Janna Ewing
BSc(Hons) (2000)
Currently: Tutoring and further study
Previously: Secondary school teaching at St. Hilda’s Collegiate and John McGlashan College (2003-2004); Teacher training (2002); Research Assistant (2001) and BSc(Hons) project (2000) with Associate Professor Sally Brooker.
Hi, I’m Janna Ewing and I completed my BSc (Hons) in Chemistry under the supervision of Sally Brooker in 2000, at Otago. I continued on for another year in the Brooker’s Bunch, working as a research assistant, where I very much appreciated the guidance and encouragement of working in a team environment with Sally.
I then decided to embark on a career as a Chemistry teacher by studying for the one year Graduate Diploma in Secondary Teaching at the Dunedin College of Education. And have since taught at St. Hilda’s Collegiate and John McGlashan College in Dunedin. I enjoyed the variety that teaching provided and the challenge of inspiring youth to be interested in the world of Science. If you are passionate about your subject, enjoy working with teenagers and are prepared to work hard, then I recommend teaching as a career. Currently, I am doing further study and working as a tutor part-time.
Dr Markus Weitzer
PhD (2003)
Current job: Bachem AG, Bubendorf, Switzerland [manufacturer of biochemicals and pharmaceutically active substances, especially peptides]
Previous job: Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Otago, Dunedin (Oct. 2003 – Sep. 2004)
PhD: with Prof. Siegfried Schindler at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany (2000 – 2003)
When we left Germany in September 2003 with our 1.5-year-old twins to live in Dunedin for one year we didn’t really know what to expect. We arrived when it was supposed to be spring but were shocked by freezing temperatures and a brief snowstorm. After three weeks we adjusted and found, with Sally’s help, a nice house with a great view over St Clair Beach and the Pacific Ocean and with a decent heatpump (which was of great value).
Dunedin itself could be described as a beauty. Its historical heritage, the large and beautiful Botanic Gardens, a few very interesting museums and not to forget the natural attractions close to the city give Dunedin a living quality that is above average. Just a stone’s throw from Dunedin is one of the main attractions of the region: Otago Peninsula, which hosts the only albatross colony on a mainland, a variety of penguins, fur seals and sea lions. Enjoying a day at the beach with a few of these beasty companions around always made us feel like being in the zoo only the boundaries were missing. We can also highly recommend a trip to the native forests of the Catlins, a holiday in the Mount Cook area and Wanaka etc. If you’re keen on outdoor activities and you love a wild, rough and extremely changeable landscape then the South of New Zealand is the place to go to.
The work in Sally’s group was very interesting and challenging as well. I hadn’t worked with macrocyclic complexes before so I really enjoyed the “open door policy” to Sally’s office. The supportive working atmosphere in the group and the whole institute made the time there extremely effective. New to me was the institute’s tearoom where Heather prepares fresh scones and sandwiches. A very pleasant way to start your day was a chat over a nice cup of tea and a tasty scone with your colleagues.
For us New Zealand is a unique country, which combines pristine nature with a great opportunity for any outdoor activity and always a warm welcome for families with kids. We really enjoyed our year in Dunedin – and there are still so many things left to do there that we have a great reason to return one day! Thanks a lot to all who made it so easy to settle in and many thanks to Sally for her helpfulness, her support and her friendship.
Dr Carsten D. Brandt
| Previous job title: Postdoctoral Fellow (Marsden Fund), University of Otago (2003-4) PhD: with Professor Martin Bröring at the University of Würzburg, Germany (2000–3) |
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Dr Wolfgang Mohr
Current position:Group Leader Formulation and Analytical Development, R&D; Department, LOSAN Pharma GmbH Neuenburg, Germany (www.losan-pharma.de/en)
Previous job title: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Otago (2003)
PhD: with Professor John A.Gladysz at the University of Erlangen, Germany (2000-2002)
Wolfgang: camping in NZ in 2003
Wolfgang: at work in Germany in 2015
I spent one year in Sally’s group as a postdoctoral fellow from January to December 2003 doing research on luminescent lanthanide complexes. The department is very well-equipped and enables quick and efficient work. Sally, her colleagues, and all team members of Brooker’s Bunch were very interested and supportive and two publications arose from that time. There is a tearoom, where everybody meets in the morning having fresh scones and I’m still trying to establish that as an official ISO standard in the German pharmaceutical industry.
