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CLAYTON SOUTH VIC 3169 AUSTRALIA
Biography
Dr Katherine Locock leads the Botanical Pharmaceuticals team in the Manufacturing Business Unit of the CSIRO in Melbourne, Australia. Her research focuses on how chemistry can deliver solutions to industry challenges across the manufacturing, biotech and agricultural sectors.
Katherine has also worked extensively with First Nations groups over the past 10 years. This has spanned partnerships with First Nations businesses, STEM education outreach work with regional and remote First Nations schools and partnerships with Traditional Owner groups. As a non-Indigenous researcher, she places an emphasis on engagement that starts with trusted relationship, and is First Nations initiated and/or co-developed, to unlock the full benefit of CSIRO research for their communities.
Prior to the CSIRO, Katherine held a position as an Associate Lecturer in Pharmacology at the University of Sydney, where she focused on the development of analogues to target memory and mood. She also held a part-time role in 2016 as an advisor to Senator Kim Carr, Shadow Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research as part of the BioMedVic Researcher in Residence Program.
In recognition of her contributions to the field Katherine was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (2021) and as AIPS Victorian Young Tall Poppy of the Year (2016). She has also received Ruby Payne-Scott (2021) and Julius Career Development (2016) Awards and was recognised as one of the top 5% most cited authors in the Royal Society of Chemistry journals (2020). She is also a recent graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course (2023) and was selected as one of Veski's Inspiring Women for their STEM sidebyside program (2023).
Other Interests
Dr Locock also actively seeks out opportunities to give back to her organization, industry and the community, helping to shape the future of science in Australia. She has a passion for communicating science, with a particular focus on Indigenous STEM education outreach work.
Professional Areas
Fields of Research
Current Roles
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Senior Research Scientist
Combination of strategic and commercial projects
Academic Qualifications
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2009
PhD - Thesis title: The synthesis and testing of substituted cyclopentane GABA analogues
University of Sydney -
2004
BSc (Hons 1A and University Medal)
University of Sydney
Professional Experiences
-
2015-2019
Research Scientist
CSIRO -
March 2016-October 2016
Researcher in Residence
Senator Kim Carr Electoral Office -
2012-2015
OCE Postdoctoral Fellow, CMSE
Manufacturing Flagship, CSIRO -
2008-2011
Associate Lecturer, Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney
University of Sydney
Achievements and Awards
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2004-2004
University Medal
Pharmacology, University of Sydney -
2012-2012
Early Career Presentation Prize
CSIRO Advanced Materials Conference -
2013-2013
Invited Speaker
12th International Conference on the Frontiers of Polymers and Advanced Materials (ICFPAM2013), Auckland NZ -
2013-2013
Invited Speaker
Gordon Research Polymers Seminar, South Hadley, Massachusetts USA -
2013-2013
Women in Science Scholarship
CSIRO Staff Association -
2014-2014
Conference Travel Awards ($200)
Australasian Society for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering (ASBTE) -
2014-2014
State Finalist for Famelan Australia Science Communication Competition
Famelab -
2014-2014
Travel Grant for Commonwealth Sciences Conference ($1,150)
UK Royal Society -
2014-2014
Travel Grant for Commonwealth Sciences Conference ($800)
Indian Government -
2014-2014
Selected as 1 of 30 researchers to represent Australia at the Commonwealth Sciences Conference in Bangalore, India
UK Royal Society -
2015-2015
Community Scholarship
CSIRO Staff Association -
2015-2015
Selected Speaker for National Youth Forum "Australian Science in 20 Years"
Australian Academy of Sciences -
2015-2015
ECR Keynote Speaker
35th Australasian Polymer Symposium (35APS), Gold Coast Australia -
2016-2016
Travel Award ($3,500)
CASS Foundation -
2016-2020
Julius Career Development Award ($105,000)
CSIRO -
2016-2016
Research in Residence: Parttime Policy Advisor in Senator Kim Carr's Electoral Office
BioMedVic -
2016-2016
Elected Board Member
Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) -
2016-2016
Victorian Tall Poppy of the Year Award ($3,000)
AIPS -
2017-2017
Keynote Speaker for 2017 UROP Conference
BioMedVic -
2017-2017
Public Lecture for Academy of Sciences Public Lecture Series "Plastic Fantastic", Woolongong NSW
Academy of Sciences -
2017-2017
Panel Member: Gender Equity in the RACI
RACI Women in Chemistry Group, RACI Congress, Melbourne Vic -
2017-2017
Invited Speaker
RACI2017 Congress, Melbourne VIC -
2017-2017
Panel Member: Preparing for your Postdoc, Convergence 2017
CSIRO
Other highlights
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2015
“Tomatoes in the Outback Supporting Indigenous Communities” CSIRO Monday Mail, Issue 608, 23rd November 2015
-
2015
“Scholarship Winner Takes Science Back to School” CSIRO Staff Association Pulse News, September edition 2015
-
2015
“Clayton Celebrates NAIDOC Week” CSIRO Monday Mail, Issue 594, 20th July 2015
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2016
“CSIRO Speed meet – Katherine Locock”, 25th November 2016
-
2016
“Bringing science to life in the Ntaria community” video package: https://vimeo.com/191552337
-
2016
“Inspiring Science” CSIRO Sphere, Issue 21, 17th November 2016
-
2016
“Wrap up of our RAP” CSIRO Sphere, Issue 21, 17th November 2016
-
2016
“Science researchers in politicians’ offices” ABC Radio National Afternoons Interview, 4th April 2016
-
2016
“Program gives scientists an insight into politics” The Australian, 30th March 2016
-
2016
“More Tomatoes, Please” Double Helix Magazine, Issue 7, 15th April 2016
-
2016
“Fighting antibiotic resistance with antimicrobial RAFT polymers” http://www.csiro.au/antimicrobialpolymers
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2016
“100 Women for 100 Years” CSIRO blog, 8th March 2016 (https://blog.csiro.au/100-women-for-100-years/)
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2017
“Inspiring Science” Double Helix Magazine, Issue 14, 15th February 2017
-
2017
“Women in STEM Spotlight – Dr Katherine Locock, CSIRO” Chemistry Australia Website, 8th March 2017
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2017
“New RACI board member receives Victorian Tall Poppy Award”, Chemistry in Australia, February 2017
-
2018-2018
“Antibiotic Resistance: the epidemic is here” CSIRO blog, 8th June 2018 https://blog.csiro.au/antibiotic-resistance-the-epidemic-is-here/
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2018-2018
“Antibiotic Resistance: The Epidemic is Here” Body+Soul lift out, Herald Sun Sunday newspaper, 27th May 2018
Grants
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2014-2015
Monash University Interdisciplinary Research Seed Funding ($37,000)
-
2015-2015
CSIRO Manufacturing Flagship Small Projects Grant ($10,000)
-
2015-2018
Federal Government Indigenous Advancement Strategy ($243,750)
-
2016-2019
CSIRO Julius Career Award ($105,000)
-
2017-2020
CSIRO ResearchPlus Postdoctoral Fellowship ($315,000)
Community and Corporate Citizenship
-
2013-2015
Member of the Flagship Support Team
-
2014
Member of the Scientific Program Organizing Committee for Manufacturing Flagship 2014 EXPO
-
2014-Present
Chair of the Manufacturing Flagship Indigenous Engagement Committee
-
2015-Present
Member of the Manufacturing Science Council
-
2015-Present
Manufacturing rep on the CSIRO Indigenous Engagement Implementation Committee
-
2015-Present
CSIRO rep on the Chemistry Australia Social Licence Advisory Council
-
2016
CSIRO rep on the Vinyl Council of Australia Product Stewardship Technical Steering Group
-
2016-Present
Member of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute Inclusion and Diversity Committee
-
2016-2018
Board Member, Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI)
-
2017
Member of the Emerging Polymer Technologies Summit Steering Committee
-
2018-Present
Member of the CSIRO Victorian Indigenous Engagement Committee
Related links
- Antimicrobial RAFT Polymers
- Recycled Plastics Market Report - Global Analysis and Trends
- Bringing Science to Life in the Ntaria community
- Body+Soul Managzine Article: Antibiotic Resistance - the Epidemic is Here
- ABC Radio National Interview: BioMedVic Researcher in Residence Program
- The Australian Newspaper Article: Program gives scientists an insight into politics
- Patent: Aqueous polymer composition WO2018112555A1
- Patent: Methods for adversely affecting biofilms WO2016138558A1
We have publications by Dr Katherine Locock