Rate My Professor Kay Latham

Professor Kay Latham serves as Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Gender Equity in the Research & Innovation Portfolio at RMIT University. A distinguished materials research chemist, educator, and advocate for equity and diversity in STEMM fields, she earned her PhD from the University of Wolverhampton in 1996 and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge, in the same year. Recognized as a Chartered Chemist and Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (CChem FRSC), Latham's career encompasses 10 years in the chemical industry followed by 20 years in higher education. At RMIT, she has progressed through significant leadership roles, including Deputy Dean of Applied Chemistry and Environmental Science in the School of Applied Sciences, Dean of STEMM Diversity and Inclusion in the STEM College, and currently driving the university's Athena SWAN Action Plan initiatives. She made history as the first woman to serve as President of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (Victoria Branch).

Latham's research specializations lie in supramolecular chemistry, encompassing synthetic, crystallographic, and theoretical studies on metal-substituted organophosphonates, as well as zeolite synthesis, applications, and crystallization mechanisms investigated via synchrotron X-ray techniques. Her scholarly contributions extend to nanomaterials, quantum dots, metal-organic frameworks, and flexible crystals, with over 6,600 citations across 94 publications. Key works include 'Origin of surface trap states in CdS quantum dots: Relationship between size dependent photoluminescence and sulfur vacancy trap states' (2015, cited 339 times), 'Investigation of two-solvent grinding-assisted liquid phase exfoliation of layered MoS2' (2015, cited 269 times), 'High-performance field effect transistors using electronic inks of 2D molybdenum oxide nanoflakes' (2016, cited 216 times), 'Measuring the mechanical properties of flexible crystals using bi-modal atomic force microscopy' (2019, cited 23 times), and 'Probing Nanoscale Interactions of Antimicrobial Zinc Oxide Quantum Dots on Bacterial and Fungal Cell Surfaces' (2022). Through her dual focus on advanced materials research and gender equity leadership, Latham has profoundly influenced both scientific innovation and inclusive practices in STEMM disciplines.