Dunedin is a beauty. With its cosy atmosphere, friendly people and the stunning surroundings it provides a high quality of living. Trips to Otago Peninsula with its penguins, the Catlins, Mount Cook or Wanaka (just to name a few) are a must and can easily be done on the weekends.
Dunedin in winter, however, is also “character building” (to quote a native) – not because its particularly cold (daytime maximum temperatures of 5 to 15C usually), but because many houses were not well insulated (like mine!) thanks to the hangover of colonial days and attitudes of survival of the fittest… Sally tells me that a decade on, the quality of insulation and of heating has improved a lot, so one can be warm in winter now, phew!
Dr Graham R. Motson
Previous job title: Royal Society Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Otago (2002-3)
PhD: with Professors Jon McCleverty and Mike Ward at the University of Bristol, United Kingdom (1998–2002)
I am so glad that I took the opportunity to live and work in New Zealand. On the professional side, it was a real pleasure to work for Sally. She was always enthusiastic, supportive and full of ideas. I started some work on lanthanide chemistry – it was quite daunting making the change from PhD student to “group expert”, and I can’t imagine many other academics having the courage, like Sally, to start something so different to their previous studies. I hope I gave you a decent start! Certainly the completion of our ‘monster’ review for Advances in Inorganic Chemistry, written with Associate Professor Jean S. Fleming (Anatomy and Structural Biology), “Potential applications for the use of lanthanide complexes as luminescent biolabels”, was immensely satisfying.
Personally it was an unforgettable year too, and having proposed to Katie in the Gardens, there will be a corner of Dunedin that is forever ours. The view from the house (kindly found by Sally), the proximity to the penguins, my first snowy (June) birthday, finding seals and sea lions on deserted beaches just outside the city; just some of the delights of Dunedin that stay with me. The rest of the country was just as wonderful – at least as beautiful as everyone says, and an amazing place to visit. Memories that come to mind as I write include waterfalls in the Catlins, keas in the mountains, the gorgeous coastlines of the Abel Tasman national park and the Coromandel, and early morning in the thermal areas of the North Island… The list is endless!
Dr’s Graham Motson and Katie Heslop
Dr Udo Beckmann
Current Job Title: Habilitant with Professor Wolfgang Kläui
Employer: University of Düsseldorf, Germany
Previous Job Titles: Postdoctoral Fellow (Marsden Fund), University of Otago (2002-3); Patent Attorney trainee with Kutzenberger & Wolff, Cologne, Germany (2003)
PhD: With Professor Karl Wieghardt at the Max Planck Institut für Strahlenchemie (now: Bioanorganische Chemie), Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
The decision to go to what is considered to be one of the most beautiful places on earth was not at all a hard one, although, viewed from Germany, it’s right on the other side of the world, “very down under indeed”. In German TV news New Zealand appears about twice a year and the other time one can get in touch is when buying some Zespri kiwi fruits in the supermarket at the right time of the year. I arrived in late autumn/beginning of winter, and everything was very well organised (Sally – thanks again for that!). During my year in Sally’s group I did some interesting and challenging chemistry, which was great fun, thanks not least to the great colleagues. I was working on a Marsden funded project called “Transition metal complexes as potential nano switches and memory devices“ and it was really successful, with several papers being published in strong journals.
Besides working, NZ offers such great possibilities to enjoy life like in hardly any other country. The scenery is simply unique and unbelievably beautiful. And NZ wines are gorgeous! Countless wine tastings and the Central Otago wine tour are the things which I enjoyed the most. And NZ has so many great golf courses. For example, hole 9 at Chisholm Links in South Dunedin which is on top of the cliff of Lawyers Head. Or experiencing a sunset at Lake View golf course on a full moon evening in Rotorua. Or in Raglan, where countless sheep on the fairways are the greenkeepers – truly a unique kiwi experience!
