Peter Junk

Biography

Peter Junk graduated from The University of Western Australia in 1984 obtaining a Bachelor of Science with first class honours in Physical and Inorganic Chemistry, and completed his Ph.D in Organometallic Chemistry under the supervision of Professor Colin Raston in 1988.

His PhD work involved the use of organometallic reagents in organic syntheses, and also the synthetic and structural aspects of organo- and amido- main group metal complexes. He obtained a DSc from James Cook University for his international reputation in organometallic chemistry of the main group and rare earth elements.

After four years employed in the petroleum industry, Peter held several Postdoctoral positions; a two year stint with Prof. Jerry Atwood at the University of Alabama, six months with Prof. Allan White at University of Western Australia and one year with Prof. Glen Deacon at Monash University.

In 1997, Peter gained an academic position at James Cook University as a Lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry. He was given an accelerated promotion to Senior Lecturer in 1999. He moved to the School of Chemistry at Monash University in 2001 where he was promoted to Professor of Chemistry and was the Head of School between 2007 and 2009. In 2012 he moved to his current position as the Nevitt Professor of Chemistry at James Cook University

His main research interests are in rare earth and main group organometallic, organoamido and aryloxo chemistry, but has applied interests in X-ray imaging and corrosion inhibition. He has published in excess of 380 publications and reviews and he is the 2016 recipient of the Burrows award, the premier award for Inorganic Chemistry in the Royal Australian Chemical Institute.

RSC affiliations

• Editorial board, NJC (New Journal of Chemistry)