating years of COVID. In 2024, I also celebrated 25 years since joining the RACI as a third-year chemistry student at James Cook University in Townsville (yes, before the turn of the century!). From attending my first RACI National Congress in Canberra in 2000 to today, I have always admired the creativity and ingenuity of the Australian chemistry community and our expatriates worldwide. The chance to reconnect with colleagues, engage with students, and see first-hand how departments have adapted was deeply rewarding.

Photo caption: With colleagues at the RACI Inorganic Division Conference, Western Sydney University, December 2024: L-R Prof Shuhei Furukawa (Osaka University, Japan), Dr Lauren Macreadie (UNSW) and Prof Lyal Hanton (University of Otago, New Zealand)

My itinerary included New South Wales (University of New South Wales), Tasmania (University of Tasmania), Western Australia (University of Western Australia, Curtin University), Victoria (University of Melbourne, Monash University), and the ACT (Australian National University). Although my family responsibilities limited some travel, each stop offered meaningful conversations, inspiring colleagues, and eager students. Sharing my team’s work on harnessing electroactivity in metal-organic framework solids was a privilege, reflecting the collective efforts of brilliant students, past and present, with whom I have been fortunate to work with.

What struck me most was the sheer ingenuity and resilience I encountered. Across all the universities I visited, I saw teams pushing boundaries with remarkable creativity. Conversations with colleagues and students also highlighted the growing challenges we face, particularly the rise of misinformation and disinformation. Expertise itself is increasingly under attack, and universities and scientists are being questioned in ways I have never seen before. It’s a difficult landscape, and it makes both research and public engagement more critical than ever.

Photo caption: With some of my group, past and present, at the RACI Inorganic Division Conference, Western Sydney University, December 2024: L-R Khoiria Nur Atika Putri (visiting student, Chula University Thailand), Dr Martin van Koeverden (former Postdoctoral Fellow), Danyang Pan (current PhD student), Kaleb Miller (current PhD student), Dr Eleanor Kearns (former PhD student), Dr Pat Doheny (former PhD student) and Katelyn Clutterbuck (current PhD student). 

A few key reflections stand out:

• Chemistry and scientific discovery, and knowledge, are more vital than ever. In times of uncertainty, our ability to understand and shape the world provides stability.
• The chemical industry is both a contributor to the problems we face, and a source of solutions. We must take responsibility for both sides of that equation.
• Porous boundaries between academia and industry are crucial to take research from lab-bench to and real-world scale.
• Stronger support for research and development is essential. If Australia wants to remain at the forefront, investment in science is not optional.
• Chemistry sits at the heart of major global issues including energy, security, health, and sustainability. Its relevance has never been clearer.

Photo caption: Reconnecting with my PhD supervisor, Em/Prof Richard Keene at the RACI Inorganic Division Conference, Western Sydney University, December 2024

I am deeply grateful to Professor Alan Bond (Monash University) and all the colleagues who hosted me, as well as to my family for joining parts of the journey. Most of all, I am immensely thankful to my students, past and present, who inspire me every day.

Despite the challenges ahead, I left the tour more optimistic than ever. The Australian chemistry community is filled with people who are not merely navigating uncertainty, but embracing it as a call to action. What we research, how we teach, and how we engage with society will shape the future of our field. From what I’ve seen, we are in very good hands.

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