Rate My Professor Gabriel da Silva

Gabriel da Silva, Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Melbourne, specializes in combustion chemistry and atmospheric processes. Holding a B.Eng. (Honours Class I) and a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Newcastle (2006), da Silva began his postdoctoral work at the New Jersey Institute of Technology's Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science (2006-2007). In 2008, he joined the University of Melbourne as a Lecturer in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, progressing to Senior Lecturer and securing an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (2014-2021). His appointments underscore his expertise in theoretical chemical engineering.

Da Silva leads a research group dedicated to computational studies of chemical kinetics in combustion and atmospheric chemistry. The group investigates fundamental reactions in the oxidation of fossil and renewable fuels and the fate of combustion emissions in the atmosphere. He has produced over 140 peer-reviewed publications, amassing more than 8,000 citations. Key works include "Ethanol Oxidation: Kinetics of the α-Hydroxyethyl Radical + O2 Reaction" (Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 2009, highly cited), "Unimolecular β-Hydroxyperoxy Radical Decomposition with OH Recycling in the Hydrocarbon + O2 Reaction System" (Environmental Science & Technology, 2009), "Reaction of Methacrolein with the Hydroxyl Radical in Air: Incorporation of Secondary Chemistry into the NIST Database" (Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 2013), "Thermal Decomposition Kinetics of Glyphosate and Aminomethylphosphonic Acid" (Environmental Science & Technology, 2020), and "A Detailed Chemical Kinetic Model for the Destruction of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)" (2022). His research impacts energy production, pollution control, and chemical safety. Additionally, da Silva contributes to public understanding via articles in Pursuit on smog simulation (2019) and COVID-19 pollution effects, and expert commentary on chemical weapons and environmental hazards.