Congrats to Keith on the publication of joint work with Professor Clare Strachan’s group (Helsinki).  The paper Characterization of Solid-State Complexities in Pharmaceutical Materials via Stimulated Raman Scattering Microscopy, Analytical Chemistry 97 (2025) 9627-9637. The paper describes the use of stimulated Raman spectroscopy to obtain images rapidly of very similar excipients (lactose). Normal Raman spectra […]

Congrats to Lea Muetzel (ex-Honours student) Dr Sara Miller, Dr Samanali Arachchige and Keith on the publication of Correlating the Vibrational Spectroscopic Fingerprints of Laundry Detergents Against Consumer Experience-A Collaborative Investigation with the Clean Cloth Nappies Community, Chemistry – An Asian Journal n/a (2025) e202401457.  The paper describes how using Raman and infrared spectroscopy it […]

Congrats Jervee on her paper MicroNIR spectroscopy with chemometric analysis provides rapid protein content evaluation and prediction of semi-refined flaxseed protein extract produced via pulsed electric field (PEF)-assisted extraction, Food Chemistry 473 (2025) 143062. Jervee’s work shows how it is possible to quantify protein content using near infra red on pulsed electric field samples – […]

  The development of new sodium ion batteries using anion confinement to enhance safety and longevity of the cells.  The materials are characterized with modeling device tsting XPS and vibrational spectroscopy.  This collaboration with Prof Guiyin Xu (State Key Laboratory of Advanced Fiber Materials, Center for Advanced Low-Dimension Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, […]

  Congrats to Keith who co-authored work with colleagues at Chinese company Nycrist Pharmatech Limited and the Greater Bay Area Center for Drug Evaluation and Inspection of National Medical Products Administration, Shenzhen and the Dodd Walls Centre.  The paper describes us of Raman spectroscopy for the analysis of topical creams.  The power of Raman measurements […]

Jervee, Hansa, Anam and fellow students from the Chemistry and Physics department come together to celebrate the International Day of Light at the Tuhura Otago Museum on May 17, 2025  

Jervee Punzalan (MJ) was elected as one of the new board members of the OPTICA-Otago student chapter during the AGM in March 2025 Well done Jervee MJ at Optica meeting

New Zealand eScience Infrastructure (NeSI) has upgraded their high-performance computing systems. We have been granted access to support our ongoing computational work. Peter is enjoying these for his solid-state calculations with CRYSTAL23. More chips please! Here’s a fun caricature by Skyler Morison:

Huge congratulations to Samuel Harris for submitting his PhD thesis and ringing the bell! 🎉  

Congratulations to Skyler Morison, our talented 390 student, for winning the “Decorate Your Desser-tation 2025” competition! Their creative and delicious dessert truly showcased their artistic skills.