Yes, I really miss NZ a lot, starting from having Heather’s fantastic date scones in the mornings, having a “6” at the Cambodian downtown, having the simply gorgeous sushi and sashimi moriawase, or just having a cup of tea at the link or the museum watching the people walking by – barefoot in their anoraks and gloves at 5 °C. Such people need no central heating or insulation in their homes! Unfortunately I do and it took me a while to get used to its absence. But somehow I did and all the other things rewarded me in multiple ways. Going to New Zealand is a unique experience that I can very strongly recommend. I’ll definitely go back for a holiday sometime!
Contact:
eMail@UdoBeckmann.de
http://www.UdoBeckmann.de
Dr Craig V. Depree
BSc, MSc, PhD
Current Job Title: Organic Chemist
Employer: National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Hamilton, New Zealand
Previous Job Title: Postdoctoral Fellow (NZ Science and Technology), University of Otago.
I arrived in Dunedin, and was subsequently inducted into Brooker’s Bunch, in early February 2000 – summer so I thought. However, a couple of 11-12 degree C days soon put an end to any thoughts of long lunches, lazing around in the sunshine. So it was into the Brooker laboratories to investigate transition metal complexes of Schiff-base macrocycles incorporating new heterocyclic head units. The research went exceptionally well producing many new and very interesting monomeric, oligomeric and polymeric macrocylic complexes. Plans to investigate any potentially interesting magnetic properties of these complexes were cut short as I was offered an organic/environmental chemist position at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, in Hamilton, NZ (which is where I am today). Research now is a far cry from the Brooker Bunch days of X-ray crystallography, metal perchlorates and overnight refluxes. I am now working on more applied areas, such as mitigating the effects of urban contaminants on streams and estuarine environments.
In short, on a good day, I think Dunedin is one of the loveliest cities anywhere, and I would thoroughly recommend an academic stay with the Brooker Bunch for longer than my 9 month stop-over (it’s worth going just to enjoy the great views from the lab windows). If you decide to join the productive Brooker Bunch, just tell Sally that Craig sent ya – she’ll look after you.
Contact: Dr Craig V. Depree, NIWA
Dr Duncan J. de Geest
BSc(Hons), PhD
Current Job Title: Patent Executive
Employer: A J Park, Wellington, New Zealand
Previous Job Title: Postdoctoral Fellow (Marsden Fund), University of Otago
I once read that the work of a patent attorney resides at the point where science, law and language intersect. I think this is perhaps the most succinct description of my current job that I have found. A broad scientific knowledge together with good communication skills are prerequisites for those intending to train as a patent attorney. The necessary legal knowledge is generally acquired in the course of employment and study for the registration examinations. That said, a law degree or a basic understanding of legal process is certainly helpful. Given the commercial importance of patents, an understanding of business imperatives is also valuable.
The day to day aspects of my work involve dealing with local and international clients in the course of preparing and prosecuting patent applications in New Zealand and overseas. No two applications or clients are identical and, as a result, each day is different. Most tasks are deadline driven so organisation and flexibility are essential. A sense of humour is also helpful!
I completed a B.Sc.(Hons) and Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of Canterbury with Associate Professor Peter Steel. Seeking gainful employment, I joined Sally’s group for a year in 1998, and returned for another year in 2000. My time at the University of Otago was both challenging and enjoyable. The Chemistry Department at Otago has a strong research focus supported by very capable academic and technical staff.
Working with Sally gave me the opportunity to be involved in organic synthesis and coordination chemistry and provided me with experience in the use of a wide variety of characterisation techniques. Dunedin is a great city in which to live and work, offering easy access to a wide variety of recreational pursuits from the sedentary to the extreme.
I enjoyed and feel I benefited from my time at Otago and would recommend the experience to anyone wanting to combine scientific challenge with a great lifestyle.
Contact: Dr. Duncan J. de Geest, A J Park
Dr Paul D. Smith
BSc, PhD, 1993
Current Job Title: Lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry
Employer: Manchester Metropolitan University
The year I spent in Dunedin was a hugely enjoyable experience on both a personnel and professional level. Sally and my work mates in lab were fantastic people to have as colleagues and I was instantly made to feel very welcome. The chemistry department at Otago is lively place to be and has a rich and diverse range of active research areas, with a particularly strong inorganic section. During my time at Otago I was involved in the synthesis and coordination chemistry of thiophenolate-containing macrocyclic ligands. Such ligands were used to form dinuclear mu-2-dithiolate-bridged units with iron and nickel, in an attempt to model the active sites of [Ni-Fe] and [Fe-only] hydrogenases. This is a demanding, but absorbing area of modern bioinorganic chemistry and a hot topic that is currently attracting increased attention from coordination chemists around the world. Apart from the science, Dunedin is a very pleasant city in which to live, with a wealth of natural charm and history. In fact the whole of the south island of New Zealand is a rare unspoiled paradise. A chance to study in this corner of the antipodes is not to be missed and it has become a personnel ambition some day to return to New Zealand.
Contact details
Department of Chemistry & Materials
The Manchester Metropolitan University
Faculty of Science and Engineering
John Dalton Building
Chester Street
Manchester M1 5GD
UK.
Tel. +44 (0) 161-247-1430
Fax. +44 (0) 161-247-6357
p.smith@mmu.ac.uk
Background
I am a graduate in Chemistry from the University of Nottingham, UK, BSc (86-89) and PhD (89-93) with Dr A. H. Wright. I have also had postdoctoral appointments at the University of Manchester, UK (93-97) with Prof C.D.Garner/Dr D.Collison, the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand (97-98) with Dr S.A.Brooker, and at the School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Australia (98-99) with A/Prof C.GYoung. I am currently employed as Lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry at the Manchester Metropolitan University, UK (99-present). My research track record has covered a wide range of topics concerned with the coordination chemistry of d-transition metals. These experiences have included organic synthesis in the preparation of ligands, organometallic and bioinorganic chemistry. This work has required a strong background in synthetic chemistry, along with a healthy knowledge of a variety of spectroscopic, electrochemical and analytical techniques. My key research interests (see below for details) involve ligand design for the modeling of important biological facets such as metal-ion selectivity and the active sites metalloproteins.
Contact: Dr. Paul D. Smith, Manchester Metropolitan University
Dr Rongqing Li
MSc (1999), PhD (2004)
Current Job Title: Lecturer
Employer: Huaiyin Teachers College, China
MSc: Zhongshan University, Guangzhou, China
PhD: with Assoc. Prof. Sally Brooker, University of Otago, New Zealand (2000-2004)
Doing a PhD in New Zealand, a country with a very different culture and language to that of China, was challenging but also very rewarding. Along with enhancing my synthetic skills, both organic and inorganic, I have benefited from the opportunities I had to gain experience in a wide range of techniques to fully characterise the compounds I prepared. In addition I have become fluent in English, both oral and written. So far three papers based on my PhD work have been published and several further papers will follow in due course. Sally’s constant enthusiasm, guidance and support throughout my PhD was great, as was the help, support and friendship of the many Brookers Bunch members over that time. Thank you Sally and all those group members!
New Zealand is well known, in China, for its unique, amazing and beautiful nature, like blue sky and white clouds, blue sea and beautiful beaches, fresh air and nice fruits (Kiwi fruits and apples are famous in China)…. Hence based on its unique nature NZ has its other lovely names in China, such as the country of ‘white clouds’, the ‘garden’ country. I am so pleased that I had the opportunity to live and study in NZ. Besides cooking my chemistry in the lab I really miss my life and experiences in NZ. I enjoyed fishing at a fishing site in Moeraki (a good site for fishing blue cod), where I also saw penguins, seals, and unexpectedly, a whale. Amazing! Cooking the caught blue cod in a traditional Chinese way and then sharing these fresh and delicious fishes with a few Kiwi and Chinese friends was really unforgettable!! I miss NZ blue cod! Watching dolphins playing and jumping in the Doubtful Sound was great fun. I liked Dunedin’s Botanic Garden, feeding ducks in the duck pond and enjoying beautiful cherry blossom flowers in spring. I also liked Dunedin’s beaches. The list of my fun experiences is endless! Personally the years for my PhD at Otago were indeed valuable and rewarding in every way!!
Contact details:
Dr. Rongqing Li [rongqingli@hotmail.com]
Department of Chemistry,
Huaiyin Teachers College,
Wangying Campus,
121 West Changjiang Road,
Huaiyin District, Huaian,
Jiangsu Province,
P. R. China
