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NAME: Jisheng Ma CURRENT TITLE: Senior Research Officer ORGANISATION: Monash X–ray Platform, Monash University AREA OF EXPERTISE: Materials characterization using wide range of techniques including Powder X-ray Diffraction (PXRD), Focused Ion Beam and Scanning Electron Microscopy, Nanoindentation, Thermal Analysis etc. Interested in instrument and multi-technique development, leveraging the strengths of multiple techniques against one-another. YEARS OF EXPERIENCE: 17 EDUCATION: PhD in Science (Polymer Chemistry and Physics) from Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences. WEBSITE/TWITTER: Monash X–ray Platform website: https://www.monash.edu/researchinfrastructure/x-ray |
What does your job involve?
My position involves delivering high quality research services as part of the X-ray Platform at Monash University. This includes a variety of tasks such as training Platform users on five different X-ray instruments; managing and maintaining these instruments; providing research and technical support and advice on instrument configuration, data analysis and interpretation and performing service requests and collaborative research across the suite of capabilities on the Platform. While at the core, my job entails looking after PXRD instruments and user training, I actually spend more time helping researchers on the data analysis required to solve their specific research problems. The fascinating part of my work is identifying new PXRD techniques and applications required by researchers and then adopting or developing these techniques and applications to benefit research from different disciplines across the wide dynamic research community.
My position involves delivering high quality research services as part of the X-ray Platform at Monash University. This includes a variety of tasks such as training Platform users on five different X-ray instruments; managing and maintaining these instruments; providing research and technical support and advice on instrument configuration, data analysis and interpretation and performing service requests and collaborative research across the suite of capabilities on the Platform. While at the core, my job entails looking after PXRD instruments and user training, I actually spend more time helping researchers on the data analysis required to solve their specific research problems. The fascinating part of my work is identifying new PXRD techniques and applications required by researchers and then adopting or developing these techniques and applications to benefit research from different disciplines across the wide dynamic research community.
What’s a typical day like?
First thing in the morning I usually check briefly on our five X-ray instruments in the XRD laboratory to ensure they are working properly. Each day can be varied after instrument check , however, most of the time I can be found with researchers discussing their experimental setups or training them on the diffractometers or discussing new projects and providing advice on data analysis and methodologies in our training room. I might also be found spending one or two weeks concentrating on low or high temperature in-situ XRD, including high temperature capillary XRD for a number of researchers as well as designing customized XRD measurements, technique development and carrying out service requests. Occasionally, I can be found in scientific seminars, conferences or training sessions.
First thing in the morning I usually check briefly on our five X-ray instruments in the XRD laboratory to ensure they are working properly. Each day can be varied after instrument check , however, most of the time I can be found with researchers discussing their experimental setups or training them on the diffractometers or discussing new projects and providing advice on data analysis and methodologies in our training room. I might also be found spending one or two weeks concentrating on low or high temperature in-situ XRD, including high temperature capillary XRD for a number of researchers as well as designing customized XRD measurements, technique development and carrying out service requests. Occasionally, I can be found in scientific seminars, conferences or training sessions.
A diffractionist behind the Bruker D8 Advance watching a customized electrochemical in-situ XRD experiment in progress.
What’s challenging?
At the Monash X-ray Platform, we provide research support and service to hundreds of researchers across Monash University, other universities, research institutes and industry. The research we enable covers a broad range of fields and requires a variety of techniques and applications:
At the Monash X-ray Platform, we provide research support and service to hundreds of researchers across Monash University, other universities, research institutes and industry. The research we enable covers a broad range of fields and requires a variety of techniques and applications:
- from milk formulas to drug formulas,
- metal and alloys to macromolecules,
- minerals to cements and ceramics,
- structural materials to new functional/smart/energy materials,
- wide angle to small angle scattering,
- texture analysis to residual stress measurement,
- specular scans to transmission and capillary XRD,
- grazing Incidence XRD to off-axis diffraction,
- in-situ XRD to highly customized X-ray applications,
- from Engineering to Medicine, and pharmaceutical research to biological studies
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What do you love about working with X-rays?
PXRD is a versatile technique and understanding how a material’s structure relates to its various properties fascinates me. PXRD is able to investigate so much about the structures of a material and with its endless applications, the only limit is how creative a scientist’s imagination can be. Discussion with researchers in various background always inspires me to seek out new applications of PXRD and adopt new capabilities on the Monash X-ray Platform. Why is it good to be involved with AXAA?
I was so lucky to attend the AXAA conference at the start of my career as a young diffractionist. It was a great opportunity for me to get to know so many friendly, helpful, and supportive experts in X-ray and neutron techniques. AXAA is also a strong supporter for young scientists and are extremely generous when it comes to supporting students. Please refer to the event page for AXAA supported conference, seminars, and workshops. |
In the snow season of 2019 at Mt Baw Baw, I was about to shovel snow of the car windows and put snow chains on. It brings back childhood memories when I was walking on snow, hearing the creaking sound. The six-sided snowflakes are formed by symmetrically beautiful ice crystals and each snowflake looks unique. It leads to the amazing world of crystals.
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Any advice to people looking for a career in X-ray/neutron/electron analysis?
It is always true that choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life. It is necessary to have background knowledge with X-ray physics, and it is critical to learn and understand more through discussing with other researchers or X-ray experts. After working in providing PXRD research support for more than three years, I still feel there are many things for me to learn within the large field of X-ray applications and techniques. I believe X-ray analysis is a big world and there is always a position for you if you are interested.
It is always true that choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life. It is necessary to have background knowledge with X-ray physics, and it is critical to learn and understand more through discussing with other researchers or X-ray experts. After working in providing PXRD research support for more than three years, I still feel there are many things for me to learn within the large field of X-ray applications and techniques. I believe X-ray analysis is a big world and there is always a position for you if you are interested.