Exciton Science Director Paul Mulvaney was appointed a Melbourne Laureate Professor by the University of Melbourne in 2020.

Melbourne Laureate Professor appointments recognise exceptional academic distinction and performance and represent a significant honour.

Reflecting on the announcement, Paul said: “It is an honour to join some illustrious scientists and academics at University of Melbourne.”

“The School of Chemistry is a leading Centre for scientific research and I hope this recognition helps us keep recruitment for chemistry up as we head into uncertain times.”

Paul, who received his PhD at the University of Melbourne in 1989, is recognised as a pioneer in the field of nanoscience following his work in the development of surface plasmon spectroscopy.

He has led Exciton Science since the Centre’s inception in 2017, and continues to collaborate with colleagues in Australia, China, Germany, the United States, and with other world-class research groups across the globe.

His interests include the optical properties of single quantum dots, surface plasmon spectroscopy of single metal particles, nanocrystal-based electronics, nanomechanics and solar energy conversion.

During his career, Paul has worked at the ANU Applied Maths Department, the Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago, the Hahn-Meitner-Institute for Nuclear Research in Berlin, Quantum Dot Corporation in Palo Alto, the Max-Planck Institute for Colloids and Surfaces in Golm and the CAESAR Nanotechnology Institute in Bonn.

Between 2006 and 2010 he was an ARC Federation Fellow and from 2011 to 2015, he was an ARC Laureate Fellow. In 2009, Paul was made a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and in 2014 a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry in the UK. He chaired the National Committee for Chemistry from 2014-2016.