People
Dr Celesta Fong
- Celesta is a Senior Research Scientist with CSIRO Manufacturing and is currently jointly associated with RMIT University. She has worked on both strategic and commercial in-confidence projects since joining CSIRO as a postdoctoral fellow. She has a background in materials characterisation, ranging from metal oxides, coal, soft condensed matter and thin films. She was an associate beam line scientist at the Australian National Beam line Facility (ANBF) in Japan, supporting user programs for the Australian Synchrotron Research Program (ASRP) and a Guest Researcher at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Combinatorial Materials Research Centre (NIST, USA). She was also Executive Officer of the former CSIRO Manufacturing, Materials and Minerals Group, in which role she provided support to the Executive Team in liaising with its Stakeholders. Her research interests include the high through-put characterisation of materials properties, amphiphile self-assembly and its applications.
Dr Ben Muir
- Dr Ben Muir is manager of the Rapid Automated Materials & Processing centre and leads a number of research projects. In this role he utilizes robotic synthesis and characterization equipment to rapidly speed up R&D outcomes in materials research used by CSIRO’s industry partners. He conducts collaborative research with a number of companies and organisations including the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Melbourne University (HFI). He employs the use of High Throughput materials synthesis and screening techniques in his job routinely.
- Primary Emailben.muir@csiro.au
Dr Shaun Howard
- I received my PhD from the Australian National University (Canberra). Previously I trained as a chemical engineer, having earned B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, Ohio, United States). Prior to joining the CSIRO, I worked as a chemical engineer for Henkel Chemicals (later Cognis, now part of BASF), as well as a Research Associate for the United States Antarctic Program based at McMurdo Station (Ross Island, Antarctica).
- Primary Emailshaun.howard@csiro.au
Dr Dilek Yalcin
- Dilek Yalcin obtained her Bachelor (2007) and Master (2010) degrees in Chemical Engineering from Izmir Institute of Technology, Turkey. Prior to commencing her PhD, she worked for 5 years as a process control engineer at one of the leading chemical producers in Turkey, Sisecam Holding Soda Industry Inc., where she gained engineering and industrial experience on the production of soda ash and chromium chemicals. Dilek received her PhD at RMIT (2019) in Applied Chemistry, where her research supervisors were Prof. Calum Drummond and Assoc/Prof. Tamar Greaves. At the beginning of 2020, She joined CSIRO as a postdoctoral fellow and is currently working at RAMP within CSIRO Manufacturing. Her interests include reaction engineering, high-throughput characterisation and synthesis of materials as well as system & process optimisations and automation. Outside the work, she loves camping, fishing and swimming.
- Primary Emaildilek.yalcin@csiro.au
History is teeming with dynamic duos: Watson & Crick, Langmuir & Blodgett, Batman & Robin, Bonnie & Clyde, Scooby & Shaggy, Mork & Mindy, Han & Chewy… but none quite match the powerful combination of scientific prowess and infinite adaptability of Ben & Shaun.
With little more than their wits, a handful of scientific degrees, a lab full of equipment, and the support of the entire CSIRO, this proficient pair aims to use automation to take over the world improve scientific outcomes.
We are very fortunate that Dr. Dilek Yalcin chose to join our team recently, and we look forward to tackling a new set of challenges that will benefit from Dilek’s drive and experience.
We do occasionally welcome a special guest star, and we’re always on the lookout for supporting cast to help us take RAMP to the next level. Any current opportunities will be highlighted blog posts.