Kenneth Davey

Adj/Associate Professor Kenneth Davey

Adjunct Associate Professor

School of Chemical Engineering

Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.


A/Prof Kenneth Davey, FIChemE, CEng, CSci, received his PhD from Melbourne University. He then worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher and Senior Research Scientist with CSIRO and subsequently at The University of Adelaide from 1990. As an academic he has taught core chemical engineering and actively supervises higher degree research students.

Dr Davey is a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher (2022 & 2023, Cross-Field) and has (co-)authored > 220 refereed journal articles in titles including Nature Energy, Nature Communications, Science Advances, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., J. Am. Chem. Soc., Advanced Materials, Energy & Environmental Science, Green Chem., J. Food Sci., Chem. Eng. Sci. & Education for Chemical Engineers with > 11,703/13000 citations and h-index: 50/53 (Web of Science/Google Scholar).

Dr Davey also has a number of patents together with numerous awards for his work including SA Great (Premier’s Science Research Council) and Premier’s Science Excellence Award (South Australia).

Dr Davey is an interdisciplinary researcher in chemical/bio chemical engineering with applications to development of improved efficiencies and reliability and safety; and catalysis and energy conversions and storage (batteries, electrocatalysis and photocatalysis).

In 2020-2023, Dr Davey's research outputs included co-authoring 5 papers in Nature Communications, as well as a paper which attained Editor's Choice in Advanced Materials, another which was a front cover for Advanced Energy Materials, and articles in Advanced Energy Materials and Angewandte Chemie which attracted high levels of attention.

In 2020 Dr Davey was listed amongst the top 2% of researchers globally in the "Updated science-wide author databases of standardized citation indicators" produced by Stanford University, a study which combined several metrics to rank most influential scientists by field as measured by citations. He was also listed as a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher in 2022 and 2023, as a researcher who has authored multiple Highly Cited Papers which rank in the top 1% by citations for their field(s) and publication year in Web of Science over the past decade.

Dr Davey is CI for two ARC Discovery projects in 2024.

  • Appointments

    Date Position Institution name
    2021 - ongoing Guest Professor Universiti Malaysia Pahang
    2020 - ongoing Adjunct/Associate Professor University of Adelaide
    2013 - ongoing Researcher Centre for Materials in Energy and Catalysis (CMEC)
    2013 - ongoing External Expert Tertiary Education Quality & Standards Agency (TEQSA)
    2004 - 2015 Postgraduate Co-ordinator University of Adelaide
    2002 - 2006 Leader, Food Research Alliance University of Adelaide - SARDI
    1996 - 2002 Leader, Food Technology Research Group University of Adelaide
    1993 - 1996 Twinning Co-ordinator, Lecturer & Examiner Sepang Institute Technology (SITech)
    1991 - 2020 Senior Lecturer University of Adelaide
    1984 - 1990 Leader, Engineering Studies Group Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
    1984 - 1990 Senior Research Scientist Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
    1980 - 1983 Lecturer Queensland University of Technology
    1980 - 1983 Research Scientist & Postdoctoral Research Fellow Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
    1976 - 1980 Resident Tutor (Engineering) University of Melbourne
    1976 - 1977 Tutor RMIT University
    1974 - 1980 Tutor University of Melbourne
  • Awards and Achievements

    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2023 Recognition Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher Clarivate Web of Science Australia -
    2022 Recognition Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher Clarivate Web of Science Australia -
  • Education

    Date Institution name Country Title
    2010 University of Adelaide, Adelaide Australia Graduate Certificate in Education (Higher Education)
    1980 University of Melbourne, Melbourne Australia PhD
    1976 University of Melbourne, Melbourne Australia MEngSci
    1974 Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University, Melbourne Australia Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical)
  • Research Interests

Major grants (most recent 3 years)

Date Project/ No. Investigators Funding Body Amount
2024 DP240102575 - Seawater electrolysis for hydrogen and commodity chemicals production Davey, K., Ling, T., Thewlis, M., Zheng, Y. Australian Research Council (Discovery Projects) $600,925.00
2024 DP240102353 - Targeted electrolyte design for high energy aqueous batteries Davey, K., Gu, Q., Mao, J., Yuwono, J. Australian Research Council (Discovery Projects) $380,000.00

