Associate Professor Brian Hawkett
Brian Hawkett joined the University of Sydney in 1999 as a Senior Research Fellow after 19 years experience in industrial R&D. His industry work included: Manager Research and Resin Development, Berger and British Paints (surface coatings research); Principal Resin Technologist, ICI Specialty Chemicals (polymer technology); Development Manager, ICI Kemrez (polymers for paints, inks and adhesives); Technical Service Manager ICI Valchem; independent consultant on polymerization and pigment dispersion; Technical Manager Daratech (controlled release and other specialty agrochemical delivery systems). As a contract research provider with Daratech, he has managed research projects on behalf of the following companies: Rohm and Haas (USA), Nufarm, Novartis (both Australia and Switzerland), Rhone Poulenc (Australia), DuPont (both Australia and USA), Dow Elanco (New Zealand), Agrevo (Australia) and Monsanto (Australia). During his time in industry Brian gained considerable experience in the industrial use of polymers as coating materials and in agrochemical delivery systems.
The academic research work done by Brian prior to his joining industry was groundbreaking and provided a fundamental background for subsequent work in the area. The details of the mechanisms of the free radical emulsion polymerisation of styrene had been argued over for decades. In this work, the rate coefficients that govern the free radical emulsion polymerisation of styrene were measured for the first time, enabling arguments on the controlling factors to be settled.
Thus Brian brings to the project a capacity for pure research coupled with a wealth of industrial R&D experience. Moreover, his association with the Key Centre for Polymer Colloids enables him to bring the knowledge and expertise of that group to bear on the objectives of the project.
Brian spent 6 years as Technical Manager for Daratech Pty Ltd working on specialty agrochemical delivery systems and is currently running two confidential projects with industry that are concerned with the development of biomedical delivery systems. He has a very keen interest in using polymers to provide delivery systems for actives.
