Rate My Professor Ray Dagastine

Professor Ray Dagastine is a Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Melbourne's Melbourne School of Engineering. He completed his degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of Delaware and received his PhD from Carnegie Mellon University. His career at the University of Melbourne encompasses key leadership roles, including Deputy Head of Department of Chemical Engineering, Academic Champion of the Materials Characterisation and Fabrication Platform, Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellow from 2009 to 2013, and Senior Technology Fellow at the Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication from 2009 to 2015.

Dagastine's research focuses on colloidal and interfacial phenomena, developing novel methods to study particle interactions at interfaces. He leads a successful program in colloid and interfacial science, applying expertise to fundamental studies and practical challenges in food, personal care products, and minerals processing. Key interests include structure in complex fluids, non-equilibrium surface forces, nanomechanical properties of soft materials, and diffusion of anisotropic nanoparticles in confinement. His technical proficiency spans atomic force microscopy, optical scattering methods, and advanced particle and surface characterisation techniques. Dagastine heads the Dagastine Research Group and has earned accolades for teaching excellence, such as the 2021 Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology Excellence Award in Teaching and Learning, and recognition on the 2025 Honour Roll for innovation, impact, and real-world application. With over 6,700 citations across 135 publications, his contributions significantly influence the field. He has also shared insights publicly via University of Melbourne Pursuit articles on the science of shampoo and conditioner and engineering the perfect Easter egg.