Philip Marriott
The Power List 2020 – Australia
Professor, School of Chemistry, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
Reason for pursuing analytical science: During my PhD, the most interesting literature was on flame photometric detection in GC. The more I read of GC-FPD, the more I realized this was the scientific area I wanted to work in. Over all these years, my passion has not waned!
Greatest inspiration: Giddings’ “Dynamics of Chromatography: Principles and Theory” was the first book I read during my PhD, introducing the science (and theory) of chromatography. The insight and innovation that Giddings has brought to the science of separations has always been inspiring; my own work over the last 20 years has relied heavily on his foundations in and understanding of multidimensionality and that’s a wonderful way to close the loop.
Future of the field: I expect much more complete chemical characterization of complex mixtures, and much more identified chemical coverage of, for example, metabolomics samples – driven by improved separation and identification tools. I also anticipate many improvements in separation and mass spectrometry technologies for in situ and at-site analysis.
Advice to younger self: The last 10-15 years have been very professionally rewarding, and we have also been blessed with three intelligent and successful children – there is little more I should want for. But, on reflection, I think a greater appreciation for the arts could serve me well… I would tell myself to follow my mother’s wise counsel and continue with those piano lessons!