Courses previously taught

Course Title Institution Course Level/ Code
Process Systems (discontinued 2008) University of Adelaide CHEM ENG 1000
Introduction to Bio-processing University of Adelaide CHEM ENG 1004
Introduction to Pharmaceutical Engineering (discontinued 2011) University of Adelaide CHEM ENG 1006
Process Engineering I University of Adelaide CHEM ENG 1007 
Chemical Process Principles II (discontinued in 2009) University of Adelaide CHEM ENG 2001
Essay & Seminar – discontinued 2009 University of Adelaide CHEM ENG 3002
Introduction to Biochemical Engineering (discontinued in 2008) University of Adelaide CHEM ENG 3010
Kinetics & Reactor Design University of Adelaide CHEM ENG 3017
Applications C (Separations Processing) University of Adelaide CHEM ENG 3033
Biochemical Engineering (discontinued in 2009) University of Adelaide CHEM ENG 4008
Advanced Separation Techniques & Thermal Processes University of Adelaide CHEM ENG 4010
Design Project University of Adelaide CHEM ENG 4014 
Chemical Engineering Projects IV University of Adelaide CHEM ENG 4025 
Chemical Engineering Research Projects (H) University of Adelaide CHEM ENG 4026 
Chemical Engineering Research Projects (N) University of Adelaide CHEM ENG 4027
Professional Practice IV University of Adelaide CHEM ENG 4034
Food Process Engineering (discontinued 2013) University of Adelaide CHEM ENG 4052
Pinch Analysis & Process Synthesis University of Adelaide CHEM ENG 4053
Pinch Analysis University of Adelaide CHEM ENG 7039
Food Engineering (discontinued 2013) University of Adelaide CHEM ENG 7044
Masters Project Pt 1 (PG) University of Adelaide CHEM ENG 7046A
Masters Project Pt 2 (PG) University of Adelaide CHEM ENG 7046B 
Engineering Process Technologies University of Adelaide CHEM ENG 7049
Applications C (Separation Processes) University of Adelaide CHEM ENG 7052 

 

  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2019 - 2021 Co-Supervisor A STATISTICAL METHODOLOGY TO OPTIMISE SOLUBLE PRODUCTION OF VIRUS-LIKE PARTICLE PROTEIN BY FERMENTATION OF ESCHERICHIA COLI Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Mr Nhat Hoang Huynh
    2015 - 2018 Principal Supervisor A Novel FR 13 Risk Assessment of Corrosion of Pipeline Steel in De-aerated Water Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Samuel Drew Collins
    2015 - 2018 Principal Supervisor Synthesis and experimental validation of a new probabilistic strategy to minimize heat transfers used in conditioning of dry air in buildings with fluctuating ambient and room occupancy Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr James Yick Gay Chu
    2013 - 2017 Principal Supervisor A FR 13 Microbiological Global Risk Model - Demonstrated for Pasteurization of Raw Milk with Viable Mycobacterium avium Susp. Paratuberculosis Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Saravanan Chandrakash
    2013 - 2016 Principal Supervisor Development of the Fr 13 risk framework - demonstrated with one- and two-step steady-state membrane processing of juices Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Mr Wei Zou
    2012 - 2016 Principal Supervisor Predictive Modelling and Experimental Studies on Taste-Taint as Geosmin (GSM) and 2-methylisoborneol (MIB) in Farmed Barramundi (Lates calcarifer) Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Priyantha Indrajith Hathurusingha Arachchige
    2012 - 2017 Principal Supervisor Quantitative FR 13 failure Modelling of UV Irradiation for Portable Water Production - Demonstrated with Escherichia coli Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Nadiya Abdul Halim
    2010 - 2012 Principal Supervisor A New Risk Analysis of Clean in Place (CIP) Milk Processing Master of Engineering Science Master Full Time Mr Saravanan Chandrakash
    2004 - 2006 Principal Supervisor Novel Application of Quantitative Risk Assessment Modelling to a Continuous Fermenter Master of Engineering Science Master Full Time Mr Rohit Patil
    2004 - 2008 Co-Supervisor Experimental Field Studies and Predictive Modelling of PCB and PCDD/F Levels in Australian Farmed Southern Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus maccoyii) Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Samuel Phua
    2002 - 2006 Principal Supervisor Predictive Modelling and Experimental Studies of Thermal Inactivation of Bacteria as Affected by Combined Temperature and pH in Liquid Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Ms Khar Khoo
    2000 - 2008 Principal Supervisor Ultraviolet Disinfection Kinetics for Potable Water Production Master of Engineering Science Master Full Time Mr Steven Amos
  • Other Supervision Activities

    Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
    2023 - ongoing Co-Supervisor To be confirmed University of Adelaide - Doctorate - Bin Deng
  • Memberships

    Date Role Membership Country
    1995 - ongoing - Fellow IChemE -
    1994 - 2020 Member Fellow, Australian Institute of Food Science & Technology Australia
  • Position: Adjunct Associate Professor
  • Phone: 83135457
  • Email: kenneth.davey@adelaide.edu.au
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Engineering Annexe, floor Third Floor
  • Room: 309
  • Org Unit: School of Chemical Engineering

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