In June 2002, Dr Joanne Loh wrote:

"I am working as a postdoctoral fellow in the Solid State Chemistry department at the University of Nijmegen in the Netherlands. My project is industrially sponsored and is in collaboration with another Dutch university. I am working on the crystallisation aspects of enantiomeric resolution with a technique called 'Dutch Resolution'. The resolution of enantiomers is crucial in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals as they have very different biological effects, both beneficial and detrimental.

The 'Dutch Resolution' technique uses a combination of resolving agents in the separation of enantiomers and leads to an improved resolution results as compared to the classical resolution by crystallisation with a single resolving agent. I am looking into the ways in which resolution has been improved, focusing on the effects on nucleation and growth of crystals.

Life in the Netherlands is similar to that in Perth, with the exception of the lack of sunshine for 10 months out of the year! I am really enjoying the great travelling opportunities and two months holidays a year!"

Dr Loh is currently working in the Parker Centre as a Research Scientist at CSIRO Minerals on the "Impurity Issues" project.