Anglo-Australian alliance nets first science PhD

A groundbreaking partnership between universities in the UK and Australia has produced its first science PhD.

Sze-Yin Tan, who is originally from Malaysia, was awarded a doctorate of philosophy in chemistry jointly by the University of Warwick and Monash University at a ceremony at the Midlands university on 17 July.

Dr Tan is the first doctoral graduate in science from the Monash-Warwick Alliance, which was founded in 2012.

During her course, Dr Tan was based at Warwick for the first two years, then completed her third year at Monash before returning to England to write and finalise her thesis.

Dr Tan, who took a first in chemistry at Warwick before starting her PhD, said that her doctoral study allowed her to explore work on microscopic electrochemical measurements pursued by research teams at both universities.

Her work on understanding electron transfer will be applicable to semimetallic boron-doped diamond electrodes – a material of interest to both the Warwick Electrochemistry and Interfaces Group and the Monash Electrochemistry Group, she said.

The Monash-Warwick Alliance, which was renewed in 2016, was the first major strategic research and teaching partnership between an Australian and a UK university.

Last year the University of Birmingham and the University of Melbourne signed a £2 million agreement to collaborate on research, education, and cultural engagement, in which up to 20 Priestley engineering scholars will work at both institutions.

jack.grove@timeshighereducation.com