Rate My Professor Tony Kemp

Anthony (Tony) Kemp is a Professor in the School of Earth Sciences at the University of Western Australia. He completed his BSc (Hons) in Geology and Geochemistry at La Trobe University by 1997 and his PhD in Geology and Geochemistry at the Australian National University by 2002. Following his PhD, Kemp held several distinguished postdoctoral and fellowship positions: NERC Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Bristol (2002-2005), JSPS Postdoctoral Fellow at Niigata University, Japan (2005-2006), Fulbright Postdoctoral Scholar at Washington State University (2009-2010), ARC Research Fellow at James Cook University (2007-2011), and ARC Future Fellow at UWA starting in 2011. He previously served as Adjunct Research Professor at James Cook University (2011-2021). At UWA, Kemp supervises eight higher degree by research students, coordinates units such as GEOS5508 Isotope Geochemistry and GEOS5512 Critical Mineral Resources, and guest lectures in courses on Earth materials and structure.

Kemp's research expertise lies in igneous and metamorphic petrology, isotope geochemistry, and geochronology, applied to the generation and evolution of continental crust, the crust-mantle system, and metallogenic processes forming critical mineral resources. His work examines ancient rock sequences and minerals using advanced microanalytical techniques to trace metal sources and enrichment in the lithosphere, with applications to lithium-cesium-tantalum pegmatites, rare earth elements, and copper deposits. He collaborates internationally with partners in the UK, USA, Sweden, Germany, Brazil, South Africa, China, Japan, and minerals industry stakeholders. Kemp has authored 121 articles, seven review articles, five conference papers, and four book chapters. Notable publications include "Giant lithium-rich pegmatites in Archean cratons form by remelting refertilised roots of greenstone belts" (2025, Communications Earth & Environment), "Coupled strontium-calcium isotopes in Archean anorthosites reveal a late start for mantle depletion" (2025, Nature Communications), "Chemical and isotopic investigation of the I-type Bega Batholith, southeastern Australia: Implications for batholith compositional zoning and crustal evolution in accretionary orogens" (2025, Gondwana Research), and "An evaluation of apatite and zircon Cu–Au porphyry fertility indicators, applied to arc-related intrusions of the Lachlan Orogen, eastern Australia" (2025, Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology). Awards include the D.A. Brown Medal (2018) and Fellowship of the Geological Society of America (2018). He serves as Associate Editor for Precambrian Research (since 2019), was on the Editorial Advisory Committee for the Australian Journal of Earth Sciences (2021-2023), and holds committee roles such as ARC ERA Steward for Earth Sciences and member of UWA research committees. His research contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals including affordable clean energy and industry innovation.