Rate My Professor Justin Chalker

Professor Justin Chalker is the Matthew Flinders Professor of Chemistry in the College of Science and Engineering at Flinders University. He earned a B.S. in Chemistry and a B.A. in the History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Pittsburgh in 2006. He completed his D.Phil. in Organic Chemistry at the University of Oxford in 2011. Chalker began his independent academic career as an assistant professor at the University of Tulsa in 2012. He joined Flinders University in 2015 as a Lecturer in Synthetic Chemistry. He was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2017, Associate Professor in 2020, and Professor in 2022. Chalker holds the position of Matthew Flinders Professor of Chemistry and has served in research leadership roles, including Research Section Leader for the Molecular Science and Technology division.

Chalker’s research focuses on synthetic chemistry, with emphasis on organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, and materials science for sustainability applications. He has received numerous awards, including the 2016 Tall Poppy of the Year for South Australia, the 2020 Prime Minister’s Prize for New Innovators, the SA Science Excellence Awards STEM Educator of the Year in 2018, and the AMP Tomorrow Maker Award in 2018. He is an ARC Future Fellow and has secured over $10 million AUD in competitive research funding. Chalker has contributed to the development of novel sulfur-based polymers and materials with applications in environmental remediation and recycling. His work has led to commercial partnerships and high-impact publications in the field of chemistry.