Professor Robert Burford champions the interchange between the chemical industry and students in the School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering at the University of NSW.
Over his 31 year career at the school, he has organised site visits, coordinated cooperative scholarships and mentored graduates in the industry.
His research into thin-layer inorganic-organic hybrid materials has led to new nanocomposites of organic polymers and the use of atomic layer deposition for surface modification.
Burford is a co-inventor of patents in fire performance materials, polymer blends and inorganic oxide formation.
In addition to his interest in petrochemical processing, materials formation and control,biotechnology and renewable resources, he also teaches business management.

[Source: Chemical Engineering in Australia Newsletter, October 2009: Volume ChE 34 No 5 – ISSN 1446-0831]