Dr. Christopher Mcerlean

Associate Professor

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Biography

Associate Professor Christopher McErlean received his B.Sc. (Hons) and Ph.D. from the University of Queensland. He has extensive experience in the field of Synthetic Organic Chemistry, with a focus on reaction development and total synthesis. His research interests include the development of new reactions, applying known reactions in novel ways to reduce the complexity of natural product synthesis, and expanding the scope of the Stetter reaction for carbon-carbon bond construction. He investigates variants of this reaction that allow for the rapid construction of fused-ring systems from simple starting materials, exploring the ability of the Stetter reaction to install new stereocentres with substrate control. Additionally, he has developed a palladium-catalysed protocol for the synthesis of a series of natural products containing substituted tetrahydrofuran units. Dr. McErlean is also involved in ligand design for new reactions, mimicking nature's ability to incorporate stereogenic elements into substrate compounds, which is a major driving force in contemporary chemistry. His work aligns with the Faculty of Science's research strengths in Molecules and Materials.

Research Interests

Experience

Postdoctoral Research Associate

— Present

Nottingham • Nottingham, UK

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

— Present

Exeter / Nottingham •

Teaching Fellow Organic Chemistry

— Present

Nottingham •

Lecturer

— Present

University of Sydney • Sydney, Australia

Senior Lecturer

— Present

University of Sydney • Sydney, Australia

Associate Professor

— Present

University of Sydney • Sydney, Australia

Requirements for University of Sydney

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.3
IELTS
Listening
Required:6
Reading
Required:6
Writing
Required:6
Speaking
Required:6
Overall
Required:6.5
TOEFL
Listening
Required:17
Reading
Required:17
Writing
Required:19
Speaking
Required:17
Total
Required:85
PTE
Listening
Required:54
Reading
Required:54
Writing
Required:54
Speaking
Required:54
Overall
Required:61
Prerequisites
A master's degree with a research component or a bachelor's degree with first or second-class honours. Demonstrated research experience and capability.
Application Checklist
  • Academic transcripts
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Research proposal (1000+ words)
  • Two academic referee reports
  • Evidence of residency status
  • Written statement of support from potential supervisor
Specialization Notes

This entry applies to Faculty of Science PhD programs including Departments such as Life and Environmental Sciences, Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics and Statistics.