Elliot Gilbert is an instrument scientist for the QUOKKA small-angle neutron scattering instrument and led the project for its design, construction and commissioning. Elliot also devised, initiated and leads the Food Science project that applies materials science approaches to examine structure-property-process relationships in food-based systems; he has written a review on the application of neutron scattering to food science and technology.

He received his PhD in chemistry from the Australian National University in 1998. Following a successful ARC Industrial Postdoctoral Fellowship, he joined the Intense Pulsed Neutron Source at Argonne National Laboratory in the United States where he provided scientific and technical support to researchers using small-angle neutron scattering and neutron reflectometry as well as developing teaching resources for the National School on Neutron and X-ray Scattering.

Elliot's interests lie in condensed matter science and he has investigated such diverse areas as colloids, polymers, phase separation, emulsion stabilisation, membranes, magnetic spin glasses, skyrmions, biocompatible ferrofluids and nanocomposites. More recently, his focus has been on the application of neutron and X-ray scattering to systems with an intrinsic health-related and/or industrial application; this has resulted in multiple reports in domestic and international media.

He has also sought to develop unique and specialised sample environments to extend the use of scattering instrumentation into new scientific areas. Such devices include the first differential scanning calorimeter capable of enabling the simultaneous measurement of SANS and a Rapid ViscoAnalyser that enables SANS to be measured during a small-scale emulated food process. Such approaches enable structure-process-property relationships to be revealed in real-time.

Qualifications & Achievements 

Attracted over $11 m of research funding (incl. ARC Discovery, ARC LINKAGE, Industrial Transformation Training Centre)
Honorary Professor, Australian Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland
Honorary Professor, Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland
Diploma in Project Management
Diploma in Frontline Management 

Committees, Affiliations & memberships

Editorial Board, Journal of Applied Crystallography
Editorial Board, Food Structure
Member, International Union of Crystallography (IUCr) Commission on Small-Angle Scattering
Chair, International Conference on Small-Angle Scattering 2012
Chair, Neutrons and Food (Sydney, 2010) and Neutrons and Food 5 (Sydney, 2018)
International Advisory Committee, International Small-Angle Scattering Conference, SAS2009 (Oxford), SAS2015 (Berlin) and SAS2018 (Traverse City)
Member, IUCr Commission on Journals
International Scientific Programme Committee, Asia-Oceania Neutron Scattering Association Conference (Kenting, Taiwan, 2019)
Scientific Committee, 11th World Conference on Neutron Radiography (Sydney, 2018)
International Programme Committee, 23rd Congress and General Assembly of the International Union of Crystallography (Montreal, Canada, 2014)
International Advisory Committee, Neutrons and Food 2 (Delft, Netherlands, 2012) and Neutrons and Food 3 (Paris, France, 2014)
International Advisory Committee, Innovative Techniques in the Development of Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals (Punjab, India, 2014)
International Advisory Committee, Synchrotron Radiation and Polymer Science Conference (Rolduc, Netherlands, 2009)
International Advisory Committee, canSAS-V (Gaithersburg, USA, 2007)

Review and assessment activities

Australian Research Council Discovery Programme, Early Career Researcher Award and National Competitive Grants Program (Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities)
Australian Research Council Discovery Programme and National Competitive Grants Program (Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities)
Vinnova (the Swedish government research and development agency)