Associate Investigators

Our people

Dr Erin Leitao

Dr Erin Leitao

Associate Investigator

Towards Zero Waste - Reconfigurable Systems

Phone:
+64 9 923 5567

Address:
Science Centre
Building 302
Level 10, Room 1063
University of Auckland
23 Symonds Street
Auckland 1010

Biography

Erin Leitao is a Senior Lecturer in Chemistry at the University of Auckland. Her career in science started in Canada with a BSc in Chemistry from the University of Victoria, followed by a PhD in Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Calgary. Erin then went on to do postdoctoral research in Bristol before coming to New Zealand and joining the University of Auckland in 2015.

Research interests

Erin’s research is interested in discovering new catalytic ways to link earth abundant main group elements together with the eventual aim of making long chains (polymers) either with the same atom or two different atoms alternating along the polymer backbone. These new materials will have really interesting properties (eg semi-conducting).

My research programme involves linking earth abundant elements together in an effort to make new materials.

Dr Erin Leitao

In the news

Annual Report

2023 Funding successes - Annual Report 2023

April 13, 2024

Funding successes for our Investigators and their research programmes during 2023.

Read more about 2023 Funding successes - Annual Report 2023

News Article

2023 Marsden grant success

November 3, 2023

Congratulations to our long list of Marsden winners this year - it's wonderful to see the talent being recognised with Fast-Start grants, and those at the next career stage with their first Standard grants, and especially great to see the strong thread of materials for sustainability running through this list.

Read more about 2023 Marsden grant success

Annual Report

Funding successes - Annual Report 2022

April 19, 2023

Funding successes for our investigators and their research programmes during 2022. This funding enables our researchers and collaborators to continue their breakthrough research in advanced materials and nanotechnology.

Read more about Funding successes - Annual Report 2022

News Article

2022 MacDiarmid Institute Marsden grant successes

November 3, 2022

MacDiarmid Institute led research received $7.84 million funding in 2022 Te Pūtea Rangahau a Marsden, the Marsden Fund.

Read more about 2022 MacDiarmid Institute Marsden grant successes

Annual Report

Journal Covers - Annual Report 2021

June 2, 2022

This page lists the various scientific journal covers that featured MacDiarmid Institute Investigators work in 2021.

Read more about Journal Covers - Annual Report 2021

Annual Report

Funding successes - Annual Report 2021

May 9, 2022

Funding successes for our investigators and their research programmes during 2021. This funding enables our researchers and collaborators to continue their breakthrough research in advanced materials and nanotechnology.

Read more about Funding successes - Annual Report 2021

Annual Report

Adapting to the online environment

March 31, 2021

As classes and meetings moved online in March as Aotearoa New Zealand entered Level 4 lockdown, we adapted our community outreach activities to the virtual environment.

Read more about Adapting to the online environment

Annual Report

Summer studentships for our DiscoveryCamp and Discovery Scholarship Alumni

March 30, 2021

Summer studentship descriptions for our DiscoveryCamp and Discovery Scholarship Alumni.

Read more about Summer studentships for our DiscoveryCamp and Discovery Scholarship Alumni

Annual Report

Funding successes - Annual Report 2020

March 24, 2021

Funding successes for our investigators and their research programmes during 2020. This funding enables our researchers and collaborators to continue their breakthrough research in advanced materials and nanotechnology.

Read more about Funding successes - Annual Report 2020

Events

Materials: Fact or Fiction - Nelson (10 November)

September 24, 2020

Professor Bill Williams and Dr Erin Leitao give their scientific take on whether fictional materials could be reality in a not too far off future.

Read more Materials: Fact or Fiction - Nelson (10 November)

Podcasts

Materials: Fact of Fiction - The Philosopher's Stone

Materials: Fact of Fiction - The Philosopher's Stone

November 13, 2020

Dr Erin Leitao, Associate Investigator gives us her scientific take on The Philosopher's Stone from Harry Potter.

Read more about Materials: Fact of Fiction - The Philosopher's Stone

New science in a grain of sand

New science in a grain of sand

October 1, 2019

Dr Erin Leitao talks to RNZ about her research converting silicon into different materials.

Read more about New science in a grain of sand