Prof. San Hoa THANG of Monash University, Australia, delivers PAIR Distinguished Lecture - From Boat to RAFT: A Journey of Resilience and Scientific Discovery
PAIR Distinguished Lecture Series
-
Date
05 Nov 2026
-
Organiser
PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research
-
Time
14:30 - 16:00
-
Venue
Senate Room (M1603), 16/F Li Ka Shing Tower, PolyU (Seats are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis) Map
Speaker
Prof. San Hoa THANG
Enquiry
PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research info.pair@polyu.edu.hk
Summary
Abstract
What does it take to survive a journey across the ocean in a small wooden boat, and what does it take to revolutionise a field of polymer chemistry? For Prof. Thang, it is his journey ‘from boat to RAFT’.
In this talk, Prof. Thang weaves together the gripping story of his escape from war-torn Vietnam with his groundbreaking work in polymer science. He will first present his journey from the uncertainty of the South China Sea and then to the precision of the laboratory, where he co-developed RAFT (Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer) polymerisation with his former CSIRO colleagues. This discovery, which allows scientists to build polymers with architectural precision, stands as a testament to the power of a curious mind shaped by adversity.
This talk is not just about chemistry; it is a celebration of the human spirit and a demonstration of how a life uprooted by war can be replanted to yield scientific breakthroughs that benefit humanity.
Online registration will be closed one working day prior to the event.
Prof. San Hoa THANG
Fellow of Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering
Fellow of Australian Academy of Science
Professor, School of Chemistry
Monash University, Australia
Professor San Hoa THANG is a research innovator is a in polymer and materials science, with a focus on the interface between organic and polymer chemistry. He is a leading expert in the field of radical chemistry and polymer chemistry and has developed several key innovations around controlled radical polymerisation. He is a co-inventor of the reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) process, which is used to make better polymers with a tailored chemical structure and defined properties. RAFT has generated enormous academic and industrial interest worldwide, with a huge range of applications including performance coatings, adhesives, hydraulic fluids and membranes, cosmetics, biosensors and drug delivery. Prof. Thang is a Fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (FRACI) (2006), Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (FTSE) (2010) and Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (FAA) (2015). In June 2018, he was appointed as Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for his ‘eminent service to science, and to higher education, particularly in the fields of polymer chemistry and materials science, through seminal contributions as a research innovator, as a mentor, and to the community’.
Personal website: https://research.monash.edu/en/persons/san-hoa-thang/
You may also like
