Maria Forsyth
{{short description|Australian chemist professor}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Use Australian English|date=November 2019}}
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| name = Maria Forsyth
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| fields = Chemistry
| workplaces = Deakin University
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| alma_mater = Monash University
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| known_for = Research on materials for energy storage
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Maria Forsyth is an Australian chemist. She is a research professor at the University of the Basque Country and an Alfred Deakin Fellow at Deakin University in Victoria, Australia where she holds the Chair in Electromaterials and Corrosion Sciences.
Her research has applications in both energy storage and in understanding the mechanisms of corrosion.
Biography
= Education =
Forsyth gained a first class degree and her doctorate at Monash University. In 1985 she was the top Australian student chemist and she was awarded the Masson medal. This led to a three-year commonwealth scholarship.{{Cite web|url=http://www.electromaterials.edu.au/people-directory/professor-maria-forsyth/|title=Professor Maria Forsyth - Our People - ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science|website=www.electromaterials.edu.au|access-date=2018-10-02}}
In 1990 Fulbright funded her postdoctoral Fellowship. The Australian Research Council funded her fellowship from 2003 for four years and during this time she won the Dean's Award for Excellence in Research from her university's Engineering department.
In 2012 she became the Alfred Deakin Professor at Deakin University. She then became a fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 2015,{{Cite web |title=Professor Maria Forsyth |url=https://www.science.org.au/profile/maria-forsyth |access-date=2018-10-02 |website=Australian Academy of Science}} an associate Director of ACES as well as being an Australian Laureate Fellow and the Chair of Electromaterials and Corrosion Science. Forsyth is a research Professor at the University of the Basque Country in Spain.{{Cite news|url=http://www.ikerbasque.net/en/maria-forsyth|title=Maria Forsyth|date=2018-08-31|work=Ikerbasque Basque Foundation for Science|access-date=2018-10-02|language=en}}
= Research =
In 2018 her research group was looking at novel metal-air batteries where the electrolytes are unusual. They are able to look at electrochemical processes using Nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. She focuses on studying materials which are use for transporting electrical charge both within the electrolyte and at the interface between the electrolyte and the metal. This has applications in both energy storage and in understanding the mechanisms of corrosion.
The battery systems include combinations which include either sodium or lithium battery systems. The ion transportation has included systems using ionic liquids, polymer electrolytes and plastic crystals. Her group has created a new large rage of organic plastics that have ionic applications.
In 2020 she and colleagues announced a breakthrough in Lithium batteries due to a novel salt based electrolyte. The resulting batteries were more efficient and they were not flammable. In fact their new batteries became more efficient as the temperature increases.{{Cite web|url=https://www.manmonthly.com.au/news/deakin-scientists-develop-better-performing-lithium-batteries/|title=Deakin scientists develop better performing lithium batteries|last=Biscevic|first=Tajna|date=2020-03-06|website=Manufacturers' Monthly|language=en-AU|access-date=2020-04-25}}
Other awards
- Deputy Director Institute for Frontier Materials (IFM), Deakin University
- Australian Laureate Fellowship, 2011{{cite news |url=https://www.deakin.edu.au/research/research-news/articles/professor-maria-forsyth-awarded-australian-laureate-fellowship |title=Professor Maria Forsyth awarded Australian Laureate Fellowship |date=8 August 2011 |work=Deakin University |access-date=3 May 2020 }}
- Victorian Honour Roll of Women, 2020{{Cite web|url=http://www.vic.gov.au/professor-maria-forsyth|title=Professor Maria Forsyth|website=www.vic.gov.au|language=en|access-date=2020-03-23}}
- Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, 2022{{Cite web |title=Maria Forsyth FTSE FAA |url=https://www.atse.org.au/our-fellows/2022-new-fellows/maria-forsyth-ftse/ |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering |language=en}}
- Appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2023 King's Birthday Honours for "significant service to chemistry education, research and scholarship".{{cite web |title=King's Birthday 2023 Honours - the full list |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/king-s-birthday-2023-honours-the-full-list-20230609-p5dffh.html |website=Sydney Morning Herald |publisher=Nine Entertainment Co |access-date=11 June 2023 |date=11 June 2023}}
References
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Category:Academic staff of the University of the Basque Country
Category:21st-century Australian chemists
Category:Australian women academics
Category:Australian women chemists
Category:Academic staff of Deakin University
Category:Fellows of the Australian Academy of Science
Category:Fellows of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering