Professor Kate Jolliffe, Payne-Scott Professor in the School of Chemistry at the University of Sydney, is a distinguished chemist specializing in supramolecular and organic chemistry. She obtained her BSc (Hons) in 1993 and PhD in 1997 from the University of New South Wales, with her doctoral thesis titled "Approaches to the synthesis of giant multichromophores." After completing postdoctoral research at Twente University in the Netherlands, the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom, and the Australian National University, she commenced her independent career at the University of Sydney in 2002 as an Australian Research Council Queen Elizabeth II Fellow. Progressing rapidly, she was appointed Senior Lecturer in 2007, Associate Professor in 2008, and full Professor in 2009. She served as Head of the School of Chemistry from March 2013 to 2017. In leadership roles within the Faculty of Science, she was Associate Dean (Research Education) from 2021 to 2023 and has been Associate Dean (Research) since October 2023.

The research of Professor Jolliffe and her group centers on the design, synthesis, and study of functional molecules that mimic biological receptors and enzymes. Key areas include anion receptors, sensors, and transporters for oxoanions such as phosphates and sulfates in aqueous environments; fluorescent probes for phospholipids to monitor biological processes like cell death; and receptors for post-translationally modified proteins for sensing and purification. Her contributions have significantly advanced anion recognition and sensing technologies with potential applications in biology and medicine. With over 240 publications and nearly 9,900 citations, her influential works include "Pyrophosphate Recognition and Sensing in Water Using Bis[zinc(II)-dipicolylamino] Zinc(II) Complexes" (2017, Accounts of Chemical Research) and "Conformationally adaptable macrocyclic receptors for ditopic anions: analysis of chelate cooperativity in aqueous containing media" (2020, Chemical Science). Professor Jolliffe has mentored over 25 PhD students, 3 MSc students, and 27 Honours students from 14 countries. Her accolades include the Royal Australian Chemical Institute's Beckwith Medal (2004), Biota Medal (2006), A.J. Birch Medal (2017), H.G. Smith Memorial Medal (2018), and the 2024 Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Outstanding Mentor of Researchers. She is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (2020), Royal Australian Chemical Institute (FRACI CChem), Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC), and Royal Society of New South Wales.

Professional Email: kate.jolliffe@sydney.edu.au