Erich Kisi

Biography

"I completed a Bachelor of Metallurgy (Hons 1) from the University of Newcastle in 1984 in conjunction with six years in industry as a trainee Metallurgist. I then completed a PhD in Metallurgy under an AINSE studentship which saw me spend 3 months each year conducting experiments at the HIFAR nuclear reactor at ANSTO in Sydney. I went on to take up a National Research Fellowship also based at ANSTO (1988-90) studying phase transitions and synthesis methods in zirconia ceramics. There followed a senior research fellowship at Griffith University in Queensland (1990-93) working on metals for hydrogen storage which has recently become very topical. In mid 1993 I returned to Newcastle to take up a position as a lecturer, senior lecturer (1997), Associate Professor (2001) and Professor (2007 - ). I have researach experience ranging from process and physical Metallurgy (BHP Newcastle and Dept Metallurgy U of Ncle) through metal hydrides and intermetallic compounds to advanced ceramics (Zirconia, piezoelectrics and MAX phases). I have used such diverse research tools as thermal analysis, electron microscopy and diffraction, and scanning tunneling and atomic force microscopy. My particular expertise is in the application of in-situ neutron and X-ray diffraction experiments to study materials during simulated service or during their synthesis. This has included metals and advanced ceramics under large stresses, extremes of temperature (4-2600K), in hydrogen atmospheres or electric field. My work has received over 1300 citations, has H-index 21 and is cited an average of more than 16 times per paper in the international journal literature including self-citations (ISI Web of Science) . I am a former Assistant Dean of Postgraduate Studies in the Faculty of Engineering and have served on the Universitys Research Higher Degrees Committee. I am currently the Student Academic Conduct Officer for the School of Engineering. In addition, I have contributed to policy development, management and review of the Universitys central research facilities (Electron Microscope Centre and X-ray Centre) for more than 10 years. My professional associations include Fellow - Institute of Physics (London), Vice-President ANBUG and ordinary member - Australian Institute of Physics and Society of Crystallography in Australia. I lead a research team currently comprising 1 Senior Fellow, 1 technical officer, 6 PhD students and on average 5 honours students. The group has an average annual research budget of $300,000 as well as a very high success rate in gaining peer reviewed access to major international neutron scattering facilities (ILL France, ISIS UK and OPAL Australia)."

Research Interest

Materials Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Nanotechnology